|
|
DEPARTMENTS
|
Land Rover Model Protects its Turf
by Frank S. Washington
NNPA
Aboutthatcard.com
ASHEVILLE, NC, -- The first word that came to mind when I got into a Range Rover recently was plush. Other words like swank, suave, grand and luxurious quickly followed. The only other vehicle that ever gave me the sort of sensation that the Ranger Rover did was a Bentley Arnage.
For 2005, Range Rover has added a voice activated DVD–based navigation system, touch screen control, an integrated phone with Bluetooth capability and a 710-watt surround sound audio system with a six-disc CD changer and MP3 capability.
My test vehicle was equipped with an accessories package that included heated seats, front and back, as well as a heated steering wheel, 16-way power driver and passenger seats, an integrated ski bag and optional 20-inch alloy wheels with a full-size spare.
It had an all aluminum 4.4-liter V8 that produced 282 horsepower and 325 pounds-feet of torque at relatively low 3,200 rpm and could tow up to 7,200 pounds. The five speed automatic transmission could be set for normal, sport or manual shifting.
We were brought here to take the Range Rover, truly grandeur on four-wheels, and Land Rover’s LR3 which is no slouch either, sloshing through the muddy woods – literally.
We had been invited to the Land Rover Experience Driving School at the Biltmore Estate. It’s one of only two North American off-road driving schools run by Land Rover. The other is at the Fairmont Le Chateau in Montebello Quebec, Canada. However, neither school is for Land Rover owners only. Anybody can attend. The schools have two missions. The first is to teach safe and responsible driving techniques to anyone who owns a vehicle capable of off road driving, or to anyone who is thinking about purchasing an off-road vehicle.
Not that many people really take their sport-utilities off-road. Roughly four percent to seven percent of Land Rover owners do. But for those novices, and they are a growing number, who want to go sloshing through the woods or crawling over rocky terrain, it’s not a bad idea to know what you’re doing in terms of driving the vehicle, and what not to do in terms of the environment.
Prices are relatively reasonable but the school is not inexpensive. It operates seven days a week from 9.p.m. to 5 p.m. Lessons range from $150 for one hour for one person to a full day for three people in a vehicle for $700. Of course the second mission of the school is to familiarize potential buyers with the capabilities of Land Rover products. No matter what you may drive to one of the schools, you will drive either a Ranger Rover or LR3 at the school. And that’s not a bad thing.
I’m no expert but I have been off-road in a number of vehicles and their dynamics are pretty much the same. But one of the things that I’ve not seen on any other off-road vehicle is a display screen that shows you which way the front wheels are turned and the articulation of all four wheels.
Knowing what way the front wheels are turned in severe situations can make the difference between getting stuck, rolling the vehicle or worse.
We spent the first half of the day in the Range Rover and we devoted the second half of the day to LR3. It’s all new and replaces the Land Rover Discovery. It isn’t anywhere near as sumptuous as the Range Rover but it is more off-road capable. Powered by a 4.4-liter V8, the LR3 makes 300 horsepower and 315 pounds-feet of torque at 4,000 rpm. It has a six-speed automatic transmission, enhanced dust and water proofing, and a revised breathing system that enables it to wade through up to 24-inches of water.
It’s chock full of all sorts of off road capability including locking differentials for front and rear wheels as well as a system that optimizes drivability, control and traction on a variety of surfaces. You can set the system for general driving, grass/gravel/snow for slippery surfaces, and there are three off-road modes: mud/ruts, sand and rock crawl.
The LR3 is going to be the most capable off road vehicle in Land Rover’s North American line up. It starts $44,995 for the SE and $49,995 for the HSE. The Range Rover has a base price of $73,750 for the HSE and $86,000 for the Westminster. A new model that will debut next year will be the fastest of Land Rover products sold in North America. From a price standpoint, it will fit in between the Ranger Rover and the LR3.
The Freelander is Land Rover’s entry-level sport-utility. Prices have gone up for 2005 but so has the content. Base price of the SE is $27,495 and includes a sunroof, fog lights and full size spare tire. The SE3 (two-door) is based priced at $27,495, a $500 increase from last year’s model.
It seems like Land Rover has every intention of sticking to what it does best, making capable off road vehicles that provide a lavish luxury as they go sloshing through the woods. With base prices ranging from just below $30,000 to almost $90,000, Land Rover intends to meet all challengers on its opulent turf. Still, I’ve got to get a Land Rover or two for some real world testing. Because even if you do go off road sometimes, most of the time you’re on the road somewhere, even if it’s driving to get off road.
Frank S. Washington, a former correspondent for Newsweek magazine, has covered the automobile industry for such publications as Automotive News, Advertising Age and the Detroit News Online. Your comments are welcomed. Washington can be reached at P.O. Box 23167, Detroit, Michigan 48223 or by e-mail at frank@aboutthatcar.com. You can also visit his Web site, aboutthatcar.com.
|
|
|
|
|
|
