The history of the Land Rover Discovery

Written by VMS Vehicle Hire on 20th May 2019

Land Rover Discovery Sport

Join us as we look back over the history of the Land Rover Discovery. With over 25 years in the car industry, the Discovery really does have quite the story to tell. 

The story of the stylish 4x4 starts in the mid 80’s, when Land Rover was losing sales to models such as the Mitsubishi Shogun and Isuzu Trooper. To try and claim back its presence, they decided to create a four-wheel-drive family vehicle which could fill the void between the Defender and the Range Rover. 

It was in 1989 at the Frankfurt Motor Show that Land Rover revealed its new 3-door Discovery model. The first iteration meant that the Discovery shared many of its features with the Range Rover such as the chassis, body frame, inner door panels and windscreen. 

The interiors of the discovery were described as a ‘lifestyle accessory’ with sunglasses holders, map pockets and sunroofs, however, Land Rover soon discovered that to make the vehicle truly family friendly, they needed to create a 5-door version to appeal to a wider audience. 

After a few years of design tweaks, the Discovery soon became a sales hit. In August 1993, 3,161 vehicles were sold ahead of Vauxhall Frontera, Suzuki Vitara, Isuzu Trooper and the Jeep Cherokee. 

The Discovery spent the next few years undergoing numerous design transformations to improve passenger comfort, drive and performance. Some of the first transformations came in the form of improved sound systems, a wider variety of colours and a new more powerful engine. 

Did you know that in 2002, the discovery was proving very popular in the UK with emergency services? It’s ability to travel at motorway speeds in comfort combined with its practicality meant rural police forces ensured they had one on their fleet. 

In 2004, the discovery took on its biggest transformation where not a single component was carried over from its predecessor. Bigger and heavier before, the strong design, big engines and roomier interiors made it a striking choice out on the roads. 

In 2014, the Land Rover Discovery Sport was born as its own sub-brand following in the steps of the Range Rover. The sport edition, designed by Gerry McGovern, had steel monocoque with an aluminium bonnet, wings, roof and tailgate. 

Today, with many more new technological advancements and a sleek external style, the Discovery Sport is increasingly popular with drivers. You can hire one of these incredible cars straight from us with mileage, VAT and breakdown cover included. 

To book yours from as little as £110.50/day contact us today! 

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