Photo: CarPix
Jaguar Land Rover is going through changes as the British automaker plans to electrify its lineup in 2020, from the E-Pace to the Range Rover. The pictured Discovery Sport-based prototype, however, doesn’t reveal anything of interest about what it hides under the badge-less bodywork.
Looking up the license plate with the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency doesn’t return any convincing result, but there’s no denying Land Rover is up to something. The first clue comes in the form of the fuel filler door, which resembles that found on the 2019 Range Rover Evoque mule. The second giveaway is the twin-exhaust system on the left side of the vehicle, which differs from the production Discovery Sport and Evoque.
Up front, it’s impossible to tell if there’s a radiator hiding behind the grille. The exhaust pipes, however, confirm the presence of internal combustion. “But could it be a hybrid or plug-in hybrid?” There’s no electrical hazard sticker grafted onto the windows or body, which means this prototype isn’t a test bed for next-generation powertrain solutions.
“Could it be a chassis development prototype?” That’s not the case considering the rear suspension is identical to the multi-link setup of the Discovery Sport, complemented by aluminum and lightweight steel struts. Given these circumstances, the mysterious prototype could be our first taste of the facelifted Discovery Sport, scheduled to go official next year.
Codenamed L550 and in production since 2014, the smallest Land Rover currently on sale will get a plug-in hybrid powertrain in 2018. Essentially a smaller interpretation of the plug-in powertrain introduced by the Range Rover and Range Rover Sport, the Discovery Sport PHEV will share its oily bits with the Range Rover P400e. To this effect, brace yourself for a 1.5-liter three-cylinder connected to an integrated starter generator/electric motor. The lithium-ion battery pack will be juiced up by a 48V electrical system.
Up front, it’s impossible to tell if there’s a radiator hiding behind the grille. The exhaust pipes, however, confirm the presence of internal combustion. “But could it be a hybrid or plug-in hybrid?” There’s no electrical hazard sticker grafted onto the windows or body, which means this prototype isn’t a test bed for next-generation powertrain solutions.
“Could it be a chassis development prototype?” That’s not the case considering the rear suspension is identical to the multi-link setup of the Discovery Sport, complemented by aluminum and lightweight steel struts. Given these circumstances, the mysterious prototype could be our first taste of the facelifted Discovery Sport, scheduled to go official next year.
Codenamed L550 and in production since 2014, the smallest Land Rover currently on sale will get a plug-in hybrid powertrain in 2018. Essentially a smaller interpretation of the plug-in powertrain introduced by the Range Rover and Range Rover Sport, the Discovery Sport PHEV will share its oily bits with the Range Rover P400e. To this effect, brace yourself for a 1.5-liter three-cylinder connected to an integrated starter generator/electric motor. The lithium-ion battery pack will be juiced up by a 48V electrical system.
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