(car engine rumbles)
(people cheering)
- Oi, mate, you like discos?
No not the kind of jolly venture bold time
big olde staying alive,
I'm talking the river
crawling, terrane hauling,
urban squawling kind of disco.
This tall boy won the most grueling
off-road competition eight years in a row.
Made Land Rover a household
name across the world.
It's been tippin' and
toppin' on mountain tops
for nearly 30 years.
(car engine rumbles)
(engine revving)
(horn honking)
This is everything you need to know
to be up to speed.
It was just me the whole
time, your friend James.
On the Land Rover discovery.
(upbeat music)
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(beep)
it all started in the late 1970s.
Land Rover had just spent the last decade
being hamstrung by the parent company,
British Leyland.
This umbrella company, not actually an
umbrella company, it's just what you call
like a bigger company that owns
a bunch of little, littler companies.
They didn't really make umbrellas.
I digress.
This umbrella company owned other brands
like Mini, MG and Triumph.
And like bad parents,
BL's managing of Land Rover
was generally hands-off,
which is how I was raised
and I turned out perfect.
Land Rover and Range Rover models
had been completely neglected
and was nearly ten years
since the last update.
To add to their stress, the
gas crisis of 1979
was quickly changing
the way the car industry
operated around the world.
Look guys, I know we
mentioned the gas crisis
in almost every episode,
but here's the thing.
It really f(beep)ked things up.
I have to mention it.
Lifestyle 4X4 was the name
for smaller, more
efficient trucks and SUVs
that young people and families
could afford.
A car that could hold all your kids
and could get messy.
One of the first groups
to jump on this trend
was Japanese manufacturers.
Models, like the Mitsubishi
Pajero, Isuzu Trooper,
and Jeep jand kerakee,
Jeep Grand Cherokee.
Land Rover was getting,
where is that guy?
He hasn't missed and episode in like
a year and a half.
If that guy was here he's be like,
"Actually James, Jeep
isn't a Japanese brand!"
and he's be right.
Because he's always right,
whether he is or not.
Anyway!
The Land Rover was getting pummeled
all over the world by these
Japanese and American 4X4s,
mostly Japanese.
Not only were they smaller and cheaper,
they were chockfull of new tech
an area the British Leyland had basically
forgotten about for the last decade.
Land Rover saw this "Motor Trend"
copyright, trademark.
And decided something
had to be done about it.
Time for an upgrade!
The Series III Land Rover was replaced
by the Land Rover 110
and a year later, the Land Rover 90.
They're essentially the same car
and later would be called The Defender.
Rover improved upon the older Series III
by offering a honkin', big old 3.5L V8
known as the Rover V8.
(truck engine rumbles)
This was good news for farmers
and rural Rover enthusiasts who needed,
I guess that dude couldn't
make it to the shoot,
I hope he's okay!
Anyway,
they needed "Mo' power baby!"
The high end Range Rover also received
much needed upgrades.
For the first time in history,
the Range Rover, now,
had leather trim.
Hmmmm?
An automatic transmission.
Ahhh?
And five beautiful doors!
As opposed to the original 3 door model.
Now, it wouldn't be awkward
to jump in the back seat!
(James grunts)
Excuse me.
Sorry guys.
You in?
They don't offer a five door model
You in?
I don't know why I'm in the back. (groans)
You in?
Do you like how I'm wearing my hat?
I feel like a lot of are
gonna wear it like this
in the future.
Okay we're in. Oh, nope!
But only for a while and then if you wear
if you wear it like this after a while--
(grunts) Can you hand me my seatbelt?
Needless to say, the five door model
ended up being so popular
that they said "Eh, you know what?
"You know what mate? Let's discontinue
"this three door Range Rover altogether.
"No-one likes having
a butt in their face!"
"Until you do! I'm cheeky!
"I like a butt in my face sometimes!
"Sometimes I like a big
ol juicy bum in my face!"
