518bhp Land Rover Discovery SVX 13 | 09 | 2017

LAND ROVER HAS unveiled what is likely to be the first Discovery to nudge over the £100,000 mark: the new SVX. And if you think it’s nothing more than a kerbside poser, think again. Just watch our stunning video.

Designed to sit alongside the high-performance SVR and luxury-oriented SVAutobiography editions, the Discovery SVX gets a retuned version of Jaguar Land Rover’s 5.0-litre supercharged V8 engine. (Related: Range Rover confirms plug-in hybrid)

Mated to a reprogrammed version of the JLR’s ZF-sourced eight-speed automatic transmission, it delivers 518bhp and 625Nm of torque.

The SVX also pays tribute to the earlier generation extreme Camel Trophy offloading Discovery model with a roof-mounted light pod. Perfect for providing greater illumination on and off remote, unlit roads.

The new model — unveiled in Frankfurt — also benefits from exposed recovery eyes that can each cope with a weight of six tonnes, skidplates, bespoke front and rear bumpers, a unique satin-grey paint finish, nd a black finish on the side vents, front grille and roof rails.

Hand-built at SVO’s technical centre in Coventry, production is scheduled to start in the first half of 2018. And though Land Rover has yet to confirm a price, you can place your order now at Land Rover’s Scottish dealers. Expect also to be ready to pay close to £100k.

Significant tweaks have been made to the SVX’s chassis, including a new active anti-roll bar set-up, called Hydraulic Active Roll Control (H-ARC). Designed to improve wheel articulation to maximise traction on poor surfaces, Land Rover also claims it will reduce body roll in normal conditions too.

Raised ride height, long-travel dampers and new suspension knuckles means the SVX also features improved approach, departure and breakover angles. It’s also fitted with 815mm-diameter, 275/55 R20 Goodyear Wrangler tyres which feature a more open tread pattern to help cut through mud and find grip. The chassis tweaks are completed with an active centre and electronic rear locking differentials.

Inside the SVX, the primary change is the use of a conventional gear shifter instead of the Discovery’s usual rotary controller. But there is an additional air of luxury, thanks to bespoke seats that feature ‘X’ motifs in the stitching.

(Related: JLR to electrify model range by 2020)

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Jim McGill