Discovery LR4

Land Rover, the traditionally rugged, royal-family-backed British brand doesn’t seem to need to prove its off-road supremacy any more. Uber-confident in the Discovery LR4's current chassis and mud-plugging tech, the latest addition to 2012’s stable follows the precedent set by Range Rover’s recent Ultimate Edition -- pushing the upmarket SUV further up than it’s ever been before. However, this most ultimate LR4 is not as costly as the $210,000 Ultimate Rangie (U.S. pricing not yet announced). And, sadly, this does mean having to do without the natural teak floor, champagne cabinet and twin headrest iPad docks. We rode with Land Rover’s latest high-rolling limited edition to see if the view from the raised summit is worth the financial hike.

PERFORMANCE What’s under the man-sized hood in the already well-appointed LR4 has been left well alone. But 2012’s Discovery LR4 has already received a well-executed massage from the guys in the green overalls, with Europe’s 3.0-liter SDV6 turbodiesel now packing more power (256 hp), plus improved efficiency and refinement facilitated by a silky eight-speed automatic transmission controlled by a Jaguar-style pop-up dial and paddle shifters. North America isn’t set to receive the new low-emission diesel or gearbox quite yet, and so the HSE Luxury Limited Edition takes the current sole option, a lusty 5.0-liter gas V8, featuring a ballsy 375 hp that’s mated to a six-speed auto transmission with CommandShift. As a stylish seven-seater tank that’ll take on any terrain, the Discovery LR4 is staggeringly refined when it comes to driving on the smooth black stuff. Sure, there’s still a little body roll, dictated largely by the ride’s colossal height and the laws of physics, but the big Brit’s pace is nonetheless impressive -- especially so in the mid-range with generous reserves of grunt available on demand.

DESIGN Discovering extra sophistication is the order of the day with the Discovery LR4 HSE Luxury, and in keeping with the rules of exclusivity, this special edition is of the limited kind -- although the exact numbers that will be made available in the showrooms this summer remain elusive. What makes this, as John Edwards (Land Rover’s global brand director) puts it, “probably the most luxurious specification yet offered on the Discovery LR4” isn’t abundantly clear at first glance, so we’ll break it down. Firstly, it’ll be available only in the dark-hued tones of either Santorini black, Orkney gray or Havana brown, which extends to the honeycomb mesh grille and door handles to specifically contrast the bright satin silver finish of the grille surround, full-length roof rails, fender vents, wing mirrors, hood and trunk scripts. Similarly bright 10-spoke, 20” rims and stainless-steel rear bumper tread plate complete the notably subtle external mods. Inside, you’re treated to extra swathes of premium Windsor leather, most noticeably on the fascia, door tops and heated steering wheel, while exclusive Arabica-toned leather seats boast bespoke contrast stitching to accent the posh dark veneer trim touches. Oh, and the carpets acquire an extra-deep shag pile that, although it wouldn’t go down very well on the farm, certainly would do with your woman. If you’ve ever needed a Range Rover to comfortably seat seven yet cost considerably less, then the exclusive Land Rover Discovery LR4 HSE Luxury Limited Edition is your ride.