Features include a refined and economical new 3-litre LR-TDV6 diesel engine available on Range Rover Sport and Discovery 4 delivering less than 9 litres/100 km; an all-new 5-litre supercharged LR-V8 petrol engine on the Range Rover Sport (and on the Range Rover); facelifted exteriors including restyled grilles, revised bumpers and LED lighting.

In addition there are completely redesigned interiors, an enhanced terrain response system, and cutting edge technologies including surround camera system, Automatic High Beam Assist and Towing Assist.

First customer deliveries of the new vehicles are expected in New Zealand in November.

The class-leading LR-TDV6 3-litre betters the 2.7-litre diesel by 29 percent (power) and 36 percent (torque) respectively.

At 600Nm the torque output of the diesel is thought to be the highest of any six-cylinder passenger car diesel in the world, but with nine percent improvements in economy and CO2 emissions over the 2.7-litre V6.

The LR-V8 supercharged petrol engine is no less impressive; for example, as fitted to the Range Rover Sport the new 5-litre supercharged engine produces 29 percent more power and 12 percent more torque than the outgoing 4.2-litre engine, yet CO2 emissions and fuel consumption are improved by 5.6 percent and 6.2 percent respectively.

In addition to the new LR-TDV6 3-litre, customers will still have the option of ordering the Discovery GS model with the 2.7-litre TDV6.

The Range Rover Sport will be available with the new LR-TDV6 3-litre, the existing 3.6-litre TDV8 or the new LR-V8 5-litre supercharged petrol engine.

The Range Rover Sport (and also the Range Rover) is fitted with the super-smooth ZF HP28 6-speed automatic transmission.

The outstanding low-end torque characteristics of the new engines have made it possible to actuate the transmission’s lock-up clutches earlier in each gear, reducing slip through the hydraulic torque converter to improve both CO2 emissions and fuel economy.

A new adaptive dynamics suspension system for Range Rover Sport (and Range Rover) is the world’s first production system using model-based predictive technology to continually optimise the settings of DampTronic Valve Technology damper units, optimising body ride and control.

A refinement to the understeer control on all models helps slow the vehicle automatically if taking a bend too fast, enhancing driver control.

Responding to driver steering inputs, the system will in extreme cases intervene using the brakes. A Roll Stability Control system will implement wheel-specific braking if an imminent rollover is detected. Adaptive Cruise Control is also fitted.

The Range Rover Sport and Discovery 4 also benefit from Trailer Stability Assist, a towing aid which detects trailer oscillations and intervenes using the brakes and by reducing engine torque.

The Terrain Response system has revisions to the rock crawl programme to reduce roll when traversing boulders, delivering a more composed ride through rocky terrain, while the addition of a new “sand launch control” prevents wheels digging in when driving away in soft sand thanks to revisions to the traction control system.

The Hill Descent Control system has also been enhanced with the addition of Gradient Release Control. This inhibits the initial rate of acceleration, making descent of very steep inclines much smoother.

Smooth, sculpted, frontal surfaces with revised bumpers incorporating anti-drag lips, create a more distinctive look while improving aerodynamics and fuel consumption. Grilles are restyled too, and headlights include both LED running light technology and High Beam Assist, which switches on the lights when ambient light levels are low, and dips headlights automatically when oncoming traffic is detected.

New 19 and optional 20 inch wheels are available for the Discovery which also has larger brakes as standard.

Both the Range Rover Sport and the Discovery 4 interiors have been comprehensively restyled from the ground up, featuring new fascias, doors, seats, consoles, instruments and switchgears and new steering wheels.

Both cars are also now fitted with 130mm TFT screens in the instrument cluster displaying key information, a new portable audio interface with MP3 player and i-Pod connectivity, and other key technology features including a five-camera surround system for ease of parking and manoeuvring.

Meanwhile the Range Rover, as mentioned, gets the new petrol V8, and also the acclaimed 203 kW 3.6-litre TDV8, as well as upgrades to the design plus under-the-skin modifications.

The exterior revisions include changes to the headlights, grille and bumper, while the interior gets new luxury grade leather trim for the headlining, pillar and door casings and fascia buttons which now feature a satin chrome-plated finish. There are high quality black satin and natural wood finishes.

The Range Rover receives two intuitive interior technologies including a world first dual view touch screen.

The dual view infotainment touch screen technology allows the driver and passenger to view different images simultaneously. 

This means that the passenger can enjoy a DVD movie while the driver follows navigation instructions, all on the same screen.

Another innovation is found in the instrument cluster. Here, traditional physical instruments are replaced by the world’s largest configurable 36 cm Thin Film Transistor (TFT) screen which presents all essential driver information via cleverly designed “virtual” dials and graphical displays.

All-terrain performance is also enhanced by updates to the Terrain Response and Stability Control systems.

The 2010 Range Rover benefits from a more powerful braking system and a series of added active safety aids including Adaptive Cruise Control, Trailer Stability Assist, Emergency Brake Assist, enhanced Under Steer Control, Blind Spot Monitoring, Automatic High Beam Assist (AHBA) and a surround camera system.

The new surround camera system aids easier parking, towing and off-road manoeuvring. It features five digital cameras which relay a near 360-degree view to the touch-screen display.

The cameras can be used at speeds of up to 18 km/h, with options for selecting and zooming in to assist with close quarter parking and with towing.

The patented “reverse tow assist” function helps perform accurate towing manoeuvres. 

The wide fields of view on the side cameras give a clear view of the reversing trailer and the images are electronically manipulated to provide an undistorted view. 

Guide lines overlaid on the rear camera image illustrate both the vehicle and trailer’s trajectory and these move in line with steering inputs, making it easier for the driver to predict where the trailer will move to before performing the reversing manoeuvre. 

There are also a number of other key infotainment upgrades including a new hard-drive navigation system - providing faster route calculation, larger area map coverage and improved reliability – and a new Portable Audio Interface allowing connectivity to an array of personal audio storage devices such as USB sticks and MP3 players, enabling the various devices’ functions to be accessed and controlled via the fascia-mounted touch-screen system. 

One of the connectivity ports is a dedicated iPod point made exclusively by Land Rover.