The success of both vehicles was
undeniable baby!
Foreigners loved the Land Rover
because of how many pigs
they could fit in the back.
And the rich people loved the Range Rover
because of how many of
their pig like children
they could fit in the back.
But you might be asking yourself,
James, what about all
the people in-between?
I'm neither a farmer nor
a rich pig-looking kid-having grown-up.
Well Range had gone, so hard
in two different directions
that they now had a new problem
they needed to deal with.
They needed a volume car
that they could sell to the masses.
So Rover rolled up their, probably frilly,
British sleeves, and got to work
designing a third model
that would appeal to a broader audience,
particularly, the lifestyle demographic.
This new model, code named Model Jay
needed to be cheaper than the defender
and Range Rover but just as competent.
If not better at off-roading.
It was a tall order to fill (laugh)
but if they were successful,
this third model might usher in
a new generation of
Land Rover enthusiasts.
So in late 1986,
nine years before Post Malone was born.
Production began on Project Jay
and also the new Range rover,
code named Pegasus, which is
a buff horse with wings.
Designing a new car is expensive
trust me, I almost went bankrupt
designing the Pumpfry 502
but designing two?
Hella expensive!
If Rover wanted to stay afloot
they were gonna need to
make some sacrifices.
And I'm not talking about eating your baby
in order to become a witch.
Which I did!
Don't ask!
Rover shut down thirteen
plants, worldwide,
to concentrate their efforts on developing
and building their new
cars in Solihull, England.
Things started to look bleak
and it wasn't clear if
over had enough cash
to follow through with their project.
But their luck was about to change
with a little known isthmus between
Canada and Mexico called America.
Range Rovers had up until this point
only been sold through the
gray market in the states
but, in March of 1987,
they finally became fully legal.
And were an instant success!
(cheers and clapping)
rich 1980's Americans like my parents
bought them up like they
were going out of style.
But they weren't going out of style
because a such classic design!
With this new source of revenue,
Rover felt confident,
pushing forward with development.
Project Jay was basically
an economy version of the Range Rover.
Features like the chassis, windscreen,
inner door panels, body
panels, suspension,
and 5-speed manual
gearbox were all borrowed.
For better off-roading, they went with
full time all wheel drive with
a lockable center diff.
The only thing to figure out was the name.
Highlander and Prairie Rover
were briefly thrown around and they even
considered naming the car
the Pumphrey Buttwagon.
I promise.
Before settling on the name Discovery.
(people cheering)
(engine rev noises)
the power plant Land Rover decided to put
into the Discovery was the same classic
3.5L Rover used in the Range Rover.
Despite the name Rover V8,
this motor was actually designed by GM
for use in Buicks before Rover adopted it.
An optional 2.5L four
cylinder turbo diesel
the 200TDI however,
was a genuine Rover-developed engine.
It could make 111 buff horses at 4000RPM
and 105 torquey romanos.
It was one of the first mass produced
fuel-injected diesels and featured
aluminum alloy cylinder heads
that reduced both noise and weight.
These engines are solid.
And it's pretty common to see them
with over 300,000 miles on one.
One of the only things
that set the Discovery
apart from the Range
Rover was the interior.
The styling of the cabin was done by
Conran Design Group,
who were told by Rover,
"Ignore current car interior design
"and position the car as
a lifestyle accessory!"
And quite frankly, they did a bang up job.
Features like a sunglasses holder
built directly into the steering wheel.
Sick!
And map pockets on the ceiling.
Sick for back then.
And a removable Discovery branded bag
on the center console.
Would still be sick today!
They also designed the ceiling.
And this is the coolest
part about Discoveries,
they have two removable sunroofs
and two things called alpine roofs
that were basically sunroofs on the side.
And they slathered the whole interior
in sonar blue plastic and fabric.
Which is way way different
from the dark interiors that Rover
usually dress their cabins in.
