Ark Royal's heavier 1934 preliminary design

How did a 1934 preliminary design differ from the completed HMS Ark Royal?

One 27,000-ton concept combined an Ark Royal-sized air group with Illustrious-like armour and stronger underwater protection.

Several preliminary designs preceded HMS Ark Royal, including an especially large 27,000-ton version. That concept kept an air group comparable to the completed carrier while adding armour closer to the later Illustrious class. Its designers also tried to preserve stronger anti-torpedo subdivision and underwater protection. The completed design did not retain that full combination of protection and aviation capacity.