Land Rover Discovery Commercial launched as rugged van alternative

Land Rover has launched a two-seat version of its latest Land Rover Discovery called the Commercial that is designed to be a rugged alternative to a van.

Like previous versions of the Commercial, which have been launched with every generation of Discovery, the new car ditches the second and third-row seats to create a load space that’s 1635mm long, 939mm high and 1411mm wide.

It can swallow up to 1856 litres of cargo, which is actually 600 litres less than the regular car can manage when its seats are folded down. This is due to the fitment of a strong metal guard at the front of the load section that separates the cabin and back and prevents objects flying forward in the event of an accident.

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As standard, the Commercial gets privacy glass at the rear to keep any contents out of sight and a powered tailgate for improved access.

Like the regular Discovery, all four wheels are driven through Land Rover’s Terrain Response drive technology with a twin-speed transfer box. The car rides on air suspension as standard and gets a full-size spare wheel. This makes it a considerably more rugged and able offering than most alternative cargo-carriers.

Optional Terrain Response 2 technology is available for buyers after maximum effectiveness in low grip scenarios. It automatically adjusts the car’s driveline to current surface conditions rather than requiring the driver to change settings manually.

Just two turbocharged diesel engines are offered with the Commercial: the 2.0-litre SD4 with 237bhp and the 3.0-litre TD6 with 254bhp. The car gets an automatic gearbox as standard.