2012 Land Rover Discovery 4 tweaks revealed

2012 Land Rover Discovery 4 - all round good tweaking

Land Rover has revealed a raft of changes for the 2012 Discovery 4, with more power, new gearbox and better economy. Available from October 2011

You’ve got to go forward, or you’re already going back. Or so the saying goes. Which is no doubt why Land Rover has managed to send us a 2,750 word press release to tell us all the changes they have wrought to the 2012 Discovery 4.

Let’s try and be a little more succinct.

The major changes are a few more horses – up from 245bhp to 256bhp – and a better gearbox. But actually, beyond the seemingly minor changes, the Discovery 4 just becomes an even better vehicle.

The extra power and 8-speed auto – the same box as other Land Rovers and Jaguars have been getting – makes a real difference to the relaxed feel Land Rovers are already so good at.

Not only do the almost seamless changes make for very relaxed on-road manners, the new box also manages – despite the small hike in power – to improve economy too.

You’ll now average 32.1mpg and churn out 230g/km of Co2, an improvement on the current 25.2mpg and 244g/km. That the new figures aren’t much different to the 4.4 litre TDV8 Range Rover has much to do with the Disco weighing about the same as one of Saturn’s moons.

Not that it really makes any difference to the Disco experience, but you will now also get the rotary gear knob that comes as standard in all the 8-speed auto ‘box cars and a set of flappy paddles.

Extra kit comes in the form of new alloy designs, better sound and improved SatNav. Better options come in the form of Vision Assist which throws in Adaptive Xenons with cornering, High Beam assist and the clever all-round cameras Land Rover do so well. There’s also Tow Assist and Hitch Assist. You can work out what they do.

Everything else get tweaked to be just that bit better, from the optional rear entertainment to the DPF; from the tweaked aerodynamics to reduced torque converter slip. All round solid changes to make an exceptional vehicle – perhaps our favourite Land Rover – even better.

Colin Green, Land Rover MD, said of the 2012 Disco 4:

“Improved performance, lower CO₂ emissions and enhanced design and equipment levels, consolidate the Discovery 4′s position as the most capable and versatile all-purpose vehicle on and off the road today. The Discovery 4 is quite simply in a class of its own.”

And, for once, a car maker’s hyperbole is nothing more than a statement of fact.

2012 Land Rover Discovery 4 Specification, Technical and Price

	3.0 LR-SDV6 256hp
Height mm (in)	1887 (74.3)
Width mm (in)	2176 (85.7)
Length mm (in)	4829 (190.1)
Wheelbase mm (in)	2885 (113.6)
Turning Circle m (ft)	11.8 (38.7)
Drag coefficient Cd	0.40
EU Kerb Weight kg (lb)	2583-2700 (5695-5952)
Front suspension	Air sprung Independent double wishbone
Rear suspension	Air sprung Independent double wishbone
Brakes Front	2 piston sliding calliper, 360mm ventilated disc
Steering	Rack & pinion PAS
Four Wheel-Drive system	Full time 4 wheel drive with std locking centre differential. Optional locking rear axle differential available with Air Suspension + Terrain Response^TM
Engine type	Longitudinal V6, 24 valve, four OHC, direct injection diesel, parallel sequential turbochargers
Displacement cc (cu in)	2993 (182.6)
Bore/stroke mm (in)	84×90 (3.30×3.54)
Compression ratio	16.1:1
Max power hp (kW)	256 (188)@4000rpm
Max Torque Nm (lbft)	600 (443)@2000rpm
Fuel consumption EU urban / extra urban / combined (mpg-L/100km)	28.8 / 34.9 / 32.1 – 9.8 / 8.1 / 8.8
Emissions	EU5
CO₂ g/km (combined)	230
Transmission	ZF 8HP70 8-speed auto
Fuel tank capacity litres/imp gals/US gals	82.3 / 18.1 / 21.7
Range EU combined miles (km)	590 (950)*
0-60mph	8.8
0-100kph	9.3
Top speed mph (kph)	112 (180)
Price	From £37,995 – available October 2011