Test drive Land Rover Range Rover 2005 - 2009 SUV
Gorgeous "eight"
The Range Rover TDV8 diesel is not just a new engine in the 2007 specification. This is a high -quality step forward! Inspires awe
It is impossible to watch Range Rover without some mental trepidation. Throws inspire this name itself and the glory behind it. The thrill inspires the view of this car. And not so much of his almost 2-meter height as a high style, in which cubic meters of this power and luxury appear before the eye. We still believe that he does not have direct competitors, say representatives of Land Rover. Now there are even more grounds for such statements.
In the segment of luxury SUVs there are probably more spectacular outwardly models. But, firstly, there are no more effective ones, and secondly, oddly enough, next to the strict restraint of the Englishman, the deliberate effects begins to play against rivals. Range Rover is the personification of nobility. Good taste is not just spectacular contours. Taste is primarily a sense of proportion. In this regard, Range Rover is a real aristocrat in its class.
The appearance of this car, subjected to light cosmetic correction in 2006, is now so close to perfection that when updating 2007, it remained unchanged. But the salon has become even more refined and comfortable.
An electronic parking brake instead of a traditional mechanical, it facilitated the start, automatically turning off when you press the gas pedal. And thanks to the released space, it was possible to move some governing bodies to more improvised positions. Together with the changed design of the dashboard, this circumstance made the famous landing even more commander. A double glove box appeared with a cd changer hidden in it. Additional ventilation holes reduced noise and improved air supply, and the air conditioner became more powerful. New seats with active head restraints are equipped not only with heating, but also by cooling. Side airbags are now mounted in the door, but in the backs of the seats. Moving in the accident along with the seats, they provide better protection. And the doors became stronger.
The list of finishing materials is also updated. The Autobiography program with several levels of individualization offers 1.65 million options for various combinations of body and interior colors. That is, the company can assemble cars for 55 years, among which there will be no two identical ones.
However, all these changes in the intransal scale is far from the main innovation of Range Rover 2007. Acquaintance with the main novelty at the first moment shocked into a slight shock.
Light shock I have already said that I approached this car not without trepidation. But, apparently, the degree of notorship with which I sat behind the wheel of Range Rover was insufficient. On the eve of this test, I had to quite actively communicate with a certain business sedan with a claim to sports, and some kind of settings from that ride remained in my head. Naturally, I tried to correct them in advance. I am transplanted from a gasoline business sedan into a large SUV with a equipped mass of 2700 kg, moreover, equipped with a diesel engine, I reasoned (rather subconsciously). Having rushed to the commanding place, I rolled out the side of the magnificent Spanish highway (the test took place in the vicinity of Barcelona), waited for a break in the flow of transport and, without wasting time on warm -up, spun the steering wheel that there was urine pressing on the gas pedal.
The incident did not correspond to what I expected from a diesel SUV with a mass of 3 tons. Range Rover cighed on the asphalt expanse so briskly, and the steering wheel spoke with such liveliness that it took me a few seconds to cope with the machine. I physically felt a certain pulley in my brain began to spin quickly and quickly in the opposite direction, adjusting the settings in the direction of sports. Fortunately, the wise stabilization system helped me survive these few seconds.
Calm down! This is a car for ministers and diplomats, an experienced colleague who was sitting on the right warned me. It is necessary to ride with self -esteem. Having dealt with the excitement (my own and the car), I led Range Rover as a large and luxurious yacht among fragile highways. However, even with such a driving manner during a 100-kilometer stage on a perfect highway, we were only once overtaken by some frantic boomer. In a sample of speed capabilities, we reached 200 km/h without any problems and anxiety, on which an electronic limiter worked (one hope that the organizers laid a route in areas free of automatic radars). At the same time, I have strong confidence that, in its dynamic characteristics and behavior on the asphalt, the diesel Range Rover is more like a gasoline sedan. Perhaps, adjusted for higher posture, but not to weight, not to accelerated qualities and not for handling. This car is suitable not only for a diplomat, but also to an athlete, not only to the minister, but also to the adventurer. In general, it is difficult to imagine a person to whom this car does not fit. If only this person had enough taste to make the right choice. And, of course, money, because delicious things cannot be cheap. Range Rover TDV8 in Russia will cost from $ 1,16,400. 
Little and surface Listening to the Range Rover on the asphalt, to the work of its 6-band intellectual transmission, adjacent to the driving manner and road conditions, to the rustle of the engine, I caught myself that it could not be a diesel engine, it works so quietly and smoothly in cruising regimes, so powerfully takes into the quarry during overtaking. And I was not alone in my doubts.
The new diesel turned out to be so powerful and perfect that there is a great danger that the driver will take him for the gasoline version, says Mick Cameron, the chief engineer of the program. In this case, the Range Rover is equipped with the Petrol Fuel Guard System, the operation of which is based on the difference in the size of fuel pistols for gasoline and diesel fuel. The first is already longer, it goes deeper into the filling neck and affects the pin, which activate the damper that blocks the path of incorrect fuel and saving the owner from expensive repairs. And this is not an advertising trick. About 100 thousand gas stations are recorded per year in the UK. This is how good and indistinguishable from gasoline engines modern diesel engines are. And the new Range Rover diesel sample in this sense. But the path to him was not short.
Third-generation Range Rover's debut took place in 2002, a year after Land Rover moved from under the BMW wing to the Ford family. Despite this, the new Range Rover was equipped with Bavarian engines at first. Only in 2005, a 4.4-liter version of the AJ-V8 motor, which replaced the BMW M62, appeared at the flagship of the British company, which was borrowed from the Jaguar 306. And the top model has become a 396-horsepower 4.2-liter AJ-V8 modification with a supercharger. The last heritage of the alliance with the BMW was the in -line diesel six 2.9 liters installed on the Range Rover TD6. Its power was 177 hp, torque 390 Nm. With this engine, the car accelerated to a hundred for 13.6 s and developed a maximum speed of 179 km/h. Not too impressive.
