Category Archives: land Rover Handbooks

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Land Rover Discovery – The Real Deal 4×4 Living Legend

The Land Rover Discovery is a living legend. Project Jay, as it was first called back in the day, the car if is the mostly awarded 4×4 in history. It is the only vehicle that has received 97 international awards for just one production 4×4. after reading this article there will be no question why this cool 4 wheel drive is so popular around the globe. It suits anyone, and everyone.

The different Discovery models range from the latest Discover 4 or LR4 right back to the 1994 models, so there is plenty to talk about. this article will focus on the Discovery 3 and 4, which is most likely to be the vehicle that you are looking into buying.

To start with the Land rover Discovery 3 model was built between 2005 to 2009, with a 5 door SUV style. Engine options were the two liter Ford AJD-V6, PSA DT17, TDV6, the four liter Ford Cologne V6 and the big one, the 4.4 liter Jaguar AJ-V8- a car that really took off road adventure to the extreme.

The transmission of the car was 6 speeds, with both manual and automatic options. The wheelbase is 113.6 inches with a curb weight of 2,461 kilograms.

The Land Rover Discovery 3 was introduced as a new design, sharing very little with its predecessor the Series II. although it kept the key design features of the Discovery, the stepped roofline and steeply raked windscreen.

In the United States the Discovery was marketed as LR3 because of negative quality associations with the Discovery brand just like the Discovery Series II which was rebranded as the LR2.

One of the most exciting features of the Discovery LR3 was the all new Integrated Body Frame, or IBF. this was a great development as the previous series were based on a traditional, strong ladder frame chassis. The old frame was great for an off road experience but were heavy and hard to drive on the road. The alternative to the strong ladder frame system is the Monocoque system which is more rigid providing a better road, high speed driving experience.

The IBF claims to combine these systems by providing a Monocoque system for the engine bay and passenger compartment while the gearbox and suspension lies on a ladder chassis. how well this worked depends on who you speak to, but one thing sure, it definitely is a heavy car. The extra weight of the Land Rover Discovery probably was the reason it was the first Land Rover to be produced with a rear locking differential.

The other big feature in the land rover discovery 3 was the full independent suspension or FIS. this was an air suspension system which allowed the ride height of the vehicle to be modified by simply pumping or deflating the system. this provided a more versatile vehicle that could be raised when off road and lowered for a more comfortable, and safe, handling. However, many car owners felt that this feature caused the vehicle to bottom out when taking the car off road. an attempt to solve this issue was made by installing a cross linked air suspension system that mimics a beam axle.

These features were included to adapt the new model to a changing 4×4 market. off road performance was no longer a priority as more and more users were using 4x4s nearly exclusively on the road and demanded a smooth and comfortable ride. this is precisely where the LR3 stands out, providing refined on road manners while still being a REAL 4X4 with hardcore off road performance.

So guys that just about sums up this great run around. great for on road, off road, anywhere you want to get. an all around runabout car. A never ending list of awards, which I’m sure will continue well into the future. if you have the cash, you should bag the car

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Range_e Plug-in Hybrid Prototype: First Drive Report

Range_e Plug-in Hybrid Prototype

At the 2011 Geneva Motor Show, Land Rover unveiled its first ever plug-in hybrid concept vehicle, the Land Rover Range_e Diesel Plug-in Hybrid. 

Then in October last year — purely by chance — we bumped into one of Land Rover’s five engineering test Range_e prototypes in a shopping mall parking lot the weekend before it was due to take part in the annual RAC Green Car Challenge from Brighton to London, U.K.

Like the rest of the automotive press however, we had to wait until last Friday to get behind the wheel at a special Land Rover Jaguar joint press day. 

Regular Range Rover Sport — with A Plug

From a distance, the Range_e plug-in hybrid prototype looks identical to the 2011 Range Rover Sport. 

Get closer, and it becomes obvious that the Range_e isn’t just another gas-guzzling SUV. 

On the rear right quarter panel, there’s the usual fuel filler flap — but move to the left-hand quarter panel and there are two additional filler flaps hiding J1772 and fast charging connectors. 

Driving, Handling

As we climbed aboard, Land Rover’s engineers were keen to point out that the Range_e is still very much a prototype. but aside from a few extra engineering buttons and the lack of a centre rear seat, the Range_e we drove looked almost ready for market.

But with only 10 minutes behind the wheel, a 14.2 kilowatt-hour battery pack left almost empty by previous test-drives, and nothing but sleepy English village roads to drive through, how ready it really was proved tough to ascertain.

Land Rover says the Range_e can travel for more than 20 miles in all-electric mode at highway speeds, but as soon as our test vehicle accelerated onto the rural road test route, its 3.0-liter V-6 clean diesel engine started to run, presumably due to the low battery state of charge.

We noted however, that a hard acceleration from all-electric into blended hybrid mode results in a one-second lag in power delivery — hardly what you need when pulling away from an intersection.

Just like the 2012 Toyota Prius however, a smoother right foot yielded a more acceptable blend between power modes. 

When it came to braking, our test vehicle didn’t have the regenerative braking fitted to some range_e prototypes.

As a consequence, our Range_e prototype felt very much like a regular Range Rover Sport, with weight distribution, cornering and braking all on a par with a regular gasoline model. 

Less Turbo Lag

The biggest noticeable difference however, came under blended mode acceleration.

As the double-ended 69-kilowatt electric motor replaces the traditional transfer case found in four-wheel drive vehicles, it can provide all-electric all-wheel drive. further, because of the motor’s location, the Range_e can operate in electric-only, diesel only or blended modes. 

Essentially a series-parallel hybrid, this means the electric motor can help eliminate the lag in power normally associated with turbocharged engines, meaning acceleration is smoother and more responsive. 

Land Rover claims the Range_e can hit 120 mph, and a “respectable” 0-60mph time. Sadly however, our test route — and time constraints placed on us by Land Rover — prevented  acceleration tests. 

Not Coming…Yet

Land Rover employees on hand during the day were keen to point out that the Range_e isn’t a ready-for-market vehicle. Nor is it destined to be. 

Instead, Land Rover wants to use the Range_e exclusively as an internal test-vehicle, feeding data from the project into REEVolution — a joint project between Land Rover, Jaguar and Lotus into extended-range electric cars.

After the Range_e test program has ended, the REEVolution team will focus their attentions on a prototype range-extended electric Jaguar, but that doesn’t mean Land Rover isn’t serious about producing a plug-in hybrid car. 

We’ve been told Land Rover is planning a production range-extended hybrid car, but just not what it will be, or when. 

Like everyone else, we’ll have to wait and see. 

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