Land Rover Discovery 3: the Blue Oval lends a hand

The Disco 3 is the first Land Rover designed completely under Ford's patronage. It uses the new T5 platform, a chassis with an adjustable length that will also be the foundation for next year's Range Rover Sport. The 3, which seems to be a naming choice in line with what Ford has done with Mazda, will attempt to match the on-road performance of the X5, Touareg and XC90. Of course the requisite Land Rover off-road prowess will be present as well— the body is a monocoque piece bolted onto the frame, so it retains the rock- and stream-crossing capabilities of the old Rovers. Motors are all Ford: a 4.4 liter 295-hp V8 and a 190-hp V6 diesel, both arranged to operate under extreme conditions, like when you can't find a parking space at the mall and your kids are whining and your mother-in-law keeps calling your cell phone for no apparent reason. The Discovery 3 will accomodate either five or seven, and comes standard with fold-flat rear seats. Last generation's Disco lines have been retained, with the trademark raised roof, but the exterior has been treated to a welcome simplification. LR expects to sell 60,000 Disco 3s per annum.