The Discovery SVX is Land Rover"s ultimate off-roader

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Written by Jack Rix
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If you own a new Discovery, lack of off-road ability probably isn"t top of your list of complaints, but JLR"s special vehicle operations (SVO) department doesn"t care it"s built the ultimate off-road Disco anyway. Officially still a concept, although you"ll be able to buy one in 2018, it"s the first model to wear the SVX badge denoting its superior bog-wading capabilities. That makes it SVO"s third sub-brand following silly-fast SVRs, and ultra-luxe SVAutobiographies.Although these pictures suggest SVO have restrained from giving it the full Tomb Raider treatment, it"s done a typically thorough job. Not least in the engine bay, where the only choice is a 518bhp 5.0-litre supercharged V8 thirsty, yes, but also torquey and unreasonably fast. We approve. It also debuts a hydraulic active roll control system, which simultaneously increases wheel articulation and reduces body roll so it should handle its mass in corners slightly better than the standard car.Then again the tyres might have something to say about that larger (815mm diameter) Goodyear Wranglers are designed for mud not motorways with their taller side walls and aggressive tread pattern. The centre of gravity is higher, too, thanks to raised air suspension with long-travel dampers and revised knuckles.

Date written: 11 Sep 2017

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ID: 9148
 
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