Test Drive Land Rover Discovery LR3 2004 - 2009 SUV

In Tuxhinge

On my purely subjective look, it was Land Rover who is the most aristocratic brand of Great Britain. Not Rolls-Royce, not Bentley and no God forbid Aston Martin. There is something emphasized in Land Rowers, the noble, original British. It is difficult to understand the nature of this feeling. Even I myself. Whether this is because the name of the brand is very somehow successfully combined with Landlords, whether any other historical associations causes ... Even mocking on this name does not turn out to be ridiculous to come up with a ridiculous. Will not stick. Does not work. Well, you will write, let's say, from Salopai reasons Rover through W and what? Wanderer turns into rowing. Earth rower is it not the essence of the real SUV?

The glory of the real SUVs Land Rover created Defender. Like the German colleague Gelaendewagen, he was designed as a purely military product, but quickly went to the people. The people appreciated. They say they still transmit to generation from generation. Not as a relic, but just like a vehicle. Reliable and unpretentious. And the military pedigree (from 1948 is a joke Lee only adds Defu Charizma and nobility in the end the nobility as a class also went from servants.

For non-commodity, Range Rover produced on the light. And beautifully laid the nose to the Germans. Why, in fact, reach the premium-level army jeep if you can make a completely different car more sophisticated and no less off-road. Together with Range, the next journalistic stamp SUV in Frace appeared. Range Rover became a measure, standard. And finally secured the Land Rover brand in the list of autoistocracy.

But Discovery has always been a hooligan. Organic combination of frowning sheep and white crows. As if the nobility of the nobleman, who sold a generic nest, married to a versatile and written in anti-globalists. But he came up with Camel Trophy and fell in love with almost more than two other combined. During the two generations, Disco walked in Favoro at Jeepers. He enforced the suspension and put the winches. We conquered the sands and messed the dirt in the wet jungle. It seemed that would always be.

But the new third Discovery turned out to be completely different. I must say, and the times are not quite the same. CamelTrophic movement gradually sued no, and the Land Rover brand itself switched first to BMW, and then to Ford. The prodigal son returned to the noble flock. Adopted favorably. And we can not be a fracture, but at least a tuxedo. A kind of young viscont, which on family holidays some grandchildren will certainly say: you grew up on a whole head. And the cheek sweat. Old pepper.

Yes, Discovery matured. This is especially noticeable when in its black barbell sides, almost without distorting, the surrounding reality is reflected. The monolith of the figure is violated only by the relief of the hood and stepper from the head optics lateral repeators of turn signals.

Beautiful. This, however, we celebrated during the first acquaintance with Discovery 3 (see wheels No. 88, February 2005). That car was not so black, but still incredibly good. This, besides the above black, distinguishes the richest HSE equipment and an eight-cylinder gasoline engine The main occasion to chat again with a loved car.

For the pleasure of having three hundred horses in one hood with a six-speed machine (there are no other transmission options), dealers are asked to pay over ten thousand dollars. Isn't it too much? Moreover, gasoline V8 is somewhat inferior to diesel V6 in a torque (425 nm against 440), and in economy and is completely losing. Check now.

DISCO helping. Whatever climatic and road conditions have been listed you, you can be calm clothes getting worse than anything, just not about the thresholds of the car, they are securely protected by huge doors. Almost silently closed, they cut off the sound component of the streets. Surprisingly quiet. Around high-quality skin, the same quality plastic. Scroll buttons on the center console, clearance change lever, Terrain Response system knob and Hill Descent Control activation button All this is familiar with the diesel version. But the crowning torpedo LCD displays with the Touch Screen function is something new. In addition to useless in our navigation edges, it can work in 4x4 info mode. Interesting thing! Displays the axis of the car in two projections: Rear view (Krenomer) and top view on it easily track the position of the front wheels and the state of the inter-axis and rear differential locks. In principle, a rather short (three with a quarter of turnover from the stop up to the stop) For the SUV, the steering wheel is hardly allowed to lose the wheels. But the off-road information is not excess. Much more often missing. In the city, this feature is more entertaining. Although the detail with which the suspension elements are drawn will result in your passengers in a reverent thrill.

But the main thing is how he rides? Quickly. Really quickly. The sensation from the speaker is somewhat twisted high landing and a somewhat designed reaction to the accelerator. And another kikdown thought of the machine. However, it is worth looking at the instruments and immediately believe these manufacturer Otto really dries a diesel for three seconds on a segment of 0-100 km / h. For doubting there is a sport mode (he manual). The accelerator shakes the drowsiness, and the automatic gives the motor to spin up to 6000 rpm. However, saves the ability to switch both up and down. So it can safely use it instead of a drive in cases where you really need drive. In the Commonwealth with excellent brakes, he will definitely do not force the driver to regret the money spent.

So, if you have already grown out of the jacket, but you still do not feel quite aristocratic for the phraka, feel free to try on a tuxedo. Surely you have to fit.

Autography
Land Rover Discovery 3 is still known as LR3
Predecessor: Discovery I / II (1989)
Premiere: January 2004
Body: 5-door wagon
Engines: 2.7-4.4 L (190-300 hp)
Production: United Kingdom
Expected Replacement: 2012
 
 
 
   
   
 

A source: Wheel Magazine [№95 / 2005]