Land Rover Defender 110 test drive since 2007 SUV
This is tin!
Next year, the old Land Rover Defender will hit 60 years. And they say that a limited batch of some very sophisticated anniversary cars will be released by this date. Wait and see. In the meantime, we get acquainted with the novelty of 2007. Tin. How often we hear this word now! I saw a tin. Someone cynically cleaned physics, also tin. The concert of the famous group at the stadium is again tin. Recently, according to politics, even sport, the one that the world, and he became tin. Meanwhile, according to youth slang, tin is everything that can cause strong brutal emotions. And maybe that is why, getting out of the steering wheel, smeared in the roof of Defender, I spent the gang impassionate involuntarily!
Yes, in comparison with other outright conquerors, this car stands apart. He is a classic of world automotive, or rather, non -road construction. It is just that, and only that should be a car, the main task of which is not to boast of its dubious off-road essence on the asphalt, but by a quiet sapa, far from prying eyes, to punch a way somewhere in the swamps near the Khanty-Mansiysk. He is a non -casist in appearance, uncomfortable and uncomfortable. It is difficult to travel on public roads due to a specific suspension. But on the other hand, it will pass where ninety percent of the so -called SUVs will not even be slipped.
If we are talking about interest, it is worth noting that so far about 80% of Defender released in the entire history remain on the go and honestly pull their strap. And those 20%that were not included in this statistics simply died on the battlefields. And that is why this chariot is so in demand both among the military and true connoisseurs of the right SUVs. Indeed, in fact, we do not have a secondary market for these machines. Defender is changed to Defender mainly only among their own. However, the new generation of Defender has become more friendly to both the driver and passengers. The car interior is completely blocked. Compared to the previous model, this, of course, is a qualitative jump in advance.
The new torpedo is undoubtedly much more modern. And the point here is not even that it is stylistically similar to the panel of devices of the third Discovery. She became more visual, and therefore more ergonomic. Devices are read without problems, control keys are available, and their icons are extremely understandable. Although, to be extremely honest, some controls are still not so convenient. It is, first of all, about the toggle switch of the inclusion of dimensions and near light. It will not be easy for a person who has been sitting behind the wheel of this SUV. It is clear that this is the location of the tribute of tradition, and yet, if it was installed on the same instrument panel, the feeling of the integrity of the work done would be better. And so, not knowing, it is not easy to feel it on the steering column.
After all, they were able to abandon the direct -flow air intakes in the front panel in Solikholla, which for many years have been part of the story for Defender. And they did the right thing. Now the car has a really high -quality system of heating and air conditioning with a powerful fan, which in the shortest possible time fills the salon with heat or coolness. However, the most important difference between the previous Defender 90 and the current one is that the second series of seats is now full. There is no need to look into the eye of a fellow traveler during the trip. The side shops gave way to two rather comfortable seats with three -point seat belts with the correct orientation. With unnecessary, the seats are quite easy to fold and are located along the sides, which allows you to place a overall cargo in the cabin. As overall as it will allow the opening of the rear door. And he, alas, is small. As, however, the openings and main doors are small. Behind the wheel of a car, as before, you have to literally squeeze. But it is one thing when the car is clean, and quite another, when the dirt literally flows from the roof. It is impossible not to be smeared.
When will this city end? From the habit, the left foot begins to whine. Keeping it all the time on weight over the clutch pedal is simply unbearable. How else? Frequent switches do not allow you to just turn it on the heel and remove it a little to the left. How is the wall. Put on the floor? Inadmissible luxury. Inevitably lose time on switching. But you need to react quickly. But the last traffic light has been passed. Another squeezing, sixth gear, and you can relax. The Ford Turbodiselle confidently pulls our Defender towards off -road adventures. The noise from the motor, although he is listening, does not dominate, allowing you to communicate with colleagues practically without raising your voice. I remember that the old Defender left us from the highway much less pleasant sensations. This one goes confidently, one might even say, assertively. The engine from a commercial line with a good torque on the bottom and a crazy motorized resource not only fit into the engineering space of Defender, but also endowed the car with good dynamics so necessary on the highway.
But in all its glory, the engine manifests itself only on off -road. This is facilitated by a new six -speed gearbox that significantly expanded the capabilities of the machine. Now Defender can crawl in the first gear with almost idle speed. A lack of motor power is not felt at all. And if you also stick down ... however, we resorted to its services only once. A huge, with a cream -like mud of a puddle that blocked our path, at first seemed insurmountable. However, there was no possibility of going around it: Defender flatly refused to get out of the deep rut. Having stuck for about fifteen minutes and having learned for ourselves that, except for ahead, we have no road, we decided to storm. Disappointment is what came to us on the other side. Neither a roar of a motor, nor flying around the SLITH. Nothing. Defender crossed it, as if this was a puddle in front of a supermarket, no more. So trivial ... However, we began to compensate for the lack of emotions later, when we completely believed that there is no impossible for this machine.
And let after the test with habit at night in a cramp reduced the left foot. Let the elbow on the glass hurt on the glass (to put it, as in the previous model, has nowhere to stick out into the open window). Let his colleague beg that he almost broke his head on the next bumps, it was necessary to fasten. Let the dirt flow out not only from the car, but all one works from the engine. Let his wife grumble that a new jacket was smeared with a car as if they were driving her on the floor. Let. Let everything be so further. By and large, all these are trifles that are in no way able to overshadow that volume of positive emotions obtained from really a real, sometimes tough drive in directions. In general, tin!
Driving Compared to its predecessor, the car has not changed much in habits, but there are more stability.
Salon
It did not become spacious, but due to the correctly located second row it became more convenient.
Comfort
As before, the main drawback can be calculated by the extreme left clutch pedal.
Safety
There are ABS and traction control system, but airbags, as before, are inaccessible in any configuration.
Price
A little overstated. Although...
Technical characteristics of Land Rover Defender
Dimensions, mm 3894x1790x2021
Engine turbodiesel, 2401 cm3, 122 hp/3500 min-1
Mechanical transmission, 6-speed
Dynamics 0-100 km/h, C 15.8
Maximum speed, km/h 130
Competitors UAZ Hunter, Jeep Wrangler
Advantages and disadvantages
+ Awesome cross -country ability, a painful motor, a worthy dynamics. Good exchange rate stability on the highway.
- The uncomfortable location of the clutch pedal. A somewhat overstated price. .
Our opinion
Due to its narrowly focused capabilities, Land Rover Defender was, and will not be a machine for everyone. However, with the entering the market of a new model, one can confidently say that those who want to have it in their garage will become more. In any case, the pace of sales is said about this. The dealers have chosen quotas already three months in advance, and in the near future the situation will not change.
Oleg Kalaushin
Photo: Igor Kuznetsov
Source: Magazine 5 wheel [November 2007]
