The first Discovery Sport has rolled off Land Rover's production line in Halewood, UK. The car will make its way to Virgin Galactic's headquarters, to be used by the team as they continue to prepare for the launch of the world's first commercial spaceline.
The world's most versatile and capable premium compact SUV, the Discovery Sport, is the first of the new Discovery family. It features 5+2 seating in a footprint no larger than existing 5-seat premium SUVs, as well as Land Rover's class-leading capability. The launch marks another significant milestone in Jaguar Land Rover's product offensive which will see the company deliver 50 significant product actions over the next five years.
During a ceremony at Land Rover's Halewood plant, the first ever production vehicle was received by Stephen Attenborough, Commercial Director of Virgin Galactic, with whom Land Rover partnered with earlier this year. The vehicle will be used by the pioneering spaceflight company to support its operations in the UK, and is one of a number of vehicles Land Rover is providing as part of an ongoing global partnership between the British brands.
"It fills me with pride to have seen the first new Discovery Sport coming off the line here at our world-class Halewood production facility. We are now even more excited to hand the keys over to the crew at Virgin Galactic. The new car embodies Land Rover's spirit of Above and Beyond, so it's fitting that it will be used by a similarly pioneering company in Virgin Galactic," said Murray Dietsch, Director of Land Rover Programmes.
