Test drive Land Rover Discovery LR3 2004 - 2009 SUV

On Discovery ditches

Like the television channel of the same name, which allows any burdock on the couch to climb into the most inaccessible corners of the world and feel like the king of wild and unbridled nature, the new Land Rover Discovery allows even a teapot to think herself with a material jeeper. Such a car simply depreciates the very concept of off -road. Discovery3 is another example of how auto manufacturers want to turn a real driver into a regular laying between the steering wheel and the seat.
Of course, many manufacturers have been firmly tried over the past ten years to remove the romantic veil from the demonic image of Jeeper. This obscenity man with dirty nails, weathered brow and invaluable experience of survival in extreme road conditions, into which he climbs mainly on his own initiative. A mass of purely automobile knowledge - when should you turn on/disable free -move couplings, block inter -cross and interdest differentials, use a demultiplier, etc., etc. - distinguished it from an ordinary motorist. And this is not counting other important skills - for example, winging, work with a sapper spatula, nadia structure and bonfire from one match.
Smart. None of the above participants of the test drive of the new Discovery was useful. Although the environment at first glance was quite suitable. Autumn, the northern edge of the Scotland, the surroundings of the city of WIC, endless rain, flu wind ... Drink whiskey well in such weather, for example, the single of the local distillery Pulteney or the neighboring Glenmoral from under the sherry barrels, warming the fireplace in the present, open for wealthy travelers of the ACKERGILL Tower Castle and fantasize how a young maid knocks on the door of your room (in the castle of the room, and not typical hotel rooms), will bring coffee to bed, push the curtains ...
In a word, only automobile journalists could be expelled from the house in such weather, who, however, would hardly have found dirt in the infinity of green pastures with peaceful sheep and neat asphalt paths in two stripes. For off -road fun, people from the company Land Rover built a special autodrome off the coast, quite accurately imitating the road conditions of those Russian corners where all development stopped on the Goalro plan.
The test of the new Land Rover once again brightly demonstrated the overall trend in turning a real driver into a regular laying between the steering wheel and the seat. The gasket, more and more controlled by smart electronics. In general, even traditional auxiliary pieces of Discovery piper is enough. ABS and a 4x4 constant drive are available by default. In the basic cups set - the target stability system (DSC), forced restriction of engine thrust in the hazard of drift (Traction Control) and limiting traction during descent (HDC). But all this, of course, is trifles compared to Terran Response. The Terran Response know-how is a secret that Land Rover representatives protect with some kind of hypertrophied thoroughness. Everything that is available to the driver and understanding of the driver is the head of Professor Dowel, a puck with icons on the central tunnel near the gearbox handle and levers of distribution and adjustment of the air suspension (by the way, the Terran Response is a mutual application). Pictograms are five, and they denote various types of road conditions: normal road, grass/gravel/snow, dirt/track, sand and stones. For a complete resemblance to the camera modes, only a green mark that gives a beginner, as you know, is an indulgence on any kind of liberty and at the same time allowing us to hope for the laurels of Newton Helmut - Shoot and Forget.
Depending on the quality of the road, the driver needs to set the corresponding division on the TerRain Response control washer. Further, the car acts itself, in fact, independently driving a throttle, raising or lowering the suspension, turning off or including DSC or Hill Descent Control, blocking and unlocking differentials. Say, in the sand, the increase in gears occurs later, and the decrease - earlier than usual, the throttle reaction becomes more sharp. On the stones, the box itself switches to the first gear, the throttle begins to dull, thereby reducing the probability of slipping.
In such a situation, the driver can only hold on to the steering wheel and stare at the on -board display, where everything is visible: in which direction the wheels look, which of them have contact with the surface, and which are posted, which differential is blocked, etc. Let go of the brake pedal, the girl, ”calls the instructor our colleague from some Portuguese glossy magazine. But her brain refuses to obey the team, all the more strange, given that the car is at the very top of almost steep steering. At this time, a warning appears on the display about the need to raise the body to the off-road driving position. Professor Dowell's head delicately suggested that the body had not yet accepted the extreme upper position, because the trailer was attached to the car. Terrain Response's smartness disarms the portugch, it lets go of the leg, car she calmly slides down, adjusting everything that is required to be adjusted. The difference between an inexperienced girl and advanced users of all -wheel drive equipment is zero. Human mistakes are brought into the price list and will be corrected. Immediately or a little later. For example, the system will not allow to turn on the sports mode on the automatic transmission when driving along the sand. After six hours, he will change the settings of the machine from extreme to normal, delivering an forgetful driver from acquaintance with service rates for replacing the handout.