(engine revving)
(squealing tires)
(Horn honking)
the 1990 model year Discovery
was finished just in time to appear
at the 1989 Frankfurt Motor Show.
And people hated it!
Uh wait.
I guess hate is the wrong word.
What is that word that I was looking for?
They loved it!
(party blowers blow)
(people cheering)
People absolutely loved it.
It was cool, it was
stylish, it had fricken
graphics all over the side.
People were psyched to see
the first new Land Rover in two decades.
The best part of this
Frankfurt Show was the hotdogs,
but the second best part
was that an engineer
from a Japanese competitor,
had to be escorted
ofs the premises because
he was shaving fabric
off the Discos interior to take back home
and copy it.
Not only was it youthful and trendy,
it could perform better
than it's competition.
In an ironic M. Night Shamalanian twist,
Honda ended up buying a 20 percent share
in Land Rover in 1990.
Honda sold re-badged Discoveries in Japan
under the name Honda Crossroad.
This was the first time Honda had ever
re-badged a foreign vehicle
and sold it as their own.
It was that good.
Success of the Disco was
largely in part because
of it's affordability but
it was also due to how different it was
from its upmarket brother the Range Rover.
And it was made to get dirty.
It had plastic that could be easily
wiped down for you if
your baby puked in it.
(baby pukes)
Rover intentionally kept it as a 3-door
to further distance it from its brother.
Commercial director at
the time Chris Woodark
summed it up pretty well saying
"It's a leisure vehicle not aimed at
"the luxury sector at all.
"Discovery is for yuppies
and the Range Rover
"is for thems people
whose already made it.
"Well, I'm gonna go skydiving now!
"Let's go boys. All right!"
The Discovery was a cool family-oriented
offroading car that everyone could enjoy.
And it couldn't have
come at a better time.
Its launch basically insured the company's
survival into the 21st century.
One of the coolest things about
Series I Discovery
is it had a million
different special additions
that Camel Trophy was the
ultimate off-road Discovery
that came in only sand glow yellow
with tornado alloy wheels, bull bars,
a roof rack and a (beep) damn snorkel.
That's right (beep) a
dammit (beep) snorkel.
(engine revving)
If you're not with the camel trophy,
it was a gurling off-road competition
held on some of the most
challenging terrain on Earth.
Place like Madagascar, Siberia,
and the Amazonian River Basin.
Land Rover had a reputation for
dominating this competition,
and the Series I Discovery won every year
from 1990 to 1997.
(car engine rumbles)
First disco was a part spin Frankenstein
because of budget constraints,
but Rover was able to put
a little TLC and money
towards the upcoming refresh.
Honda lent their knowledge to
help make Land Rover products
and manufacturing more reliable.
In 1991, they added a five-door
Discovery to their lineup.
In 1993, the Discovery was
the best selling 4xfur in Britain.
It was out-selling the Isuzi Trooper,
the Jeep Grand Cherokee,
and the Suzuki Vitara.
Land Rover went from almost
broke to being on the top
in like 10 years, so what you do?
You keep it going, baby!
In 1994, the Series I got a face-lift
and an updated interior to
make it seem more "Car-like."
The Disco came with an
advanced advanced sound system,
airbags for the first
time, both engines received
more power, baby!
The Diesel 200TDI was
replaced by a 2.5L, 300TDI
and the 3.5L Rover V8
got board out to 3.9L.
This also marked the first year
the Discovery became available in the US.
Around the same time,
BMW acquired Land Rover
and their relationship with Honda ended.
Investment in Land Rover
doubled, and work began on
the second generation Discovery.
In 1998, the Discovery Series II debuted.
It was drastically different
than the first gen.
BMW's official count was 720 changes.
Why they needed to mention that?
I don't know.
They're freakin' German.
And Germans like to do
shit(beep) like that.
Rover got rid of the
three-door version altogether
and now, only offered a five-door.
