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

Big things are happening at Land Rover. The Warwickshire-based 4x4 specialist hardly has a reputation as a prolific developer of new models, but this all-new Discovery is the second of some five new cars which the company is going to release by 2008. As well as the recently introduced Range Rover, a new Freelander, Defender and the Range Rover Sport are all in the pipeline.

But for now, attention turns to the third-generation Discovery, which Land Rover - bought from BMW by Ford in 2000 - reckons is well worth shouting about. "Engineers aren't renowned for being excited," says chief product engineer Steve Hayward, "but we're really excited today. This vehicle has the broadest range of capability, on-road and off-road, that we've ever produced." Which is the boldest claim 4Car has heard since, er, Land Rover said the very same thing about the Range Rover.

Capable Disco 3 can wade in 700mm of water

The proof of the pudding will, of course, be in the driving, but the claim probably isn't without foundation. "We believe that this vehicle has undergone more rigorous testing than any other vehicle," says Hayward. Note: not just any other Land Rover, but any other vehicle. With over four million kilometres driven while it was being engineered, "development and testing," Hayward says, "has taken us to all corners of the world and back again."