Chris Wilde (third, left), and Rabih Ataya (fourth, right) with other officials at the unveiling of the new Discovery Sport yesterday at the newly-opened luxury resort Marsa Malaz Kempinski, The Pearl – Doha. PICTURE: Shemeer Rasheed
Alfardan Premier Motors, the exclusive importer of Land Rover in Qatar, has unveiled Land Rover’s highly-anticipated new Discovery Sport yesterday. It is described as the world’s most versatile and capable
premium compact SUV.
Dignitaries and loyal Land Rover customers attended the vehicle’s Mena debut at the newly-opened Marsa Malaz Kempinski, The Pearl-Doha.
“The Discovery Sport combines premium dynamic design and versatility which I am confident will resonate on an emotional level with our Mena customers, and we expect this to deliver solid results when sales start,” said Chris Wilde, brand director for Jaguar Land Rover Mena. “We are extremely proud to be revealing the new Discovery Sport here in Qatar.”
He noted that the vehicle garnered a huge amount of attention globally and in the GCC region since the official unveiling at the Paris Motor Show.
Rabih Ataya, general manager, Alfardan Premier Motors, expressed confidence that the vehicle will exceed customer’s expectations when sales start.
Car enthusiasts across the Mena region have been closely watching the hot weather tests on the vehicle prototypes with the Jaguar Land Rover Engineering Centre in Dubai.
The prototypes were put through their paces during arduous Middle East hot weather tests which included off-road desert capability, transmission calibration and brake noise temperatures up to a sweltering 50°C.
The exclusive behind-the-scenes footage of the hot weather testing captured the new Discovery Sport showing off its exceptional capabilities, making it one of the most accomplished vehicles in its segment.
A host of innovations have allowed the vehicle to boast a progressive new design approach and introduce the versatility of 5+2 seating into the premium compact SUV class for the first time, in a seating no larger than existing 5-seat premium SUVs.
Coupled with supple long-travel suspension, the innovative rear axle also ensures the Discovery Sport is comfortable, refined and rewarding to drive on-road, while retaining the breadth of the class-leading all-terrain capability for which Land Rover is world-renowned.
As with every new Land Rover, Ataya said safety has been a key priority in the development of the new SUV which resulted in a first-in-class pedestrian airbag, autonomous emergency braking, and a state-of-the-art bodyshell featuring both ultra-high-strength steel and lightweight aluminum.
This represents a fraction of the advanced equipment available in Discovery Sport, which also includes Head-Up Display (HUD), an all-new 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system, and tilt-and-slide row-two seating for maximum interior configurability.
The new Discovery Sport range of four-cylinder turbocharged petrol engines will be available exclusively at Land Rover Showroom at Alfardan Plaza on Al Sadd Street, with a price starting from QR159,000.
