Farming Monthly National October 2016 | Page 62

| Motors

New Discovery makes debut on giant Lego Tower Bridge

Land Rover has revealed the New Discovery seven-seat SUV by breaking a Guinness World Record for the largest LEGO structure ever built .

L ong-term Land Rover Discovery owners Bear Grylls , Sir Ben Ainslie and Zara Phillips took part in the dynamic live reveal of Land Rover ’ s most versatile model around a 13-metre high

LEGO version of London ’ s Tower Bridge .
The New Discovery embodies Land Rover ’ s drive to go Above and Beyond , combining British desirability with an unstoppable spirit of adventure . It is highly desirable with unrivalled capability and technology like no other .
Gerry McGovern , Land Rover ’ s Chief Design Officer , said : “ New Discovery redefines the large SUV . Land Rover ’ s design and engineering teams have revolutionised the Discovery DNA to create a highly desirable , extremely versatile and hugely capable premium SUV .”
Everyday ingenuity has been at the heart of the Discovery for the last 27 years , with more than 1.2 million customers to date . The new Discovery is for the digital age . Ingenious technology keeps your family safe , connected and confident on all surfaces , all terrains and in all weathers to ensure your destination is reached .
The fifth-generation model benefits from Land Rover ’ s strong , safe and light full-size SUV architecture , delivering comfort and adaptability like no other .
The reveal set was made from 5,805,846 individual LEGO bricks , breaking the previous Guinness World Record by 470,646 pieces . Laid end to end , the bricks would stretch for almost 200 miles , or from Tower Bridge in London to Paris .
Led by the UK ’ s only LEGO Certified Professional , Duncan Titmarsh , it took five months for expert LEGO Master Builders in the UK to construct the incredible Tower Bridge structure . It was erected in the grounds of Packington Hall , Warwickshire , UK – close to Land Rover ’ s Solihull plant , where New Discovery will be produced .
As part of the dramatic reveal sequence , British adventurer Bear Grylls appeared in typically exciting fashion by abseiling from the top of the huge Tower Bridge installation , through the open drawbridge and onto the stage beside the New Discovery .
The finale was Land Rover BAR Team Principal Sir Ben Ainslie driving his sailing team through 900mm-deep water under the bridge – demonstrating the unrivalled capability and versatility of Land Rover ’ s new SUV . Sir Ben towed a LEGO replica of the Land Rover BAR boat , a 186,500-brick meticulous model of the boat that will challenge for next year ’ s America ’ s Cup .
The model of Tower Bridge was flanked by two LEGO ‘ Discovery Zones ’ celebrating 27 years of Land Rover Discovery heritage . An Equestrian Zone , hosted by accomplished rider Zara Phillips , featured a typically British picnic scene made entirely from LEGO bricks . The Bear Grylls Adventure Zone included a LEGO fire and boulders to represent a scene from a typical mountain exploration .
New Discovery represents the next step in Land Rover ’ s journey of transformation from cogs to code and is designed , engineered and manufactured with the help of some of the 1,300 talented young engineers currently on the company ’ s leading training programmes . Jaguar Land Rover is one of UK ' s leading recruiter of graduates and apprentices : 3,000 have joined in the past six years and 400 new recruits have just started on the 2016 intake . Bear Grylls said : “ I have developed a powerful bond with Land Rover vehicles over the years and to me they embody that spirit of adventure coupled with a rugged reliability that also serves the needs of a young family . The Land Rover Discovery is invaluable on expeditions , whether filming in deserts , jungles or mountains , yet it ’ s still the perfect vehicle for the family ' s everyday use . It ' s a proud moment to be here with Land Rover revealing the New Discovery to the world .”
“ New Discovery redefines the large SUV . Land Rover ’ s design and engineering teams have revolutionised the Discovery DNA to create a highly desirable , extremely versatile and hugely capable premium SUV .”
Emma Owen , LEGO UK and Ireland Spokeswoman , said : “ We are thrilled that Jaguar Land Rover has used LEGO bricks to add some Guinness World Record-breaking creativity to the launch of the latest Discovery . This is an epic , outstanding build that absolutely captures the imagination in a way we haven ' t seen before . With LEGO bricks and some imagination you really can build anything !”
62 | Farming Monthly | October 2016 www . farmingmonthly . co . uk