Beloved of middle-class housewives and their labradors, the Discovery still has an effortless classiness that foreign rivals struggle to emulate. Now Land Rover has the product to back up the image. The new Discovery is a clean-sheet design, using new engines and new technology in its quest for superiority on roads and in fields.

When's it due?
No exact date yet, but an Autumn 2004 launch is mooted.

What are the engines and transmissions?
Two engines will be offered in the UK. The range-topper uses a 291bhp 4.4-litre version of the Jaguar V8 engine, re-tuned for superior torque. It develops 315lb ft, and has been adjusted to operate at strange angles off-road, and made resistant to the intrusions of sand and water. The V8 has a six-speed 'intelligent shift' auto 'box as standard.

The volume seller will be the diesel, which operates the new 2.7-litre V6 engine co-developed with the PSA group and also used by Jaguar. The diesel provides 187bhp and 325lb ft, and comes with a six-speed manual transmission, though a six-speed self-shifter can be specified.

How fast does it go?
No figures are available yet and, given that the engines are new, it's hard to make predictions.

What does it cost?
Land Rover will only give an approximate guide to pricing at the moment. The range will start at or just under the £30k mark, rising well beyond the forty grand mark for a top-spec V8 version. Could we yet see the £50,000 Disco? Just be careful with that options list...

Any special features?
Yes, lots. The grubby-pawed off-roader types among you are doubtless desperate to find out if the Discovery 3 uses a monocoque or has a separate chassis. Drumroll please... it uses neither. Land Rover claims to have developed a new system called "integrated body-frame", which let's face it, sounds like a monocoque. But we haven't had an explanation yet as to how it works, so I'll hold fire for now.

The new Disco's party trick, however, is 'Terrain Response'. Think of a graphic equaliser on a stereo, that can be set to rock/pop, classical, jazz, musty folk club or whatever best suits the kind of music you're listening too. Terrain response does the same for off-roading.

It has five settings: grass/gravel/snow, mud/ruts, sand, rock crawl and general driving. Although this last one is the only variation you'll probably ever use, it's nice to know that should you be caught in a desert, jungle or volcano you can turn a knob on the dashboard and have ride height, engine torque response, hill descent control, traction control and transmission settings all adjusted to deal with the situation.

Land Rover has worked hard to recapture the Discovery's personailty on this all-new design. The photos suggest they've succeeded: a strong macho presence has been achieved, with the stepped roofline and kinked tailgate successfully incorporated.

Hiding the spare wheel under the car for a change has enabled Land Rover to split the tailgate: the lower portion is bottom-hinged and folds down to create a seat or loading shelf, and the upper half swings open as a normal side-hinged door.

Three rows of seats are accomodated. All are accessed through the side doors; for the first time on the Discovery the rearmost seats are forward facing. This gives all occupants the security of side airbags.

Who's going to buy it?
The Discovery 3 looks to have all bases covered. Assuming it's infallible off-road, which is a pretty safe bet, the core market will respond favourably; farmers who don't mind admitting to the world how rich they really are will snap them up.

With that immensely butch, Range Rover-esque face the Discovery may even win back a few Land Rover customers who found the latest Rangey just too big. The rich middle classes will trade in their Discovery Series 2s, of course.

Like it or not, the Discovery is perfectly up to the job of the school run and the weekly shop, as well as the rowing gala and the horse club trial at weekends. The cliches are true - that's why they're cliches.