Meanwhile, the experts of the Ford Engineering Center in the British Dagenem in 2004 developed a diesel AJD-V6, which soon appeared on Discovery 3 and Range Rover Sport. But even his 190 hp. It seemed insufficient for the flagship of the company, and in 2007 TDV8 was created on the basis of six.
The eight borrowed a lot of technological developments from the V6: four valves per cylinder, two turbines of changed geometry, the Common Rail injection system with a pressure of 1700 bar (30% more than that of the previous generation diesel engines), an exotic, compacted gray cast iron. If aluminum and magnesium are materials of the 20th century, then the brainchild of metallurgy of the current century of the age of the current century. It is no less durable than aluminum, but has much greater fatigue strength and rigidity. This material made it possible to create an unusually light and compact power plant (dry weight of 202 kg), which made it possible to bring the car dysfunction along the axes to the perfect 50:50.
However, the new diesel is not just a mechanical increase in two cylinders to a spent six. If 6-
the cylinder diesel has the angle of the cylinder collapse of 60, then in the eight it is 90, which is an optimum for the V8 in terms of balancing. Together with a hard cast -iron block and a number of other improvements like hollow drive shafts and active mounting supports to the chassis, this led to very quiet work in all modes. The new diesel is so quiet that its creators had to fight the noise, which in ordinary engines are completely indistinguishable in the general roar. For example, the hiss of piezoforms that had to be closed with soundproofing lids had to be heard. The noise level in the cabin compared to TD6 decreased by 75%. But the power growth in comparison with the previous version was 54%, torque 64%, the acceleration time to 100 km/h decreased to 9.2 s, the car began to accelerate 42%faster in the range of 80110 km/h. Even at 1250 rpm, V8 develops 400 nm more than td6 peak thrust. And in the range of 20002500 rpm, torque increases to 640 nm. At the same time, fuel consumption remained at the level of TD6 11.3 liters per 100 km. That is, the TDV8 has the same operational characteristics and noise level as a gasoline V8, but at the same time consumes fuel no more than a diesel V6, which replaces which comes.
The reinforced front brakes Brembo were installed under the new engine, suspension and transmission were reconfigured. The center differential with electronic administration in 2007 will be standardly installed not only on both gasoline, but also on the diesel version. And the differential of the rear axle with electronic control will be an option for diesel engines and models with atmospheric V8 and the standard for the Range Rover SuperchaRged. Any Land Rover must be able to descend and climb the 45-degree cooler and go along the slope 35. When performing these figures of the highest off-road aerobatics, it often turns out to be below the oil pallet, which can lead to lubrication and jamming. To prevent this from happening, a special vacuum lubrication system has been developed that prevents jamming with extreme angles of work.
Enjoying the comfort, speed and grandeur of my high -ranking position driving Range Rover, I was casting in commanding the vast width of the corporative width with branded stamping and an asphalt tape for it. But, as you know, life consists not only of smooth roads. Ahead of all higher the bizarre outlines of the Montserrat Mount Montserrat rose. We were heading to the Pyrenees, where we were waiting for an off -road route with a wide variety of barriers from stone ambushes to mud -wrapped. Here we had to evaluate another highlight Range Rover 2007.
His only problem The Terrain Response system is already familiar quite well. Its debut took place in 2005 on Discovery 3, and for 2007 models, she first entered the list of standard equipment of all Range Rover options. Recall that the response of the territory is designed to automatically switch settings that are optimal for various types of terrain. There are five modes on a large round regulator: the main, grass, mud, sand, sand, stones. Terran Response changes clearance, transmission settings, installation of locks, engine responsiveness, steering wheel, auxiliary electronics operating mode.
True jeepers do not like this system. Still, because she replaces all their experience! With Terrain Response, any blonde driving Range Rover will be able to what the other knight of off -road has gone years of trial and error. Of course, it's a shame. However, it turned out that under the sensitive leadership of the electronic coach remains quite a spaciousness for independent creativity.
Modulating off -road driving modes using a manual gear mode seemed very interesting. For example, the descent when using the descent control system in Rock Crawl mode (crawling along stones) really turns into a crap under the disgusting rattle of the brakes. This is useful in dangerous areas, but in order to raise the brake threshold where you can afford
move faster, just switch from automatic mode in manual and raise the transmission to II or III. You can also modulate at your discretion the mode of movement along the slippery surface, making the reaction to pressing the gas pedal softer. On the machine, he uses the pass too often, insurance. The degree of reinsurance can be adjusted by switching in manual mode. Suddenly, the mode of displaying the work on the display was unexpectedly useful. This is not just an advertising cartoon, as I thought at the beginning. Demonstration of the real position of the wheels is invaluable help: scribbled on stones, you always know which way and on which corner the wheels are turned. After all, the safety of wheels and tires, in fact, is the main, if not the only concern of the driver Range Rover. It will pass everywhere if only the rubber can withstand. Perhaps the lack of a caterpillar move as an option is the only drawback of this luxurious all -terrain vehicle.
Technical characteristics Range Rover TDV8
Dimensions, mm 4972x1956x1905
Base, mm 2710
Diesel V8 engine type
Working volume, cubic meter. cm 3630
Max. Power, L.S./rpm 272/4000
Max. moment, nm/rpm 640/20002500
The transmission is automatic 6-band
The permanent drive is complete
Max. Speed, km/h 200
Acceleration time 0-100 km, with 9.2
Fuel consumption (average), l/100 km 11.3
Leonid Sitnik
Photo by the author
and manufacturer firms
Source: Avtopanorama magazine
