Test Drive Land Rover Defender 110 since 2007 SUV
Touch legend
Land Rover Defender 2007 Model Year has undergone such a small external transformation that only experts will notice changes in the portrait of the famous SUV. But it is worth opening the door or raise the hood, as it immediately becomes clear: you are a completely new car. Adapt the legend to modern realities, while maintaining along with the same English style salt, engineers from Solikhal have almost managed. Almost, because even such a trifle, as the absence in the updated DEF of the usual forces under the windshield, causes the traditions of the traditions of the righteous anger. By and large, these vents are not needed, since the new climate management system is similar to the one that is installed on the Ford Transit Commercial Truck, has the function of the outdoor air fence. However, the fact that now the glass is not faded and in the cabin really warmly, the sorrow of fans does not diminish. However, it will not be possible to fully enjoy the new features of the stove: designed for another placement of the driver in the cabin, it serves a lot more heat into the left side of the cabin than. It is impossible to hide from the hot air flow, because the right leg, spitting on the gas, fits tightly to the central tunnel, and the air supply nozzle is located right above it, and the heat in the ankle area causes constantly to turn on, then turn off blowing. Make it cooler from the first time will not work too unbelievable switch.
By the way, a powerful climate system, with which you can not only catch up with heat into a huge interior, but also quickly cool it in summer, not the only change in the updated SUV. The central console, although it looks like a stick of incomprehensible style solutions, undoubtedly, has become for Defender a gigantic step forward. From now on, in terms of comfort, he does not lag behind other cars. There are CD magnetol here, which in improved equipment can not only read MP3, but also connect to I-Pod. And in general, it is absolutely everything that on the road must be kept under hand, control of the rear janitor, light, electric windows, heat glass heating, the instrument shield Designers were fitted in a torpedo of about 25 cm wide. And notice, the real power is stored, and not a decorative handrail for Passenger. As the front and rear seats have become much more convenient, the front armors are heated, but the movement range horizontally and the corner of the backrest remained very small, so do not dream of a long way to completely decompose the seat. A thick huge steering wheel does not have any adjustment. With regard to Defender, the concept of ergonomics is still unlikely: let's say, a man of a mighty complex is simply nowhere to do left hand, closely pressed to the door, and the elbow has to be lowered down on the door he has nothing to cling to. It is no longer necessary to talk about the right hand on the steering wheel, it's not necessary to make an improvised stand for the elbow. If you are below 170 cm, take care of the pillow under a soft place in advance (the adjustment of the armchair vertically is not provided), otherwise it is difficult to monitor the dimensions. But the passengers in the second row sit comfortably: no need to press his knees to the chin, however, a man with an increase in about 190 cm will meet with the ceiling on any road irregularity of the salon height leaves much to be desired. It was staffed by two full-fledged comfortable chairs, the same as in the second row of the LRD 90, and the gallery, so that passengers do not have to sit on the folding rods. But also stuffed into the car on a lady, in the fatter no longer work, besides the useful volume of the luggage compartment due to the seats decreased significantly, so it is better to immediately remove them and leave in the garage, if, of course, you are not going to transport large companies every day. And you can drive a couple of kilometers in the trunk and in the old manner sitting on the rear wheeled arches, extended to the sweep and having a rectangular cross section. 
But the main highlights of Land Rover Defender, for which it was worth up with the purchase before this version appears, are not in the cabin, but under the hood and below. First of all, this is a new commercial four-cylinder turbodiesel DURA TORQ with a volume of 2.4 liters, moved here with Ford Transit. And so a very reliable motor for DEF is slightly defined, which potentially even more increased its service life. Of course, without a turbine with a variable geometry and an ubiquitous fuel system, Common RAIL did not cost, but the British argue that the test of the African diesel fuel, which is hardly better than ours, the engine was successful. The power of the power unit is 122 liters. with. With 3500 rpm, and the maximum torque is 360 nm at 2000 rpm, which is almost 20% more than the previous engine. Together with a completely new six-speed gearbox, it gave a tangible thrust on the nizakh. Now from the second transfer can be moved even into a small slide. However, such as a tractor, traction still did not. Trying, for example, put on the half-meter curb, for a short time and stumble. But the motor and the box are not all innovations. Significantly increased the accuracy of making gear rattles, so that it was possible to reduce the noise, the cardan shafts are enhanced and facilitated, and the frame is now boiled under the control of electronics, which ensured a 20% increase in tower rigidity. 
But enough theory, it's time to go. Getting on an off-road Svetlitsa polygon, which in the Kaluga region, check the behavior of the machine on all types of road surface. Landing in Laand Rover Defender is not easy: if it were not for the thresholds, it would have to jump inside, but, taking command height, you immediately feel how convenient for you. The dimensions as if a cut-down ax was read perfectly, external mirrors are informative, although there are no electric drives, but it is enough to establish them for themselves and no longer return to it. The mirror inside the cabin also shows something besides the top edge of the spray, it means that the KAMAZ referring to the back will notice on time. Despite the scarce of adjustments, every person of medium growth and a set will be able to find the optimal position behind the wheel.