FRIENDLY. This word sounded more often than others when the conversation came about a new car. Friendliness Discovery with a good attitude to an inexperienced Terran Response user is not exhausted. The driver is waiting for a lot of pleasant things. For example, adaptive headlights that look into turns even before the wheels look there. Or automatic manual brake - consolation for those who burned in the traffic police exams, forgetting to withdraw from the handbrake. In this machine, the handbrake is removed by itself, you just need to press the gas pedal. Judging by the description of the advantages of the ignition key, it is akin to the eternal needle for primus. After all, 10 years of guarantees is almost eternity. Firstly, the key has a built-in battery, and it itself is charged as soon as it enters the ignition lock nest. Secondly, it is shock-resistant-the maximum height, from which it can supposedly be abandoned without any consequences, 25 meters. Finally, it is waterproof and, they say, holds depths up to 10 m. Walking up to the aquarium, at the bottom of which lay a couple of dozen such keys that showed their absolute impermeability, I pulled one at random. He rusted and did not open. Did he lie for more than 10 years?
To experience Discovery for strength entirely and in parts is the destiny of future owners. And they can check how strong the frame integrated into the body is and how this patented design affects the controllability of the machine and comfort from driving on ordinary roads. Subjective sensation: along the usual road, disco spins pleasantly and easily. Without tension, but also without overwhelming agility. Although in the phrase that under the hood of the car is a beast, in fact, there is no deception. Of the three Discovery3 engines, two inherited Jaguar. These are the most popular specimens that will be delivered to Russia-a 2.7-liter diesel and gasoline V8 motor 4.4 liters. A 4 -liter of 4 liters of unnecessary Russians fell into the category of unnecessary Russians. But the options for boxes in Russia will be available. All two. 6-speed mechanics and automatic.
Big and brave. She is interesting, ”the woman usually answers the question of whether her girlfriend, whom she will bring with her to the party, is pretty. That at the same time she puts interesting in the definition is unknown. But. Most likely, in this case, the girlfriend will be terrible.
For those who, looking at the Discovery En Face and the profile, will be snorting, the main creator of Jeff Upex (Geoff Upex) is ready for reinforced concrete argument: you can’t please everyone. He calls the design of the new Discovery bold. It sounds also mysterious as interesting, but more meaningful. The fact is that the design was developed - quote - from the inside out. It’s like with some kind of rocking, which directed the volumes of biceps, triceps, deltoid and so on muscle, not at all concerned about whether they will be combined with its snub-pierced nose or small ears. In Discovery purposefully engaged in the internal volumes of the salon and its comfort. About the appearance is not that they did not think. But it turned out as it happened. That is, bold. Or interesting. Or stylishly. In short, an amateur.
But there is more free space in Discovery than any of the classmates. With three rows and seven landing places, it can compete in passenger capacity and with minivans. Moreover, sitting on the gallery - the seats are literally arranged in Yaro - it is more convenient here than even in many minibuses. The feeling of freedom in the cabin is also facilitated by the presence of a hatch plus two glass panels in the roof. In short, there is a view of the sky for each row. For passengers of the third row, the car provides belts and airbags. And finally, so that they do not feel infringed in the right to at least somehow influence what is happening in the cabin, they (like the second-teams) were allocated by the set of keys for the control of the audio system. The sound, by the way, of the 14 columns of the Harman/Kardon Logic 7 digital system as in the cinema. By the way, TV and DVD are in the list of options.
The spaciousness in Discovery is not only sedentary, but also lying. This means that the second and third rows of seats are flushing on the floor. The harsh jeper is alien to the romance, but the romance of summer nights on such a bed can safely seduce even students of the philological faculty. For those for whom the students are in the past, and in the present - only worries on the removal of junk from the cottage, an adjacent concept of designers will be interesting. They divided the back door into two asymmetric halves. Firstly, you may not completely open the door, but raise only its upper half. Secondly, (this is the meaning of asymmetry) The right edge of the lower half is less in height than the left one. Therefore, on the right and it is more convenient to carry out loading and unloading. Finally, the bottom of the door can also open and have an additional cargo site. Its strength is also checked by journalists during a pure experiment. It withstands at least two well -fed individuals.
The Russian representative office Land Rover is absolutely sure that the prices for the new Discovery - $ 52.9 thousand for TDV6 and $ 71.9 thousand per V8 - will cause obvious displeasure.
Competitors, of course. And customers will quickly figure out how much. Understanding people value our cars. The very first Land Rover in Russia we sold Shaimiev and its premiere. And people from the president’s entourage recently said that they themselves really like the advertising of our cars. It is clear, there the car stands against the backdrop of the St. Petersburg palace - modestly and with a meaning. So Discovery is the highest prospects.

Land Rover Discovery3
 
Engine gasoline 8-cylinder-shaped/ diesel 6-cylinder V-shaped
Working volume (cubic cub) 4394/2720
Power (L.S. at rpm) 295 at 5500/190 at 4000
Moment (Nm at rpm) 427 at 4000/445 at 1900
The permanent drive is complete
The gearbox is 6-speed
Length/width/height (mm) 4835/1915/1887
Wheel base (mm) 2885
Equipped mass (kg) 2536/2504
Clearance (mm) 240
Maximum speed (km/h) 195/180
Acceleration to 100 km/h (c) 8.6/12.8
Price in Moscow $ 66 900/$ 52 900
 
Text Hassan Ganiev, photo of the author and Land Rover
 
 

A source: "Autopilot"