THE DISCOVERY STORY

Some families follow the path, others make their own trail. These are the Land Rover Discovery people.

This is an original SUV. It helps you live your life your way.

New, yet instantly recognisable.

A product of British ingenuity, Discovery was conceived amid political and economic turbulence in the 1980s. The team behind it relied on creativity.

Land Rover managing director Tony Gilroy championed the project. He was convinced his team could deliver a new kind of car for curious, active families who wanted to travel far and wide together.

He was right. Launched in 1989 amid growing prosperity and easing Cold War tensions, the Land Rover Discovery was an instant success.

Tony and his team made something that was more than the sum of its parts. It was a star in its own right, even though it shared components with the Range Rover and took design inspiration from Defender.

Hardcore enthusiasts might have spotted the windscreen or doors, or the Command Driving Position familiar to Range Rover drivers but this didn’t look like a Range Rover. The first Land Rover Discovery only had two doors and no clamshell bonnet.

The side-opening rear door with its mounted spare wheel was reminiscent of Defender, as were the Alpine lights in the roof and the rubber mats. Nonetheless, this was something new.

The stepped roof was a striking feature, creating headroom for a third row of seats. At first those two optional rearmost seats were side-facing – a great space for one-on-one conversations.

If you didn’t want the extra seats, the boot came with two storage bins.

Distinctive graphics on the bodywork also helped set the Land Rover Discovery apart, as did the new option of two sunroofs.

The rear door had a distinctively shaped window, with a spare wheel offset to the right. The original Discovery was primarily designed for right-hand drive markets, so this made it easier for drivers to reverse when looking over their shoulder; in-car camera technology was a long way away.

By the time Discovery 3 came along, the rear door had been redesigned for left-hand drive. At the same time the spare wheel was relocated underneath the rear, where it remains to this day.

From the start, Discovery’s interior set it apart. The original, created with Conran Design, was full of fresh ideas and creative details.

Launched with a Sonar Blue colourway – Bahama Beige was added later – it included a matching rear centre console-mounted shoulder bag.

Unzip that bag and you’d find the owners’ manual, with off-roading tips and worldwide information about servicing and repairs. From the very beginning, Discovery owners have always been expected to live up to its name.

Discovery was all about your family’s lifestyle – about going out and doing things. The first Discovery made that even clearer with touches such as a roof lining with storage pockets and nets.

It’s never been just about the cabin though. There was a game-changer under the bonnet from the start.

The new 200TDi engine with direct fuel injection had exactly the blend of performance and economy many families were looking for. Though some chose the legendary V8 instead.

Land Rover Discovery was tough as well as practical in any guise. It proved that by competing in the gruelling Camel Trophy global off-road adventure series for eight years.

Later Discoveries took part in the similarly arduous G4 Challenge. Discovery was a vehicle for the curious-minded and here was the ultimate test of that.

Discovery II introduced the family-friendly five-door body style in 1998. Some of those families wanted greater luxury as well as exceptional capability. They got it with the ES model, with its leather seats and air conditioning.

Much changed under the skin too, with new tech such as Traction Control and Hill Descent Control making Discovery even more capable off-road.

Hill Descent Control evolved into Land Rover Terrain Response, introduced on Discovery 3 in 2004. Uniquely, it allows the driver to choose from a range of options that guarantee exceptional off-road ability.

This made Discovery 3 a huge step forward. So did its brilliant industrial design, with form following function to an exceptionally pleasing degree.

By this time Discovery had become a popular choice for the Royal Household.

Adopted as the vehicle of choice at equestrian events across the world, Discovery was embraced by anyone who needed real towing ability. It was also hitched to boats, racing cars and high-end camping gear.

This was – and is – a serious vehicle for serious fun. For spontaneous family getaways.

Superb packaging always made the Land Rover Discovery very space efficient. By the third generation there were forward-facing seats for seven adults and the rearmost passengers now got in and out through the back doors, not the tailgate.

The Discovery 4 of 2009 dialled up the luxury and technology even further. The introduction of an optional Surround Camera System meant over-the-shoulder reversing could be a thing of the past.

At heart, the Land Rover Discovery remained a vehicle for getting out there and doing things. It was only natural to celebrate the production of the millionth example by driving from Birmingham to Beijing in 2012.

Two years after that came the introduction of the Land Rover Discovery Sport. The ultimate family explorer had itself become a family.

Discovery Sport offers seven seats in a footprint no larger than existing five-seat premium SUVs and, as part of a sustainability-rich vision of modern luxury by design, is available as an electric hybrid.

The fifth-generation Discovery of 2016 introduced Discovery Sport’s new design language to the full seven-seater.

Today the Land Rover Discovery family combines an exceptional design evolution with a versatile and intelligently packaged interior which embodies the spirit of family adventure that has characterised it for more than 30 years.

There’s comfort and connectivity for everyone, with human-centred design and technology as uncompromised as its space and practicality.

Discovery is one of the most capable and versatile full seven-seat luxury SUVs in the world.

An original since 1989, it will always represent the joys of travel and togetherness.