New Land Rover Discovery Sport 2019 Review
This is no ordinary mid-life facelift. Instead of sticking to the usual visual enhancements, Land Rover has gone back to the drawing board and given its five-year-old Discovery Sport a completely new platform, new engines and new fuel saving tech. Underneath it shares many parts with the latest Range Rover Evoque, including that model鈥檚 mild-hybrid running gear. The Premium Transverse Architecture (PTA) was designed with electrification in mind from the outset, in fact, with a plug-in hybrid Discovery Sport due in the not too distant future. For now, though, buyers get a choice of four-cylinder petrol or diesel engines - all (apart from the most basic D150) with mild-hybrid assistance. We tried the two top units: the D240 diesel and P250 petrol, both of which get a nine-speed auto box as standard. Of course, Land Rover鈥檚 designers didn鈥檛 pass up the opportunity to tweak the Disco Sport鈥檚 styling, issuing a comprehensive yet evolutionary look to set it apart from its predecessor.
Seeing little to praise in a merger between Fiat Group and GM, I thought about a partnership. One came to mind immediately, Tata/JLR. The issue with any collaboration is there must be a two way benefit of reasonably equal gain for both sides. So how would this prove good for both parties? Fiat/Tata: There is already work between the two in India. A joint venture produces passenger cars for both brands, with engines and transmissions shared as part of that. Fiat has also provided diesel technology to Tata. This is an areas that a stronger partnership could explore further, with closer product sharing. Fiat cars were marketed by Tata in India until recently, when Fiat took control of that itself. Indications are that the change hasn't gone as well as Fiat had hoped. Alfa Romeo/Jaguar: Jaguar wants to go smaller but it is costly going it alone. AR wants a new range of sporty vehicles, full stop.
The latest generation of Land Rover LR2 2013 dates back to 2007. It is therefore in the seventh year since its redesign. And when compared to the model in 2012, we realize that the British manufacturer was a little shy in terms of changes and improvements, and must have a keen eye to see the differences. Change is under the hood of the Land Rover LR2 2013. Until last year, the British manufacturer used the 6-cylinder in-line 3.2-liter Volvo developed a power of 230 horsepower and torque produced 234 foot-pounds. This year, we used a 4-cylinder engine from Ford, a mechanical lighter than 40 pounds and more powerful 10. This is the 2-liter EcoBoost found in the Range Rover Evoque models and many American manufacturer Ford. The gearbox is a 6-speed automatic with manual mode. This 4-cylinder engine develops 240 horsepower so to 5500 revolutions per minute and produces a torque of 250 lb-ft. One might expect that two cylinders less have an effect on the towing capacity of the Land Rover LR2 2013. However, this is not the case.
Engineers remove the inner layer of protective foil from NASA's Mars 2020 rover. NASA's Mars 2020 rover has shed its skin and gained a new arm, and it's now standing on its own six wheels, closer to ready for the Red Planet. The Mars-bound rover has gone through a few major updates this October. After the rover relocated from the Spacecraft Assembly Facility to the Simulator Building at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) to undergo testing, engineers removed the first, inner layer of protective, anti-static foil on the rover to prevent contamination on Mars. In the GIF above, taken on Oct. 4, 2019, you can see a team of engineers in bunny suits (a nickname for their clean room coveralls) "unwrapping" the rover. After removing the first layer of anti-static foil, the team of engineers wiped down the last layer of foil with 70% isopropyl alcohol. The protective foil and alcohol wipe-down are meant to prevent Earth material from hitching a ride on the rover to Mars and contaminating the surface of the planet.
A revised model arrives soon, with a 238bhp 2.0 TDCi diesel engine, a new ST-Line trim, an eight-speed automatic gearbox, the option of front-wheel drive and extra driver assistance systems. Which one should I buy? You don鈥檛 have many choices to make because there鈥檚 just one engine. While there鈥檚 a selection of power outputs, your decision will more likely be influenced by whether you want a manual or automatic transmission. Entry-level Edges come with 19-inch alloy wheels, DAB radio and a rear-view camera, as well as automatic lights and wipers. Privacy glass, keyless entry and a heated windscreen are also fitted. The Titanium model adds front and rear parking sensors, heated front seats, satellite navigation and a hands-free powered tailgate opening mechanism. Sport trim brings adaptive steering, sports suspension, 20-inch wheels, body styling and an upgraded Sony 12-speaker hi-fi. The Vignale has LED headlights and leather trim. In terms of size and cost, the Edge鈥檚 closest rivals are the Kia Sorento and Hyundai Santa Fe. Both offer a lot of car for your money, with seven seats, long warranties and strong reliability.
