![]() ![]() To make the most of available grip, the LR3 sent to our offices had the optional Heavy-Duty package that adds a locking rear differential to divert power to the rear wheel with more traction. Land Rover claims its control-arm suspension matches the articulation and bests the wheel travel of its previous solid-axle design. Hard-core off-roaders are typically turned off by independent suspensions because they generally have limited wheel travel and articulation (the ability to keep the tires in contact with the earth in off-road situations) when compared with traditional solid axles. Even the harshest dirt roads are taken in stride, thanks to the aforementioned structure and the adjustable air suspension that ditches solid axles in favor of a fully independent setup. ![]() The steering is a bit heavy and slow, but then again so is the whole package, so it's well-matched. Wind and road noise are restrained at highway speeds the LR3 registered a low 66 dBA at 70 mph. On-road demeanor is far more refined than in the Discovery, and if you were able to drive the LR3 blindfolded, you might think you were in the more expensive Range Rover. When considered in relationship to its gene pool, the LR3 isn't exactly slow, but there are faster and lighter sport-utes that are the same size and trade for similar cash. If you find there isn't enough room to pass, stomp on the predictable and strong brakes that will bring you to a stop from 70 mph in 173 feet, not too shabby for a nearly three-ton beast. Roll out into the left lane, and the LR3 will pass with more confidence than the previous model as the six-speed finds the appropriate gear for the situation. But pulling all that weight, it takes 8.2 seconds to clear 60 mph, which is slower than most of the LR3's competition but faster than the outgoing Discovery's 10.1-second amble to the same speed and even the Range Rover's 9.6 second mosey. With 300 horsepower, 83 more than the 4.6-liter, Buick-derived pushrod V-8 that did duty in the Disco, the new 4.4-liter DOHC engine is even 18 horses more powerful than the BMW-sourced 4.4-liter found under the Range Rover's bonnet. Unfortunately, the two prefer slow dancing to krumping. The all-aluminum V-8, a bored-out version of the 4.2-liter that can be found in all current Jags except the X-type, is smooth and unobtrusive, and has a willing dance partner in its six-speed automatic. The mass becomes a bit less satisfying when you burden the LR3 dynamically by doing things like turning the steering wheel or coming down on the throttle. Unfortunately, that hefty feel and sturdy structure are evident in the eye-popping 5686 pounds of avoirdupois. We can understand why they might want to separate the two vehicles, as the LR3 is a far more advanced beast than the Disco.īuilt on a stiff steel frame that buttresses a rigid body whose styling is a more modern interpretation of the Discovery, the LR3 imparts a satisfying feeling of solidity and significance. In other, perhaps less discriminating lands, the LR3 will be known as the Discovery 3. Land Rover seems to want buyers to forget the Discovery, so henceforth it will be called the LR3. The 2005 LR3 is the much-needed replacement for the Discovery. Clearly, an all-new design was necessary. Revisions to the Disco sought to recapture the faith of a disgruntled buying public, but the latest Discovery was enough like the original to trigger painful flashbacks. Turns out the Disco bit back, by being about as reliable as a British car built in the '70s on free-Guinness Fridays. Buyers bit, gobbling up about 15,000 in that first year. Although not as decadent as the Range Rover, the Discovery conveniently filled the lower end of the luxury segment for Land Rover. The luxury-SUV segment, so popular today, had about three members: the Land Rover Range Rover, the Toyota Land Cruiser, and the Jeep Grand Wagoneer.īy the time Land Rover shipped over the Disco for 1995, the luxury-sport-ute segment was growing. When the Land Rover Discovery first appeared in Europe in 1989, the Berlin Wall hadn't yet fallen, SUV sales were only beginning to mushroom here in the States, and clear colas were still a couple of years away. ![]()
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