Land Rover Discovery Sport, GIANT wellies & the River Seine (+video)

Jaguar Land Rover has introduced the Land Rover Discovery Sport to the world in Paris with a splash in the Seine, giant wellies and Rosie Huntington-Whiteley.

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Apart from the full reveal of the new Jaguar XE range, JLR’s big outing at this year’s Paris Motor Show has been the public debut of the new Land Rover Discovery Sport. And, as is fast becoming the norm for Jaguar Land Rover, the new Discovery Sport arrived in Paris with a bit of a splash.

Rather than just unveiling the new Discovery Sport on the floor in Paris (which they did, with just the Sport on display on the first day), JLR commissioned a giant barge to accommodate the Sport on the River Seine, together with a very British support act in the guise of giant wellingtons.

Seven pairs of giant wellies adorned the barge, representing the 5+2 seating of the Sport and to emphasize the Sport’s ‘Country Life’ abilities.

The giant barge also featured an ‘in and out’ water splash to demonstrate that the new Sport isn’t just a family SUV but a true Land Rover, with the trademark Land Rover off-road abilities firmly intact.

Adding to that was the now de rigeur Land Rover celebrity face to give proceedings a glitzy edge, and with Paris Fashion week clashing with the Paris Motor Show JLR roped in model Rosie Huntington-Whiteley to add a touch of glamour and Britishness to the event, and to garner a few headlines from places that wouldn’t normally cover a new car debut.

It was all very glossy and impactful and will no doubt help Land Rover add to the orders they’ve already received for the new Sport ahead of its reveal – 1200 or so, it seems, so far.

The new Land Rover Discovery Sport will arrive in Land Rover’s UK dealers in Q1 2015. Unfortunately, it will be with the old 2.2 litre diesel rather than the new Ingenium 2.0 litre versions, but even that shouldn’t hamper sales too much.

Although we’d wait until the new engines arrive before signing the order form.

Related Photos: Land Rover Discovery Sport

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Land Rover Discovery Sport Paris Launch Video