It must have been galling for the executives at Land Rover to have watched the dramatic growth in both sales and stature of so-called Sports Utility Vehicles (SUVs) and not be at the centre of it. The new blood on the market was largely big luxury saloons hoisted into the air on a set of 20-inch wheels and thick rubber.
Land Rover was different. It was built around a need to get its owner and occupants across the dales in hot pursuit of that errant ewe, or through a Saharan sandstorm after some abominable tyrant.
The Land Rover was rough, rugged and certainly in the case of the Defender, rather basic. However, as society moved from the shires to the suburbs, so the demands of its customer base dramatically changed.
Arguably the growing love affair with SUVs is rooted in the original allure of the car - its offer of freedom to go where you want when you want. The only stipulation was that you were stuck on the road.
In the mind's eye of many, the off-roader removes that final obstacle. Never mind if you never do take that violent turn into the next door neighbour's front garden and cross his rock garden, nor decide to drive from Tuam to Trim as the crow flies. Most car drivers merely follow the set commuter pattern every day. But the tantalising opportunity is always there.
If you do fall for this dream, the Land Rover would be among the best chariots of choice. The problem with the previous Discovery was that while it fulfilled those wild windswept ideals, it came an increasingly poor second when compared to the well-polished newcomers such as BMW's X5, and the likes of the VW Touareg or Volvo XC90.
In spite of the new arrivals the Discovery held its own, particularly among those who actually get down and dirty. However, poor parts distribution in certain areas of the globe opened the way for Toyota to topple its dominance. These days Land Cruisers are the vehicles of choice in such uncompromising off-road conditions as the Middle East.
And closer to home, the market growth was in the urban jungle and as Land Rover moved firmly into Ford's so-called Premier automotive group (PAG), designers had to go back to the drawing board. Their task: to combine the brand's utilitarian strengths with more Range Rover-like luxury.
The job was made all the easier by the existence of the prestigious premium product in the same stable.
The end result is a credit to all concerned. The new look front is striking, the sharp lines distinctive and the overall package very imposing - just the sort of thing modern SUV owners crave.
The only potential problem with the design is that it has a certain van-like characteristic at the back. But the entire package is good looking.
It's also big. Very big. In terms of dimensions, it exceeds all its competitors in terms of height, width and length. The length has effectively been extended by the size of the spare wheel, now stored under the rear.
Land Rover has long had a reputation for being rather underpowered in terms of outright power, particularly in comparison with the likes of the competing diesels from Volvo and BMW. That gap has been closed.
Powered by Ford's impressive 2.7-litre diesel, currently used in the Jaguar S-Type, the engine is but a distant murmur in the cabin.
While a basic S version is on offer - with a good deal as standard but without the extra row of seats and the fancy terrain response system - the big seller will begin with the S+ the entry level S and there's still a good deal of fancy gadgetry fitted as standard. What it did lack was of the third row of seats - available on the S+ at €59,600. That is a relatively good price for what you get. One serious gripe, however, is that with the large windows and open view of the rear, the luggage cover is not standard on all versions. That's a security lapse.
Land Rover has managed to mimic the ease of foldaway rear seats first seen in people carriers like the Opel Zafira and, unlike those in Volvo's XC90, these can actually accommodate two medium-sized adults or a pair of teenagers. There is a certain art to getting them up and down, though, and slipping in past the row in front is probably the biggest complaint about them.
Perhaps the most relevant is the suspension setting system. There's no low ratio gearstick here to frighten the technophobic suburbanite. Here is an idiot-proof off-road system that explains clearly what setting to be in, depending on the conditions.
In keeping with its largest potential audience we stuck mainly to the tarmac. Our only offroading involved some time spent on the rainsoaked sand-dunes of a local beach. There it performed without even a hint of struggle. On the tarmac it also does well, and for its size it pulls along ably, with only the slightest roll in corners. The turning circle could, however, have been better. The new-look central console is made of high quality plastics, stylish but tough and looks as if it could weather the wear and tear of working life.
The Disco is a success. Land Rover has stolen the thunder from design-driven competitors, while retaining its off-road talent. It's a pretty unstoppable combination.
