Land Rover's Special Vehicle Operations team has less
to do than initially planned. Land Rover scrapped plans for an ultra-opulent
Range Rover SV Coupe in late January, and now we learn that the
hardcore Discovery SVX off-roader is no longer headed to production.
Autocar reported the model's death on Friday, though
Jaguar-Land Rover spokesman Nathan Hoyt told Motor Authority the
final decision was made months ago. The brand quietly sent a bulletin to
customers who had placed orders for the Discovery
SVX to explain the model was no longer planned. Notably, the SUV added
JLR's supercharged 5.0-liter V-8 engine to the Discovery lineup.
"The decision was made not to offer the V-8 powertrain
in the Discovery line," Hoyt told MA, which effectively killed the
Discovery SVX's shot at production. He added the SVX badge isn't going away,
however. It will live on for other models, perhaps on a rumored
Defender SVX.
Land Rover design chief Gerry McGovern said in 2017 that the
SVX would "arguably" be right at home on the 2021 Defender. The
Discovery SVX was meant to fill the void left by the Defender when it exited
production in 2016.
The Discovery SVX first graced the world in concept form at
the 2017 Frankfurt Motor Show. At that time, Land Rover declared a production
version would follow in late 2018. That timeframe came and went, and now we
know the SUV's final fate.
Although the report did not give broader reasons, the
Discovery SVX's death could come as the company implements a $3.2 billion
cost-cutting plan to boost savings and cash flow through 2020. In January, JLR
also announced it would cut 4,500 jobs as part of the cost-cutting measures
outlined in the plan. Jaguar Land Rover and other British automakers face an
uncertain future in the face of undetermined Brexit plan. A so-called no-deal
Brexit, in which no trade deals are negotiated, would prove very
costly to British car brands.
It's not all gloom, though. Land Rover this week unveiled
its long-rumored turbocharged
inline-6 engine, which will debut in the Range Rover Sport HST. The
inline-6 joins the Ingenium family of engines and replaces the ancient and
inefficient 3.0-liter supercharged V-6.
source: https://www.motorauthority.com/news/1121533_land-rover-discovery-svx-cancelled-svx-name-to-live-on
by Sean Szymkowski
http://www.boscheuropean.com
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