IN THIS PREVIEW To the corners of the world Discovering a thirst Beneath it all Inside out Questions, questions

Inside out? That's the way Land Rover claims to have designed the Discovery, starting with the high driving position. "Customers tell us they love a commanding driving position," says designer Dave Saddington. "Having established that, we then develop what we call stadium seating." That's three rows of seats, each raised slightly higher than the preceding row. "With stadium seating," Saddington says, even the rear-most passengers "never feel like they're travelling in the boot."

He's right, you know. Unlike many third-row seats in MPVs or 4x4s, the Disco's optional rear pair are big enough for 95th percentile males. "Occupants in row three enjoy the same space and comfort as those in row two," says seating manager Danella Bagnall, which is partly because of the roof-line, partly because Discovery 3 is four inches longer than Discovery 2, and just a little wider, albeit lower. "The stepped-roof is the easiest way of getting three stepped rows of seats," confirms Saddington. "But it's also a recognisable design cue." That's important too, for although the latest Discovery is a departure from the original; "it had to be clearly seen as the next Discovery, but also modern and clean," according to Saddington. "We wanted to think of Discovery 3 as a product design, not just a car design."

Interior more practical than before

Exterior designer Andy Wheel agrees. "We took our cues from architecture [and] product design. Architecture is all about creating living space for people." So the Discovery looks functional - there's an air-vent on only one flank, and the rear tailgate, which splits horizontally like a Range Rover's, is asymmetric, with the bigger glass area on one side helping visibility. "It has very clean sides, with detail only where it needs it. We honed in on the asymmetry," says Wheel, adding that its functional, tidy appearance makes the Discovery 3 "distinctive, authentic and worthy of the badge it's wearing." Saddington agrees. "From a design point of view this is the purest expression of a modern Land Rover."