For more than one week, the Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) group on rotational basis exposed an estimated 25 selected leading motoring journalists in Africa, including BusinessDay Nigeria, on a travelogue of some parts of the Wildlife-rich Botswana as a platform to announce the market presence of the all-new 2014 Land Rover Discovery to the rest of Africa.
The two-day adventure of surprises for the visiting journalists enabled them to see scenic wildlife splendour of Botswana arid regions replete with all kinds of animals religiously protected by its citizens through government regulations. The laws makes it illegal and highly punishable offence for anyone that abuses the rights and privileges of the animal for instance either by killing it or taking them away illegally to another location.
The British automaker through Kingsley Holgate Foundation whose obsession is to move around the globe by land, identifying with the need to protect the green environment and car for the rural community, also used the opportunity to distribute over 2,000 mosquito-treated nets to the Khwai community in Botswna in what it tags; ‘Africa you love-in all 2014 Discovery.’
The 2014 Land Rover Discovery receives a new look, new badging, an all-new petrol engine, improved audio systems and a new range of driver assistance, comfort and safety features to further broaden its appeal. “It is fitting and right that we launch the Model Year 2014 Discovery at the same time as we announce the Discover the Africa you Love programme,” says Nigel Clarke, operations director of JLR sub-Sahara Africa.
He said that there has never been a vehicle more appropriate for discovering Africa than a Land Rover Discovery and it remains the perfect vehicle for people who enjoy living an active lifestyle to the full. In his words, “With the introduction of the supercharged V6, which supersedes the V8, we can now offer a more fuel-efficient vehicle, and a number of other upgrades to make the acclaimed Discovery better than ever.”
For 2014, the Land Rover Discovery has been given a new ‘face’ and numerous detail exterior changes. The grille, front bumper and headlamps are all new while new daytime running lights with a distinctive LED signature and a more premium execution to the foglamp surround further enhance the Discovery’s appearance.
There are three types of headlights, vehicle grade-dependent. XS and S models use bi-halogen bulbs with a single Daytime Running Lamp (DRL) while the SE gets Xenon headlamps with Signature DRLs and flagship HSE models get the Adaptive Xenon version.
To complement the design changes seen at the front of the vehicle, the rear light units receive a black mask for an especially clean look. Two new alloy wheel designs have been introduced and, to give vehicles a heightened level of distinction, the optional ‘Black Design Pack’ remains available for 2014 models, featuring revised detailing and a choice of 19-inch or 20-inch black alloy wheels.
In a change driven by form and function, the 2014 Discovery has redesigned exterior mirrors. They’re more aerodynamic than before but also support the introduction of new technologies: they house the cameras for the surround camera system, and the sensors for the all-new wade sensing system.
In recognition of Discovery’s established identity, the refreshed exterior design for 2014 also incorporates a change of identity. For the first time ever, the ‘Discovery’ name replaces ‘Land Rover’ on the bonnet and the number 4 will be removed from the tailgate leaving just the word ‘Discovery.’ Engine badging moves from the tailgate to an ingot mounted on each of the front doors.
The oval brand logo is now in a richer shade of green, enhancing its prominence. Underlining automaker’s commitment to power with sustainability, the 2014 Discovery will continue to be available with the class-leading 183kW/600Nm 3.0 SDV6 – with CO2 emissions of 230 g/km. The 155kW/520Nm 3.0 TDV6 will also continue to be available.
The petrol newcomer (this is the first time this engine has been offered in the Discovery for some markets) is rated at 250kW and 450Nm with emissions of 285 g/km versus headline numbers of 276kW/510Nm and emissions of 328 g/km for the V8. Improvements in fuel consumption are marked with figures of 12.0l/100km for the V6 compared to 14.1l/100km for the V8.
All powerplants are mated to an eight-speed ZF automatic transmission, working in perfect harmony with Terrain Response and High/Low ratios to provide the perfect combination of gear ratio and drive train response for any situation.
It has always been the perfect companion for a trip into ‘Africa’, and it gets even better in this regard thanks to the extended navigation system fitted as standard from 2014. In a first for availability as a factory-fitted integrated system, Discovery comes with the latest generation of Tracks4Africa, a suite of 16 maps of rural areas, with impressive detail, much of its content being user-driven. It maps nearly 20 000 roads and tracks, and details more than 2,500 points of interest.
For the urban environment, the mapping software of choice is Nokia HERE, which gives comprehensive coverage of over 100 cities in sub-Sahara Africa. With new driver aids and premium audio, the new range of driver assistance, comfort and safety features for 2014.
These include wade sensing (a technology unique to Land Rover), blind spot monitoring, closing vehicle sensing, reverse traffic detection and T-junction cameras – which give drivers a 180 degree-plus view at an intersection via the centrally-positioned TFT (thin-film transistor) screen.
Mike Ochonma
