Finland, 29 August 2017: This year’s warm summer has left much of Northern Europe without snow. Land Rover took a team of husky dogs in need of training ahead of winter championships to the Vesileppis Ski Tunnel in Finland, for a much-needed sprint around a snow track.
The Discovery Sport SUV provided stiff competition for Finnish middle distance champion, Laura Kääriäinen and her team of six sled dogs. They went head-to-head in Vesileppis Ski Tunnel, Finland, in a unique 1km sprint around the dedicated underground tunnel.
The undulating tunnel is carved into the bedrock 35m below ground level and kept at constant -2°C to maintain a blanket of snow 20mm deep throughout the summer, making it the perfect place to put the Discovery Sport’s all-terrain capability to the test.
Setting off in opposite directions, the dogs had a straightforward task. Once they had negotiated the first incline they were able to pick up and maintain speed – typically around 35km/h. In contrast, the Discovery Sport’s path was blocked by a set of ice blocks, which put its wheel articulation and traction control systems to the test, on one of its laps.
Over two laps of the tunnel, the sled team and Discovery Sport were closely matched but the Land Rover, which was forced to negotiate a set of unique ice obstacles along the way, won the unique challenge by a dog’s hair.
Driver Karl Richards, Lead Engineer for Stability Control Systems at Jaguar Land Rover, said: “Snow is one of the most demanding surfaces drivers will encounter during winter around the world and Discovery Sport proved to be as comfortable in these conditions as the dogs. Land Rover’s advanced Terrain Response technology and intelligent four-wheel drive system ensure our premium compact SUV is in a class of its own when it comes to off-road driving – whether you’ve got two legs or four.”
Before the race, the Discovery Sport’s dedicated accessories ensured that lead husky Jami was safely transported to the snow tunnel to join his snow-starved pack. Land Rover’s full height luggage divider prevents pets from accessing the passenger compartment and easily fits into anchor points inside the vehicle, while a durable rubber boot mat protects the boot floor and even contains minor spills.
Convenience features including Land Rover’s Gesture Tailgate made easy work of getting Jami in and out of the premium compact SUV while the Surround Camera System, accessed through the 10-inch central touchscreen, allowed driver Richards to keep an eye on the dogs when maneuvering inside the tunnel.
About Discovery Sport
The Discovery Sport is Land Rover’s fastest-selling vehicle, with more than 200,000 units sold globally since its introduction in 2014. The premium compact SUV offers unrivalled all-terrain capability, versatility for up to seven people, a premium interior and comprehensive choice of advanced Ingenium petrol and diesel powerplants.
The diesel engine is available in 150PS Td4 or 180PS and 240PS Sd4 derivatives while customers can chose from 240PS and 290PS versions of the Si4 Ingenium petrol unit. The latter comes fitted with the Dynamic exterior pack as standard and can accelerate from 0-100km/h in 6.7 seconds.
The Discovery Sport raced in the tunnel was fitted with the Dynamic exterior pack. Its front bumper features larger air intakes to enhance engine cooling and provide a more purposeful appearance. A Gloss Black front grille and rear number plate surround, and a revised rear bumper featuring integrated exhausts, also feature.
