Specifications

Model: Land Rover Defender 90

Price: £26,235

Engine: 2.4-litre diesel

Performance: 0-60 in 14.7secs; 28.3mpg

C02: 266g/km

Worth considering: Jeep Wrangler, Mercedes-Benz G-Wagen, Santana PS10

I’ve always wanted to join a secret society. But the Skull and Bones didn’t have a chapter at my university and my trouser legs are short enough as it is without rolling one up. However, a secret society is within reach of anyone who chooses to buy this particular car – because every other Defender driver that passed me by waved enthusiastically, confirming that there’s a brotherhood out there based on a car that most people assume is aimed at farmers, soldiers and eccentrics.

The Secret Society of Land Rover drivers only applies to the Defender. A poncy Discovery or Freelander won’t get you in. This is not a car for suburban housewives to drop the children off at school in, and this is definitely not an SUV. It is a utility vehicle: unglamorous, uncomfortable, slow and basic. But hard as nails: a sort of motoring equivalent of Jack Charlton.

By way of celebrating 60 years of production, Land Rover has given its oldest and most trusted product something of a face-lift. The front lines are a little smoother, and, as far as looks go, it stands up well against the current generation of Chelsea tractors. But enthusiasts can breathe easy; this is still undoubtedly a Land Rover. The rivets are still visible on the bodywork, and despite minor tampering there’s no mistaking what kind of car it is. That’s why it’s so easy to spot other Defenders and give them ” the wave”.

The biggest single factor affecting Land Rovers over the last few years has been reliability. The cars have a poor record of engine problems and technical faults. That isn’t a problem for enthusiasts – most know the owner’s manual back to front and like nothing better than spending a weekend under the bonnet.

But for ordinary people, it’s a big issue, so Land Rover’s owner, Ford, has bitten the bullet and decided to put in one of its own engines. The result is a decent ride, although traditional Land Rover drivers may be disappointed to find that teeth aren’t rattling as soon as soon as the speedo hits 40mph.

Inside, there is even a proper dashboard, and air conditioning, too. In older, tougher, days, air conditioning used to be supplied by a flap at the front. Our school cadet force had one and you had to be careful not to let your hands freeze on to the steering wheel on winter days.

On the whole, though, the improvements make for a much better car. Fair enough, but numbers in the Secret Society of Land Rover Drivers are unlikely to swell significantly on the back of the latest edition. Probably just how they would want it.

David Dewson, 38, dentist, Reigate, Surrey

Usual car: Subaru Outback 3.0 TD

I thought the green/grey colour was wonderful, the ripple of rivets down the rear sides reinforcing an impression of utility rather than luxury. The exterior door handles were flimsy, the switch gear a strange hybrid of parts from an Austin Maestro and Ford Focus, and I could see daylight when I looked down at the join between door and footwell. The windscreen wipers were so poor it would be advisable just to stop. But I loved it. Then I got back into my Subaru Legacy Outback and understood very clearly why I haven’t yet purchased a Defender. If you need a rugged work-horse, go Land Rover; for everyday driving, I’m keeping my Subaru.

Owen Evans, 35, business owner, South Godstone, Surrey

Usual car: Range Rover 3.0 TD6 HSE

Well, to start with I am a bit of a country boy, so I have driven various 4x4s for years now. The trouble with this one is that the “new” Landy is, in fact, very, very old and it feels it. It has air conditioning, leather seats, six speeds and all the goodies you would expect on a plush SUV but it really cannot hide its age. The driving position is very cramped and the road manners are slightly grumpy. I can only compare it to a granny with a boob job, in suspenders, high heels and a leather miniskirt. Regardless of how hard the old girl tries she just ain’t very attractive compared to some of the younger models out there. My advice? Look elsewhere.

Mick Heaver, 35, customer experience manager, London

Usual car: Saab 9-3 1.8T Convertible

My father owned a Land Rover when we lived in Norway in the Eighties, so I was interested to see what has changed. And, I’m pleased to say, not much has. Let’s be honest, you don’t find yourself inside a Land Rover by mistake. This is a work-horse, a utility vehicle, and thankfully it doesn’t try to hide the fact. However, I’m 6ft 5in and Land Rover seems to have forgotten that there may be farmers and the like built like me; for us, the driving position is restrictive. Anyone needing a reliable vehicle that has worked for them over the years should treat themselves to an updated model; they won’t be disappointed – as long as they’re less than 6ft tall.

This article was taken from: Belfast Telegraph

British SUV gets a fuel-saving Stop-start system. We find out how it performs by coming to a standstill.

Here at Auto Express, we generally drive cars to find out what they are like on the move. But when we were invited to try this Land Rover Freelander proto­type, we were more interested to see how it performed once it had stopped.

That’s because this test model is one of the first cars from the brand to be equipped with stop-start engine technology. The system is designed to reduce emissions and improve fuel economy, and is fitted to a standard 2006 Free­lander. The innovation will be on sale in 2008, and is the first step in a bold plan to make all Land Rovers more fuel efficient.

Similar set-ups are already avail­able from BMW, Citroen and VW, but Land Rover’s development is marked out by its simplicity. The arrangement relies almost exclusively on existing technology, and so next to no modifications are required on the car.

In fact, the only changes are made to the starter motor, and are designed to extend the life of this critical part. Engineers claim the average vehicle is fired up around 35,000 times over a decade. With stop-start technology, that could climb to 350,000 times.

