The very first Land Rover Discovery hit the streets of the UK in 1989; twenty five years and four generations down the line, it’s still an incredibly popular vehicle that has an enduring appeal.
Targeted from the beginning at a more practical aspect of the market than the Range Rover, the Land Rover Discovery has long been the vehicle of choice for the adventurous, which has taken it around the world to some surprising places.
Many will remember the Top Gear challenge back in 2004 when Jeremy Clarkson drove a Land Rover Discovery from sea level to the top of a mountain; the 307 metre high Cnoc an Fhreiceadain in Northern Scotland. The stunt was designed to highlight the capabilities of the vehicle but it was criticised by some due to the potential damage caused to the landscape – in itself a lesson that just because you can take a vehicle anywhere, it perhaps doesn’t mean that you should.
More recently, as we reported last year, the Land Rover Discovery was chosen by a British team for their world record drive from London to Cape Town – a journey which was completed in 10 days, 3 hours and 16 minutes, beating the previous record by just over 10 hours.
Just this month, to celebrate the anniversary of the Discovery, Jaguar Land Rover worked with the British Exploring Society on the Discovery Adventure Challenge to find the “Next Generation Explorer”. Competitors raced Discoveries on a challenging slalom course and across a course of metal ladders, as well as testing their strength and technique when pulling heavy sleds and racing on water across Lake Geneva. The winner, 22 year old Alex Woodford from Leicestershire, will be mentored by veteran explorer Bear Grylls and participate in an epic adventure.
Of course, the Land Rover Discovery is also a perfect vehicle for far humbler adventures. Many owners prize it simply for its excellent capacity – with seven seats now standard in the Discovery 4 – which makes it an ideal family car, and the strength which makes it a perfect towing vehicle. Land Rover’s own data reportedly shows that only 15-20% of those who buy a Discovery each year will take it off-road.
Whether you’re more inclined towards off-road adventures or road trips, it’s important to be able to keep your vehicle in prime condition. Here at CWS 4×4 we offer a wide range of Land Rover spares in Somerset, particularly parts for Discoveries and Defenders, to help you keep your Land Rover ready for adventure.