The media is still arriving into Manhattan for NYIAS 2014, and Land Rover has already rocketed to the top of the news with unveiling of its Discovery Vision Concept vehicle and the announcement of its partnership with Virgin Galactic.
Land Rover was teasing the rollout of the Discovery Vision for a couple weeks, but the relationship with the Virgin’s commercial space effort and its SpaceShip Two was a big New York International Auto Show reveal.
SpaceShip Two will be the world’s first reusable commercial spaceship, and Land Rover parked its Discovery Vision right in front of the Virgin Galactic prototype Tuesday at a special news event onboard the USS Intrepid aircraft carrier along the Hudson River. It’s not a coincidence that the Intrepid is now a floating museum dedicated to achievement in aeronautics and exploration.
As for the Discovery Vision, it’s a concept vehicle and unlikely to go into production as is. But, it offers some hints as to where the Discovery line’s design will go in the future.
The automaker is the first company to form a partnership with Virgin Galactic – a natural marriage of two prestigious, technically elite and traditionally British brands. Land Rover will offer its vehicles for the Virgin Galactic team and commercial or tourist and celebrity astronauts at Virgin’s New Mexico and California facilities.
Outside the practical, the two companies will work together publicly to encourage young people around the world to study science and mathematics while considering careers in engineering and technology.
