Uniquely specified Discovery Landmark reprises a name used by previous run-out models
Land Rover has revealed a high-spec new edition of the Discovery – which could be the final version of the nine-year-old seven-seater before it comes in for a dramatic reinvention.
The new Landmark model reprises a name previously used for run-out editions of the Discovery 2, 3 and 4 in their final months of production – suggesting that the end could finally be near for the fifth iteration.
The new £76k Landmark – sitting between entry-level S (£70k) and top-link Tempest (£84k) trims – comes in a bespoke shade of Tasman Blue paint that nods to the original Disco 1’s Clearwater blue, and is marked out from its range-mates with a raft of bespoke styling cues inside and out.
Standard kit on the Landmark includes a sliding panoramic sunroof and a fridge in the centre console.
All versions come exclusively with the D350 straight-six diesel, the Discovery having dropped all petrol and PHEV powertrain options.
Having been launched in the UK in February 2017, the Discovery is not just JLR’s oldest model but also one of the longest-running cars currently on sale in the UK.
Autocar approached JLR for confirmation that the Landmark was a swansong for the current-generation car, but a spokesperson declined to comment on future product plans.
The Discovery 5 was briefly offered in a Landmark trim from 2019-2020, to celebrate the SUV’s 30th anniversary.
Details of the nameplate’s future remain unconfirmed – with JLR focusing for now on the launch of the upcoming Range Rover Electric, Defender Sport and Velar successor – but the company has hinted at plans to dramatically reposition its big family hauler to differentiate it from the vastly more popular Defender.
Mark Cameron, who leads the Defender and Discovery brands, previously told Autocar: “If you look from a product perspective, Defender came in and sat quite squarely on top of Discovery and cannibalised a lot of that business.”
He said JLR was working on “recreating what Discovery stands for”, and said the priority was to “make sure it sits in a really unique territory”.
A successor model would be likely to use the similarly sized Range Rover’s MLA architecture, which can accommodate electric, combustion and hybrid drivetrains – in keeping with JLR’s renewed commitment to preserving a multi-powertrain offering across its model lines for the medium term.
