Land Rover’s armoured Discovery

Meet the Discovery that’s armoured and ready! This is the latest Land Rover to be kitted out with full armour from the factory, and replaces the previous generation Discovery 3 Armoured. Changes to the new model include a switch from the 2.7-litre V6 diesel engine to the 5.0-litre petrol V8, plus a more luxuriously appointed cabin.

Although virtually indistinguishable from the standard model, the Discovery 4 Armoured features ballistic steel armour and glazing. Developed in partnership with the vehicle armouring specialists Centigon, the Discovery also provides blast protection against 15kg TNT or equivalent detonated in close proximity to the vehicle and under floor protection against two hand grenades. 

All the additional armour ups the weight to 3,550kg, which has required uprated air suspension and bigger Alcon brakes to ensure the beefed-up Disco can cope. The extra weight blunts the performance of the standard car slightly – the 0-62mph sprint goes up from 7.9 seconds to 10.6 seconds. 

Buyers can also add a host of extras, like hidden flashing blue lights, plus option packs like the ‘Essential Armour’ which includes a driver’s window which can open by 100mm to allow documents to be passed from the car, an auxiliary secondary battery supply, an anti-tamper exhaust and an intercom. 

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