The New Land Rover Discovery is a Beauty!

A stylish test drive in collaboration with Muscats Motors Ltd

My passion for luxury cars and fashion have brought about this awesome opportunity for me to go back to visit my roots in the automotive industry and test drive this beautiful beast thanks to Muscats Motors Malta. Apart from showing you some pretty pictures photographed by Carlo Jourdan , I will give you some information and of course my personal opinions about impressions and handling. I have been driving 4X4s for over a decade now. Some of you will remember my black Defender 90 with a V8 engine.. I just find them so comfortable, sexy and safe on the road for myself and my passengers and a very practical family car option!

At First Glance

I was so happy to have been entrusted with a Loire Blue Land Rover Discovery TD6 with a 3.0 Litre engine. At first glance, I love this colour and the choice of elegant acorn leather seats. Very elegant and tasteful. Gone is the boldly boxy and imposing look of the outgoing previous model, replaced by a much more rounded and classy design. Much less Discovery-Ish, this model has been styled under the direction of LR’s design boss Gerry McGovern. The front end has adopted the family style and looks strikingly similar to the smaller Discovery Sport with a bulky rear end.

All Terrain Info Centre

This model comes with a touchscreen display in the navigation system which allows you to view and activate various features and provides access to 4 Wheel Drive information and guidance features for off-road driving. The touchscreen displays information about the vehicle’s wheels, suspension, transmission and driveline including suspension movements and articulation for vehicles with electronic air suspension. The system can show the angle and the pitch of the vehicle on slopes and inclines, advice on the vehicle’s current and maximum wading depth and includes a host of other helpful guidance such as vehicle dimensions for entering tighter spots, excellent for Maltese and Gozitan roads and alleys!!

Intuitive Technology

The all-new Discovery features the very latest suite of technologies, including InControl, a raft of USB ports and the latest in infotainment to keep you and your passengers connected and entertained, very important for most of us these days.

All-New Discovery is up to 480 kg lighter

There is no need to question about the hardware underneath the new Discovery. The old car’s heavy chassis has been replaced by a monocoque design, with liberal use of aluminium, so the new model is up to 480kg lighter! Mud-plugging ability hasn’t been compromised, though; there’s still the suite of the brand’s Terrain Response systems, clever integral-link rear suspension, a full spare wheel and a strong 900mm wading depth. In fact, Land Rover claims that this is its most capable off-roader yet. Since it is a brand new car that has not been launched or sold yet, I did not take the car for an off road experience when we drove it to Selmun but I’m pretty sure that all the claims from other experts from car testing companies, magazines and car TV channels across the globe are true!

The iconic Land Rover Defender model is worshipped globally as an off-roading legend, but the almost-as-capable Discovery is often overlooked. It has been on sale on the market now for 28 years, successfully bridging the gap between the basic Defender and luxurious Range Rover in the British car maker’s line-up. Now in its fifth generation, this seven-seat Discovery has moved further towards the premium end of the market than ever, with prices starting from €43,000 and rising to €75,000. I’m over the moon to be able to try it in Malta for the first time, with 3.0L Diesel engine with a high-end HSE Luxury trim.

More importantly, is it a good 7 seater carrier ?

This one is definitely a full seven-seater, with second-row seats getting 954mm of legroom and the third row not needing to be worryingly short to find space – there’s 851mm in the far rear, and enough gap for real adults.

It’s also versatile; you can individually fold each rearmost seat, and the second row has a recline facility. Heated seats are available all the way through, and you can have headrest-mounted screens, or just opt for the optional iPad holders. Handy.

There’s also help if you need the space and are peculiarly weak in the wrist, because you can always option the Intelligent Seat Fold system, which allows you to electrically raise and lower the seating to any spec from the dash touchscreen, boot-mounted buttons or a phone app.

Divided across three rows and readily deployable, no other vehicle in its class is so well appointed. Each and every passenger in the All-New Discovery enjoys a truly comfortable ride, with a generous amount of legroom offered. Those in the second row will find they have 954 mm whilst in the optional third row, a plentiful 851mm. Ladies night ? Kids pool? Football team

How does it drive?

This TD6 3.0-litre V6 diesel produces 258bhp and 443lb ft, with just under 40mpg on the combined fuel cycle. These are perfectly acceptable numbers for a big SUV. It feels much, much lighter than the old one, too. Keener, unafraid of a corner. It’s rock-solid stable at speed and quiet apart from the occasional beautiful roar when hitting high speeds on the coast road!

My day was over and photographer Carlo Jourdan and I had to unfortunately return this baby to Muscats Motors. However, good news is that I will be seeing her again as this car will be officially on display at the Land Rover Launch Party this coming Friday 5th May! Yes I will be there to see her in the spotlight once again.

Thank you very much Muscats Motors for this opportunity and to all my followers out there if you are looking for a high-end vehicle, well this one should be on your list to test drive! This week I will be launching a cool GIVEAWAY on Facebook with Land Rover lifestyle products in collaboration with Land Rover at Muscats Motors!

So stay tuned at www.graziellecamilleri.com and Follow my facebook Page to be able to participate!

XXX Grazielle

I was wearing:

Jeans, top and jacket: River Island @ The Point
Blue dress & sandals: London F Café, Bay Street
Eyewear: Vision Opticians
Photography: Carlo Jourdan
Makeup: Natasha Polidano