Land Rover may Have More SVX Off-Road Models in the Works

Land Rover says it would like to introduce more off-road focused SVX models going forward. 

The automaker debuted the Discovery SVX at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September. The Discovery SVX serves as an even more capable version of the Discovery, featuring lifted suspension, air shocks, knobby 31-inch Goodyear Wrangler tires, electronic locking differentials, a light bar and orange recovery hooks, among more. The automaker said the model shown in Frankfurt was just a “production preview,” of what to expect, but we don’t believe the actual vehicle consumers will be able to buy will be too much different.

SEE ALSO: Land Rover Discovery SVX Makes SUV More Off-Road Capable

In a recent interview with , Land Rover boss Gerry McGovern said the automaker is looking at introducing more SVX model variants going forward. Among the frontrunners to receive an SVX version is the upcoming new Defender, which is due in 2019. Range Rover models aren’t as suited to the SVX badge as Land Rovers, however, as they are luxury vehicles first and off-road vehicles second.

McGovern also said that SVX won’t mean a vehicle is a stripped out off-roader. Instead, SVX-badged models will retain the comfort and refinement expected of Land Rover models with the added benefit of extreme off-road capability.

“We have to stop thinking about function in a durable way,” McGovern told . “When you’re buying into the brand, you’re buying a premium product.”

“It’s not cheap,” he added, referencing the Discovery SVX. “There are sophisticated surfaces, the premium durability. You think of stripping down to basics [for off-road vehicles] but I don’t think people want that any more.”

McGovern said Jaguar vehicles could wear the SVX badge as well. Jaguar doesn’t talk about the capability of the F-Pace SUV, for example, as the brand is focused on-road performance, but the SVX badge could change that.

“We don’t talk a lot about the [off-road] ability of [Jaguar] cars because they’re road-biased,” he explained. “But they could have that capability as we have the tech in the group. I see the opportunity – if Land Rover can do SVR, [Jaguar] can do SVX.”

[Source: Autocar]