Quote:

By doing away with the third row of seats and by compromising on boot space, the Range Rovers do tend to have much more spacious and comfortable seats for a reduced number of passengers, especially in row two.

RRSTDV8 wrote:

Lost for Words wrote:

How far do these things go as "electric only" though? If it's not far, it makes naff all difference if it's pluggable or not, and more batteries just means more weight, less space.

Full electric vehicles may serve a purpose, but hybrids are pointless IMO.

The hybrid part is useful if it harvests braking energy. That is energy that is otherwise wasted as heat. When braking we just waste the energy used to accelerate the vehicle. Capturing some of that energy and using the next time you want to accelerate is a great idea as it saves fuel. Of course, if the vehicle spends most of its time on the motorway then the benefit is mostly lost. That's why Prius and the lie don't do that well in comparison to efficient ICE cars on the motorway. In stop-start traffic the benefit is very real.

The concept is fair enough, but I don't believe the system works efficiently enough in practice, not by the time you add the extra weight etc., and consider the environmental issues of producing the batteries. As you say, at high speeds, there's little braking needed, but the efficiency of regenerative braking also trails of at low speed. By the time you've added the power balance, there are plenty of inefficiencies creeping in.

 Current: Discovery 3 06MY (55 reg) HSE Auto Zambezi Silver Allisport Fast Road Intercooler, V8 Brakes, Silicone IC Hoses, EGRs Blanked, Remapped, De-Cat pipe, FBHIC
Freelander 2 2007 HSE Manual Tambora Flame
Previous: FL2 56 reg SE Manual Black (written off )
Disco 3 06 reg B7S Manual Rimini Red
Disco 2 TD5 Y reg ES Manual Blue - Chipped
Several Discovery 300 TDis
 

grzesiul wrote:

Hydrogen generator plus four in wheel motors with intelligent four wheel drive would be awesome much better and wey more efficient then electric will ever be
unless the batteries designed in Cambridge will come out as consumer product with 500 more capacity then normal batteries as they are on very good way to be produced soon

for now I would not mind having V6 supercharged

In-wheel motors would make for a terrible ride and poor handling under braking etc. - way too much unsprung weight. A conventional drivetrain with (locking) diffs makes for better off-road ability too, as more power can be distributed to each wheel when needed. An electric drivetrain works for lower speed travel, but I'd want an IVT (hydrostatic, probably) for longer and faster travel - preferably coupled to a hydrogen gas turbine.

 Current: Discovery 3 06MY (55 reg) HSE Auto Zambezi Silver Allisport Fast Road Intercooler, V8 Brakes, Silicone IC Hoses, EGRs Blanked, Remapped, De-Cat pipe, FBHIC
Freelander 2 2007 HSE Manual Tambora Flame
Previous: FL2 56 reg SE Manual Black (written off )
Disco 3 06 reg B7S Manual Rimini Red
Disco 2 TD5 Y reg ES Manual Blue - Chipped
Several Discovery 300 TDis
 

Spotted in South Africa on Monday?

Quote:

A CAR reader (thanks Basjan Klopper!) has emailed us the following pictures of a Land Rover test mule. The pictures were taken in a parking garage and after several members of the CAR team gathered around one of our computers, it was decided that this could be the new 2016 Land Rover Discovery.

Undress the car, and the lines clearly signal that of the new SUV. However, the awkward placing and design of the rear quarter did make us think for a moment that Land Rover could have something up its sleeve.

Expect the new Disovery to be unveiled later this year, while local introduction could be as early as the end of the year.

 --
2010 Defender Puma 90 + BAS remap + Alive IC + Slickshift + Ashcroft ATB rear
2015 Range Rover Sport V8 Supercharged



Defender Puma Workshop Manual: https://bit.ly/2zZ1en9
Discovery 4 Workshop Manual: http://bit.ly/22l8YHh
Range Rover/Sport L320/L322/L494 Workshop Manual: http://bit.ly/2iH7jgG