It's what off-roaders crave. More ground clearance, bigger tires...oh yeah. And a 525 hp supercharged V8.
Land Rover is calling it their most extreme Land Rover ever. The Discovery SVX is a go-anywhere off-road machine that's been upgraded with more power and more capability. It's also the first Land Rover to be hand-built by the craftspeople at the company's Special Vehicle Operations technical centre.
Based on the fifth-generation Land Rover Discovery, the SVX is designed to offer even more off-road ability than the famed standard model. To do that, Rover starts with a 5.0L supercharged V8 that makes 525 hp and 461 lb-ft. That's a big bump from the 340 hp available in the regular Discovery.
Underneath, the Disco SVX gets a lifted suspension that gives more ground clearance. It also improves approach and departure angles which lets the SVX tackle steeper hills and bigger obstacles. Helping the SVX to press on are 275 width 20-inch Goodyear Wrangler all-terrain tires with big sidewalls and an aggressive tread. The Terrain Response 2 all-wheel drive and traction control system has been revised to handle the improved grip.
The Discovery SVX uses an eight-speed automatic transmission and a two-speed transfer case. The SVX trades the standard SUV's rotary shifter for a pistol shifter that makes it easier to change gear off-road. It has an electronic center transfer case and locking rear differential.
A new feature, Hydraulic Active Roll Control, allows for more wheel articulation off-road but reduces body roll on the road.
To let you know what you're looking at, the SVX production preview has unique bumpers and underbody skid plates, as well as bright orange recovery hooks. The hooks are rated for more than 6,000 kg to help get even the most stuck vehicles unstuck.
Land Rover calls the Discovery SVX a "production preview," but it is a close look at the production car. The off-road ready production Discovery SVX is expected next year.
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