So, jump in the Freelander, start it up and hit the road. Once you pass 5mph, software tells the engine that the next time the car is brought to a halt and put into neutral, it must switch itself off. And as you coast to a stop, that’s exactly what happens.

To help conserve energy, the air-con shuts down and the power-steering is disabled, while an electric water pump keeps engine temperature even. Brake vacuum pressures are also monitored to ensure the off-roader can hold itself on a slope. If performance here drops off, the engine restarts.

Land Rover says the system will remain switched off for up to five min-
utes, improving economy by as much as 10 per cent. And as soon as you’re ready to go, you simply press the clutch, and the engine springs into life.

On the road, you only notice the set-up is there when you hit heavy traffic. You need to get used to dropping the car into neutral to fully benefit from the technology – but the good news is that it works. And with the powerplant shut down, the Free­lander’s cabin is eerily quiet.

As development is still at an early stage, Land Rover would be first to admit that the set-up has a long way to go before it is ready for the road. For starters, it would like the system to work faster, firing the engine from the moment the clutch is touched, rather than when it hits the floor.

Refinement is also a concern, and work is being done to improve the smoothness with which the engine stops and restarts. Yet this is only the beginning for the set-up. At the mom­ent it’s on trial with a manual gearbox, but Land Rover will develop an auto, too. In future, it could be applied to six and eight-cylinder engines, and there’s talk of a micro-hybrid system using super capacitors to store energy.

One thing is certain, though – at this full stop, Land Rover’s future starts.

This article was taken from: Auto Express

This computer-generated image shows how Land Rover’s baby 4×4 could look.

A teaser picture of the three-door car was released by Land Rover at this year’s Frankfurt motor show, but it revealed little about how the final car would appear.

The car is known to be smaller than a Freelander, as the marque is eager to add a more environmentally friendly car into its range.

However, it’s not expected to be a budget model, with prices pitched only marginally lower than the Freelander’s.

Land Rover is likely to show a concept version of the car at next year’s Detroit motor show in January.

Initial reports suggested the car would go on sale at the end of 2010, although insiders now suggest that this could be brought forward significantly if consumer response is positive.

This article was taken from: What Car?

If you’re old enough to remember “My Mother the Car” or “Knight Rider,” then you already know that cars can talk. If you don’t remember either of those TV shows, let me tell you about a vehicle that speaks volumes: the Land Rover Range Rover Sport Supercharged.

Check out that name and you might question what language the British maker is speaking. The name rolls off the tongue about as smoothly as a peanut butter and marshmallow fluff sandwich, so let me translate. Land Rover is the maker, Range Rover Sport is the model, and Supercharged is the trim level.

If that’s not confusing enough, Land Rover makes a second, larger Range Rover model. But that one isn’t called “Sport” and costs about $20,000 more.

Not that the Range Rover Sport is inexpensive. The normally aspirated version, designated HSE (You didn’t think you were through with cryptic naming conventions, did you?) starts at about $58,000. The supercharged version I tested, which has a slightly smaller but more powerful engine, starts at about $71,000.

The Supercharged — yes, that’s the official trim name — has a few more standard goodies than the HSE, most noticeably heated front and rear seats, heated windshield and washer jets, genuine wood trim, center console refrigerator and steering-linked headlights.

But the main reason it costs more than the HSE is stuffed under the hood — or bonnet, as the British prefer. The Supercharged’s 4.2-liter engine generates 90 more horsepower and 95 more pounds-feet of torque than the HSE’s normally aspirated 4.4-liter engine.

According to Land Rover, the extra power enables the Sport Supercharged to get from zero to 60 mph a second quicker than the HSE and boosts its top speed by 10 mph (140 verses 130). It also makes the Supercharged 1.3 seconds quicker from zero to 100 kilometers per hour, but that spec tells most of us on this side of the Atlantic absolutely nothing.

The Range Rover Sport, however, says plenty in both HSE and Supercharged.

For one thing, it tells everyone who sees you in it that you’ve got plenty of disposable income. Not merely because you can afford a vehicle that costs the equivalent of a year’s salary for most folks but also because you can afford to keep gas in it. The EPA says the Range Rover Sport Supercharged will go 12 city or 18 highway miles on a gallon of premium fuel. The truck’s window sticker estimates annual fuel costs of $2,999 based on $2.80/gallon gas and 15,000 miles driven.

While you’re letting that soak in, consider something else the Range Rover Sport says about its owner. In addition to making a good living, it says its driver makes discriminating decisions. People generally don’t buy Land Rovers because their friends or neighbors have them (unless your neighborhood is in Beverly Hills, Calif., or Newport, R.I.). They don’t buy them because there’s a dealership on every corner. This is a premium brand selling premium products at limited locations, so Land Rovers aren’t purchased by accident or by every Tom, Dick and Mary.

You might, however, feel like a Sven or even a Thor when driving a Range Rover Sport because it also tells the world you’re adventurous. You may never get farther from paved roads than a gravel driveway, but everyone who sees you in it will wonder if you just shipped your Land Rover back from Baja or plan to move to Moab. And real off-roaders and outdoor-types will envy you because Land Rovers are the real deal when it comes to handling Mother Nature’s mayhem.

This article was taken from: nj.com