| It's not uncommon for vehicles that have become | | | | the steering wheel. Other interior design features |
| popular to have an up market counterpart. That was | | | | were holdovers retained from a Range Rover design |
| the Range Rover line introduced in 1970 for the Land | | | | mockup that now found their way into the |
| Rover. In the late 80s, just when the Land Rover | | | | Discovery, like map/magazine holder above the |
| Series III was ending its life cycle after about 40s | | | | windscreen, hands-holders behind the front seat |
| years on the road. | | | | headrests, remote radio controls, twin removable |
| It defined a new category of all-terrain four-wheel | | | | sunroof panels, among many others. |
| drive utility vehicles for just about every segment of | | | | In essence, the interior's basic structure was Range |
| society, from the military, to scientific exploration all | | | | Rover with the switchgear and instrumentation taken |
| the way to the family. But there would now be a | | | | from the Maestro and Montego line of the Rover. Its |
| product void that won't be addressed by the upscale | | | | exteriors likewise was borrowed from other Rover |
| Range Rover. | | | | vehicles like the headlights from the Freight Rover |
| Hence, the company thought it best to introduce a | | | | and taillights from the Maestro van. |
| new model based on the drive train and chassis of | | | | Other Features |
| the Range Rover but at a reduced price point aimed | | | | Before 1994, the Discovery 1 came with a choice of |
| precisely at the large budget-conscious market and | | | | the 2.5 liter Tdi diesel or the 3.5 liter V8 engines. A 2.0 |
| to compete with similar offerings from Japan. Enter | | | | litter Discovery was introduced to attract the market |
| the Land Rover Discovery 1 - the first in a series | | | | for fleet users and to benefit from tax breaks on |
| that was introduced in the UK markets in 1989. | | | | cars with such engine displacements and below but it |
| The Discovery was first introduced as a 3-door | | | | was eventually scrapped as it was underpowered for |
| model with the larger 5-door model made available | | | | the heavy Discovery body. |
| the following year. With partner Honda, it was | | | | 1994 was the year the Discovery was introduced in |
| marketed as the Honda Crossroad in Japan until 1999, | | | | the US with the usual nod to the stringent US motor |
| a good 5 years after the business relationship was | | | | vehicle requirements. There have been improvements |
| ended with the purchase of the Rover Group by | | | | to its as well such as Bosch electronic emissions |
| BMW in 1994. | | | | control, a stronger R380 gearbox, a more |
| Borrowing Designs from other Rovers | | | | comfortable right, larger headlights and secondary set |
| The Rover Group took in a 3rd party design | | | | of bumper rear lights. Most of these improvements |
| consultant, the Conran Design Group in London, to | | | | had to comply with newer European road safety |
| help them design a more apt interior for an | | | | rules as well. The 1995 US models used a more |
| off-roader positioned more as a lifestyle accessory | | | | powerful 3.9 litter V8 from the Range Rover SE |
| than its Range Rover portfolio. | | | | model and was later increased to 4.0 liter |
| It resulted in some remarkable designs that won | | | | displacements from 1996 onwards with better fuel |
| critical adulation and a British Design Award in 1999 | | | | injection and a new distributorless engine |
| for its custom sunglass holder right in the center of | | | | management system called GEMS. |