Land Rover Discovery 1995.

The Land Rover Discovery was released in the U.K. in October 1989 to fill the ever widening gap between the luxurious Range Rover and the utilitarian Land Rover Defenders. Development had started in 1986 and was very rapid by British standards, aided by the fact that the Discovery made use of the coil suspension, engines and full-time four wheel drive transmission of the Range Rover (Classic) of the day.

The early Discovery came as a two-door with the 3.5L V8 petrol engine, the LT77 5-speed gearbox and LT230 transfer case with centre diff' lock. Later, a 1994cc multi-point injection (Mpi) petrol engine was offered in European markets. Normal seating is for five, with two optional folding, inwards-facing seats under the distinctive stepped roof at the rear.

1994 saw major revisions with the V8 enlarged to 3.9L and the 300-series 2.5L 4-cylinder diesel Tdi (turbo-charged, direct injection, intercooled) offered as an alternative. The diesel has a maximum boost of 0.8 to 1.0 bar and can perform as something approximating a 5L naturally aspirated diesel; it is frugal but no slouch. The R380 5-speed manual transmission or a 4-speed automatic could be had. A driver's air-bag was fitted and a passenger's air-bag became on option. Four-door Land Rover Discovery models were also introduced. (Rounding error increased the V8 to a nominal 4L in 1995!)

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