Place for parking, despite large dimensions, find easy, just need to think with other categories. Let's say, they have noticed near the house or supermarket, a piece of land is plunged with bulldozers, boldly drive to the parking lot left specifically for you. DEF has a very large turn radius, but with such ground clearance and iron bumpers, you can not be shy to kick a snowdrift or move the fence. They understand these and the surrounding drivers, and therefore it is worth incorporating the indicator of turn, as around everything is rushed away from sin. It turns out, urban ride gives more pleasure than inconvenience, and the dynamics of the machine with a new engine allows not only to keep, but also to lose weight in the stream. Yes, the automatic machine for the city, of course, is better, but the first transmission on Defender is so short that the automatic transmission will be replaced with success, and the fourth is so stretched, which will give the opportunity to move at a speed of 30 to 90 km / h. Split kayf only Very tight grip. Constantly exercising in his survival, you can pump up the left leg that you will knock out the metal door from one blow.
The electronic gas pedal also has features: it compensates for the lack of revolutions under load, which, on the one hand, helps not stall, and on the other, when the clutch is too smooth operation adds a gas. At first it frightens it greatly, especially when it remains quite a bit to ahead. However, from habits smoothly press the clutch you quickly get rid. Riding on the Moscow Ring Road with her wild rips in the asphalt, oddly enough, also does not cause difficulties: the defender does not respond at all, and even in configuration, not equipped with transverse stability stabilizers (they go as an option). In the turns, the machine fell no more than any other high jeep, and the dynamics allows you to keep even in the extreme left row if the flow rate does not exceed 120 km / h. Electronics limits the speed of the machine for 140 km / h along the speedometer. But even in close proximity to the limiter, the possibility of overtaking. In addition to the ABS and the anti-test system, which replaces the blocking of interstole differentials, in DEF, the driver of electronic helpers is not, therefore, with sharp braking to the floor at the limit speeds, it is better to be careful: from the same asphalt track, throw it into a neighboring row at times, so hard to keep the steering wheel . 
Comfortable speed of movement on the highway is about 130 km / h, but you can drip down and under the limiter. On the sixth gear, turns do not rise above 2.5-3 thousand, so talking, not too increasing the voice, and the rotor of the motor does not overlap the stereo system. Although actually in Defender is noisy, despite improved sound insulation. Classic rectangular body lines are affected, and loud universal tires. Land Rover Defender Uncompromising SUV. So it is positioned by manufacturers, so it is and in fact, but because the road is worse, the more confident car moves. According to the trash asphalt with funnels, remaining since the second world, you can drive at a speed of about 100 km / h, while in order to break through the suspension, you need to try hard. Despite the fact that the car is completely pavement, it does not have to catch on the broken highway, and even in the turns of DEF behaves surprisingly stable. By the way, this is one of the few real SUVs having a constant four-wheel drive with an inter-axis differential, and not ordinary for such PART TIME machines.
It is worth moving from the road, and Land Rover Defender will refute any idea of \u200b\u200bthe potential of a standard car on a serious off-road. With the new traction capabilities of the engine and a perfectly operating electron anti-skid system that replaces the mechanical locks of inter-track differentials, it is not even necessary to switch to reduced transmission. The traction is enough to move in deep rut! The transmission has four modes: constant four-wheel drive on increased transmission, on low and two similar, but with a blocked inter-axis differential. The lifelidity limit rests on the possibility of rubber and the magnitude of the road lumen. Blocking the differential and turning on the second low, I rode around the edge just revealed the swamp, with each round it was deeply climbing into the hump, but Defender was driving and drove anything like nothing until I smoothly planted him on the bridges. However, even in this situation, it was possible, almost not a dropow, to go stranded by reverse. The nearest asphalt was not more than a kilometer, and I decided to take a chance to try to make an obstacle, but did not rebel the speed and instead of accessing the ambush, firmly hung on the axes and the rear hook. I had to wear marsh boots (the depth was above the knee, and the water was barely floating in the door), to go behind the help and drag the car winch. But dragged the stuck car is not more than a meter. As hardly felt the soil under the wheels, DEF went himself. Also on one very slippery and steep rise in the passing, a little bit without coming to the top. This time, there was not enough opportunities for universal rubber, she quickly washed off, and, helplessly causing all four wheels, car frozen in place. I had to unfold right in the stream, at the same time he drove along it along and across to clear the rubber: Defender although it doesn't swim, but thanks to moisture protection, even without a snorkel is practically not afraid of hydrowarders. This does not mean that it is necessary to pour water into air intakes with tons, but the form of the latter and its nozzle does not allow to pour into the filter box to a large amount of water, and what fell, it is easily removed through the drain valve. 
Finally, I want to add a small spoonful of the tar in a huge barrel of off-road advantages of the new Land Rover Defender. The fact is that, by studying fromrojadstrim, you can unexpectedly stay without oil in the engine crankcase. The motor is slightly shifted back, and the fork of the front cardan when driving through a heavy off-road at high speed at a certain corner of the wheel turning can scratch or break the pallet of the crankcase. Imagine the car in the middle lane of Russia, in general, not scary. But what will be the consequences in the deserted Mongolian steppe or on the northern track, when ahead is 500 versts, back 500, and overboard -40 s, you do not need to explain. When buying DEF, be sure to pay attention at the moment, especially since the solichala is already aware of this trouble, and the new parties of the SUV go with modified pallets. The same, who managed to buy a car with a pallet of an unsuccessful design, with the next one in the company service will be offered to change it to a new one. So work on errors was carried out, the consequences of the miscalculation during normal operation are not fatal, besides, they are quickly eliminated. And as a resume I must say: Land Rover Defender turned out to be very successful in all respects. Completely changing technically, becoming a completely modern car, he managed to stay an icon of style, a dream of romantics on all continents and the last living legend of real off-road. Photo: Andrei Sahakyan
