Buyers got a choice of two colours: sand or blue. Land Rover roped in Conran Design to work on the interior and, even today, it’s certainly distinctive. This was the only diesel powertrain on offer in the Discovery’s early days, while buyers could also opt for the (thirsty, yet not particularly thrilling) 3.5-litre Rover V8, which used SU carburettors to differentiate it from the Range Rover.īefore we even get to what it’s like to drive, we need to talk about inside the Discovery. The model I’m driving at Eastnor is a 1991 three-door Discovery, powered by the 200Tdi 2.5-litre turbodiesel engine. The Discovery was a success from the start. With prices starting at a very reasonable £15,750, more than 20,000 were sold within its first year on sale. In September 1989, the three-door Discovery was launched, with a five-door model arriving the following year. The Defender was too hardcore for the emerging lifestyle market, while the upmarket Range Rover was too expensive. Discovery 1Ĭompetition from Japan in the 1980s meant Land Rover was losing customers to vehicles like the Isuzu Trooper and Mitsubishi Shogun. We’ve been to Eastnor Castle in Herefordshire, Land Rover’s test playground for more than 50 years, to see how far the Discovery has come since its original launch 28 years ago. With heritage stretching back to 1989, the Disco 5 has a lot to live up to.

Its awkward styling and Range Rover levels of luxury aren’t winning over the purists, despite its class-leading off road ability. The latest Land Rover Discovery is proving to be controversial.

Old landrover discovery