The Land Rover Discovery Sport got off to a fantastic start with over 200 orders after bookings commenced on 10th August. This is the first vehicle under Land Rover’s ‘Discovery’ sub-brand.
In a pleasant turn of events, Land Rover announced that they have received 200 bookings for their soon to be launched Discovery Sport in a very short time span. Bookings for the car were opened on the 10th of this month. The Discovery Sport will be the first vehicle to be launched under the new ‘Discovery’ sub-brand. It will replace the Freelander 2 in India which has been quite a strong seller for the company over the years. Land Rover is quite happy with the response to their most versatile SUV, the Discovery Sport and wants to leave no stone unturned in fulfilling the customer’s expectations for the trust shown by them towards the off-road brand.
The Land Rover Discovery Sport will come with a 9-speed automatic gearbox (first seen on the updated Evoque), powered by a 2.2-litre diesel in two states of tune – 147 BHP and 187 BHP. It will feature a full blown Terrain Response system complemented by other off-roading features like Hill Descent Control (HDC), Dynamic Stability Control (DSC), Hill Start Assist, Roll Stability Assist (RSA), Trailer Stability Assist (TSA) and Electronic Traction Control (ETC) amongst others. On the inside, the Discovery Sport will get features like the new InControl touchscreen infotainment system, bi-xenon headlamps, dual zone climate control, rear parking camera and leather seats as standard. The main USP of the new Discovery Sport will be its ‘5+2’ seating configuration that none of its competitors offer.
The Land Rover Discovery Sport will be brought into India via the CKD route and assembled at the Jaguar Land Rover facility in Pune. It will be priced competitively in the range of Rs. 45-50 lakhs and will take on cars like the Audi Q5, BMW X3, Volvo XC60 and the upcoming Mercedes-Benz GLC. Land Rover currently sells its vehicles via 22 authorised dealerships across India. The Freelander 2 which falls in the same price bracket might be discontinued next year. Land Rover has a lot riding on the Discovery Sport in India and going by the initial interest and enthusiasm shown by buyers, we expect it to be one of the popular buys in this segment. The most important aspect is the price which Land Rover will reveal on the 2nd of September.
