Unveiled at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September last year, the Land Rover Discovery Sport HSE Luxury is pretty much one of the most capable SUVs on the planet. Of course it is handsome and well-proportioned and comes with luxuriously appointed interiors, but that’s something you also get from a lot of competing vehicles from other high-end European car makers. What you don’t get elsewhere, however, is the Discovery Sport’s sheer off-road capability, which can pull you through almost any kind of terrain than you can imagine, and then some.
Land Rover recently hosted a driving experience in Gurgaon and we have to admit, driving the Discovery Sport HSE across some of harshest, most demanding terrain ever was quite an eye-opener. This was definitely hostile terrain – near-vertical climbs, massive craters and potholes almost large enough to swallow an entire 18-inch wheel, and drops steep enough to induce Acrophobia. And yet, the Discovery Sport HSE was able to shrug-off all the abuse heaped upon it and danced across the off-road route without ever threatening to get stuck.
The Sport HSE’s off-road capability didn’t happen by chance – every last bit of it has been meticulously engineered into the vehicle, and every part – from the bodywork construction, chassis and suspension, to the engine and the 4WD drive train has been optimised accordingly. Weight saving was an important concern for Land Rover, which is why the Discovery Sport gets steel body construction, but with lightweight aluminium used for the bonnet, roof and tailgate panels, and various suspension components.
As you would expect, the Discover Sport’s suspension has also been fully optimised for all-terrain capability and extreme off-road use. The use of aluminium reduces unsprung weight, without compromising on stiffness. The front suspension struts have hydraulic rebound stops, which help to manage the loads caused by severe impacts (a common occurrence during extreme off-roading), while the fully independent multi-link rear suspension delivers dynamic response, agile handling and great ride comfort over harsh, broken terrain. Plus, the compact set-up helps with the packaging, providing increased interior space (5+2 seating is available as an option) without compromising on wheel travel and articulation capability.
TECH DETAILS
This story is from the September 2016 edition of Auto Tech Review.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the September 2016 edition of Auto Tech Review.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Sound Generation For Enhanced Road Safety
With an ever-increasing number of fully electric and hybrid vehicles entering the market, we are witnessing a change in the acoustic experience in and around the car. The silent nature of the electric powertrain means that other road users miss the familiar acoustic cues that warn them of an approaching vehicle. To remedy this situation, Harman is working on various noise management solutions.
OBJECTIVE ASSESSMENT OF THE SAFETY CONTRIBUTION OF TODAY'S AUTOMOTIVE HEADLAMPS
Good lighting makes a major contribution to road safety. In 2011, the International Commission on Illumination (CIE) presented an evaluation system for headlamps that can objectively assess the quality of illumination and glare limitation. New light sources like LEDs and lighting functions (glare-free high beam, partial high beam) have been available for several years, so that an extension of the proven CIE method is necessary, which takes into account, among other things, changed switch-on and service lives of new lighting functions and represents a generally understandable evaluation system. An evaluation system presented in the following by the Technische Uni versität Darmstadt, which was developed by an encompassing expert commission, is intended to provide representative data and enable an objective evaluation of headlamp performance.
RAPIDO RE-INNOVATES TO CATER TO POST COVID-19 LAST MILE CONNECTIVITY
The rapid pace of urbanisation in the country has witnessed cities expanding and subsuming surrounding villages and smaller towns, evolving into Tier II and III cities.
FUNCTIONAL SAFETY STANDARDS TOP PRIORITY FOR FUTURE AUTOMOTIVE DEPLOYMENT
Increasing levels of electronic content in vehicles result in a large amount of software that is required to run the scenes behind the mechanical aspects of a vehicle. Electronic systems in automobiles are part of every section, from the powertrain to comfort and convenience systems as well as all types of safety equipment. This makes electronics and the software running these systems a critical part of the equation for future mobility solutions. In addition, putting standards in place to measure methods of developing, testing and functioning of such electronic systems also becomes highly relevant.
“BYD'S EV STRATEGY TO ENCOMPASS MOST FORMS OF TRANSPORTATION NEEDS IN INDIA”
The country’s electric vehicle (EV) ecosystem is grappling with a plethora of challenges even as it is striving to wriggle itself out of the ‘nascent stage’ tag. In an exclusive chat with Auto Tech Review, Zhang Jie Ketsu, Executive Director, BYD India shares his perspective on the current EV scenario and how the company intends to progress faster in the Indian automotive industry
SAFETY IN ELECTRIC AND AUTONOMOUS CARS – SIMULATION OF COMPLEX CRASH SCENARIOS
Electric and autonomous vehicles allow for novel seating arrangements and packaging strategies, presenting new safety challenges. Physical crash testing must be supplemented with virtual simulation to ensure vehicle safety on shorter development cycles. With its Simcenter Madymo MBS software, Siemens provides improved runtimes and the Active Human model, enabling accurate and rapid occupant safety analysis in complex crash scenarios.
KIA SONET – A MIGHTY OFFERING IN THE COMPACT SUV SEGMENT
It wouldn't be wrong to say that Kia Motors India has taken the Indian market by storm in less than 12 months of its presence in the market.
NISSAN'S NEW DIRECTION: ARIYA ALL-ELECTRIC
Marking a key milestone in Nissan’s transformation strategy, Ariya ticks a lot of boxes highlighting the strengths of the global automotive giant.
BETTER SAFETY WITH EMERGENCY BRAKE ASSIST FOR MOTORCYCLES
Rear-end collisions with a slower vehicle suddenly cutting into the lane and intersection accidents with cross-traffic are among the most frequent motorcycle accident types. Continental is now developing an emergency brake assist, which detects an imminent collision with a vehicle ahead or with an obstacle, warns the rider and supports him during braking
ADAS WILL SERVE AS CATALYST FOR IMPROVED VEHICLE SAFETY
The automotive industry across the globe is increasingly focussing on safety.
