Land Rover Discovery 4 Armoured

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By Brett Davis | December 20th, 2010

Need a tough off-road vehicle? Land Rover might have just the thing. The company has released a new variant of the popular four-wheel drive called the Land Rover Discovery 4 Armoured.

As the name suggests, this Discovery 4 is armoured. Quite heavily, too. The car was developed in conjunction with Centigon – a high-tech security company – and features steel plating and glazing to the extent that the car can withstand an explosion of up to 15kg worth of TNT within close proximity. There’s protection all underneath the floor of the car as well so it can withstand the detonation of two DM51 hand grenades.

Because of all this heavy armour and plating, the car weighs a hefty 3550kg, so it needs a few upgrades in regards to the brakes and engine unit. The car comes with a more powerful LR 5.0-litre V8 engine providing enough acceleration potential to take the car from 0-100km/h in 10.6 seconds.

Stopping the outfit also puts a bit more pressure on the car’s infrastructure. So the Discovery 4 Armoured comes equipped with six-piston front brake calipers clamping Alcon brake discs and four-piston calipers at the back. Land Rover says the Armoured will pull up just as effectively as the standard Discovery 4.

From the exterior it’s hard to spot the difference, mainly because there is no immediate difference; it all looks pretty much the same. Nonetheless, every bit of protection plating has been blended in with the car’s design and passes all European compliance standards.

This is what you call a tough off-roader; it’s not only hunting rugged terrain, it’s hunting explosions too.

Simon

All that armour still won’t help with;

The wheels going out of alignment when going over something as soft at a speedbump.

The rear parking sensors seeing things that aren’t there.

Air suspension compressor running contantly.

Trip computer giving random readings.

Smart Key not being found at random intervals.

Steering lock error when trying to start the vehicle.

Simon (friend of disappointed Disco4 Owner)

simple^

Simon if your mate was smart enough he would go back to the dealer and tell them about the issues as there is a download to fix the key, steering lock and trip computer issues. The wheel alignment is probably inexperience as the vehicle must have its suspension locked to perform an alignment, and most tyre shops have no knowledge of this and will then blame the vehicle for their lack of knowledge. Whilst it is fun to be an arm chair expert people do look stupid when they don’t get their facts correct.

Simon

Lack of experience is not an issue here…

Car Fanatic

Simon, this vehicle caters for a very specialized market. The Chassis is strengthened and suspension uprated to prevent the wheel alignment problem.

Reverse sensors would not be fitted an armoured vehicle for security reasons.

Trip computer doesn’t matter as the personal protection team carry GPS systems

The ignition system would be changed to a standard system to prevent hitech tampering through sophisticated decoders.

Steering lock is usually disabled on high security vehicles to allow for fast and easy exfils if required.

I feel sorry for your friend but most of your negative comments are irrelevant to this vehicle.
MK

Does it come with an armoured tow-truck?
Car Fanatic

Doesn’t need a tow truck, these kinds of vehicles are far better maintained and monitored than any private vehicle.
Limit

how much does dis thing cost? and will it be for sale here?
Shak

Making a good car even better.
Car Fanatic

It’ll be POA.
bangel

Plus complimentary petrol tanker , 45l/100k cruising at 80kph , still it looks pretty cool with its lowered suspension , with that much weight you could wipe out an petrol tanker .
Car Fanatic

More realistically 27L/100 on an 83 litre tank which is armoured to prevent an AP 7.62mm round.
Crossy

How about the Arabian market version – the Land Rover Discovery 4 Ahmed
Tom R

….80L tank… thats pretty pathetic. Id expect at least a 150L tank for a car that uses that much fuel. How safe are you sitting at a fuel station constantly.
Car Fanatic

Fair Dinkum, some people have no idea.

These vehicles are for close protection teams and visiting dignitaries and high ranking VIP’s.

Prior to the VIP arriving the vehicles would be fully fuelled and parked in a locked Garage.

Usually the Land Rovers are for transporting the close protection teams, armoured Jags or Mercs are the VIP or Principals transport.

As I said all vehicles are pre fueled and an itinerary is worked out so the distance never exceeds the fuel range.

An hour before departure on the Principals travel route several close protection officers will check all the vehicles over in the locked garages to ensure they are safe and ready to go.

It’s extremely rare the Principal would be put in a situation whereby they are in a stationary vehicle for more than a few moments.

bangel

Have they factored in the land rover reliability factor in this precise equation .

Car Fanatic

Like I said earlier, these vehicles are comprehensively checked. It’s all part of the sale agreement. Of the Land Rovers that don’t breakdown, these would be among that minority.

stuzz

When you spend over 100k on a vehicle you expect a certain level of reliability. Considering the track record of land rovers in general i’d be steering clear of this thing. Not only would it be unreliable but you would need a heavy duty tow truck to tow in that lump.

Simon

Car Fanatic: I am well aware that these particular vehicles will have been tested so that they will be reliable to that some Arabian Prince won’t get blown up. My point was that the base vehicle needs the same sort of testing as well. So far, the Disco4 isn’t living up to expectations.
Car Fanatic

Stuzz, you know nothing of the close protection industry, generalizing is redundant.
Car Fanatic

Again you assume only the Arabs buy them.

More often than not, ministers, Ambassadors and home office ranking staff will be ferried around in them. The Arabs tend to arrange their own vehicles and bodyguards. Relations with the west doesn’t mean immediate trust of local close protection teams or vehicles.
Simon

Car Fanatic: once again you fail to see the point. We all know these specific armoured vehicles will not have reliability issues. My comment about Arab Princes doesn’t mean I believe that ONLY arabs will buy them.

My comments regard the Disco4 as a whole product, not just this specific example.
Car Fanatic

Then stay on topic and leave it for the Disco4 review.
ryan

this is just a question: do and of you own a land rover? because if you do you would know that land rover have come along way in the past years, sure there not as reliable as a land cruiser but the dont back down the often any more!