It’s special edition season for Land Rover’s oldest sports utility.

ALL sorts of talk seems to swirl around what might happen to Land Rover’s line-up when the current Discovery reaches retirement, likely around 2027.

There’s discussion that JLR will reinvent the now 33-year-old nameplate for its sixth generation by repositioning this seven-seater in its own “unique territory” and moving it away from its Defender sibling.

That might seem a sensible idea, as the Defender has definitely been “cannibalising” sales from this current ‘Disco’, which has been on sale since 2017, making it the oldest model in the green oval stable.

Since 2023 it has been the slowest selling, with less than 17000 global sales that year.

Potential of it swapping places seems slight, here as much as overseas, but JLR is still doing its best to keep it in the family, hence the issue of two assuredly late-life special editions, one o which has come to New Zealand.

The Tempest special edition is placing locally for $184,900, so $20,000 and $36,000 respectively above the continuing D350 Dynamic HSE and SE variants.

All run the mild-hybrid 3.0-litre Ingenium D350 diesel straight six that recently introduced. It develops 257kW and 700Nm to give a 0-100kmh time of 6.3 seconds and a towing capacity of 3500kg.

Tempest? It’s from the model’s history.

Tempest was the codename used for the second-generation Discovery in the run-up to its launch in 1998.

The new model is being touted as the most luxurious, comfortable and highly-specified Discovery ever produced, but it goers most heavily of special treatments that ensure it stands out at the kerbside. Or pony club.

Available in a choice of three colours, it comes with a matt protective film, a contrasting copper-coloured roof and trim details, bespoke badging and detailing and a version-specific 22-inch wheel design. A spiral Tempest graphic represents power and movement.

The cabin is enhanced with Shadow Aluminium detailing, and extended Ebony Windsor leather upholstery.

JLR New Zealand has not indicated if this will be a general issue car, or one available to limited count.

General manager Ben Montgomery has called it “… a vehicle that really speaks to the way Kiwi families live: active, adventurous and always on the go.”

As said, there are two special editions. The other is the Gemini edition, named as a nod to the original Discovery's turbo diesel engine.

Available in six colours and with similar bespoke trim elements, it has special Gemini badging, a cooler compartment in the back seat, device holders on the seatbacks and three-zone climate control as standard.

JLR NZ has said nothing about local availability of this edition.