For this gen, Land Rover wanted
two distinct trim levels.
One for on-roading, and the other,
for you guessed it, off-roading.
(car engine rumbles)
The V8 version now
featured featured the P38,
4L, V8, nicknamed the
Thor, from the Range Rover,
later, it got a more
powerful 4.6L V8 in the US
that made 225 buff horses
and 280 pound feet of twen-erks, suh.
(engine revs)
Finally we get the cooler version.
Suck it!
The 300TDI was replaced by the TD5 engine,
a 2.5L inline five.
The TDI was electronically managed,
with more useful torque at a lower RPM
for when you're driving
up a really steep incline
to meet up with your coven, to do spells.
The chassis and suspension
were upgraded with the help
of BMW engineering.
A hydrologic anti-robar system
called active cornering enhancement,
helped reduce body roll.
The third generation,
named the Discovery 3,
debuted in 2004.
In the States and in the Middle
East, it was dubbed the LR3.
No Ma, call me LR3.
This was the every man's off-roader.
It had a mode called terrain response
that was basically easy
mode for trial crawling.
Alls you gots to dos is, press a button,
and you're freakin' good to get, dude.
The other three had fully
independent air suspension,
it was adjustable for off-roading
and can mimic the movement of a bean axle.
Meaning, if one wheel dropped,
the other wheel would rise.
Additionally, if the bottom
of the LR3 hit the ground,
the computer would sense it,
and raise the air bags another inch.
This suspension was smarter than Nolan,
and Nolan's not even that dumb.
(car engine rumbles)
All the engines in the LR3s were derived
from Land Rover's step-sister Jaguar.
(cat meows)
And their new daddy, Ford.
The coolest engine offered in the LR3 was
a Jaguar-derived 2.7L Turbo Diesel V6,
which made 195 horse power,
with 325 pound feet of torque.
This thing was a (sneezes) torque monster.
Excuse me.
The next refresh can out in 2009,
named the Land Rover 4R,
LR4 here in the States,
'cause we're so cool, we
didn't use abbreviations.
Most improvements were
mechanical and engine-based.
The Land Rover was now owned
by an Indian motor group Tata.
The LR4 exclusively
offered Jaguar engines.
The 2.7L turbo diesel was upgraded to 3L.
The later versions of this
engine made 252 turbo horses
more than any other diesel
engine Land Rover ever!
The gen four V8 option
is a big hockin' 5L,
makes 385 horsies, and 380 twerks.
That's almost horse pork.
I think JFK said,
("Star Spangled Banner" plays)
"With great torque, comes
great gearsponsibility."
And that couldn't be more true.
The standard gearbox on the
LR4s is six-speed ZF automatic,
but it's available in a six-speed manual.
(exclaims) and an eight-speed automatic
with paddle shifters.
Which you know, I'm
really coming around to.
I like paddle shifties.
The LR4 also has an updated version of
the train response mode
called "rock crawl mode."
(car engine rumbles)
Why not?
Land Rovers are supposed to be
the best off-roaders, right?
The present generation
Discovery 5 de-butted at
the 2016 Paris Motor Show.
It's rounder than it's ever been.
And barely distinguishable
from any other SUV on the road.
One positive about the new gen is
that it's constructed
mostly out of Aluminum,
or Alumin-ium because it's a British car,
and that reduces the
weight over 1000lbs from
the previous gen.
1000lbs is a lot, I mean that's like...
Listen I know it shouldn't
bother me this much,
but that guy's been in like,
every taping for the past year,
and I mean, I'm already done
talking about the Discovery.
I feel kinda weird.
I might go take a nap.
(electronic music)
Okay, fine, twist my arm,
long story short, I ate baby meat,
and now I'm a witch,
so don't mess with me,
'cause now, I'm a spooky
spooky witch with a cauldron,
with spells and a cat.
Yeah, we're out there making potions.
Anyway, I love you.
