We drove the Discovery III over the hills and into the dunes. We drove it along the beach, and we tackled a testing 4X4 test track in it. Finally, we drove it the 400km back from Swakopmund to Windhoek on tar, and the new vehicle impressed every inch of the way. The Ford-owned British factory has done its homework properly with this one.
Although the Discovery’s only slighter bigger than its predecessor, its wheelbase is a full 32cm longer, meaning that the all-important approach and departure angles are improved for off-road use. There’s also much more interior space, thanks to the better positioning of the wheels. The wagon is a genuine seven-seater, with the rear seats folding into the floor when not in use. Being a born sceptic I travelled in the third row of seats of one vehicle for a while at the Namibian launch to see if Land Rover’s claims about comfort are justified, and they really are.
The new Disco really is a technological masterpiece, with a mixture of good solid 4X4 features combining with state-of-the-art electronics to render it user-friendly enough to make even the least-experienced off-road driver look good. Land Rover’s patented Terrain Response system allows the driver to choose any of five settings via a rotary dial in the cabin. There’s a general setting, a setting for slippery conditions, and three specialised off-road modes catering for mud and ruts, sand, and rock crawling. Selecting any of these options according to the terrain encountered affects ride height, throttle sensitivity and engine torque response, Hill Descent Control, traction control, transmission shift patterns, and differential settings. There are also two diff-locks and a low-range transfer box linked to the computer.
The standard air-suspension is height adjustable, with an access mode dropping the car 50mm below the standard height for loading or parking, and an off-road mode elevating it 55mm above standard for additional ground clearance. That means there’s a spread of 105mm available. The ride-height automatically reverts to normal once the vehicle gets up to speed on the road.
Apart from all the luxuries that come as standard, the Land Rovers offer a couple of novel extras. The remote-control key-unit recharges its batteries while in the ignition switch, and the self-releasing electronic hand-brake functions as a very capable emergency brake, operating all four wheels independently of the main braking system. I tried it out and it really works.
The Discovery comes with any of three engines, kicking off with a V6 four-litre petrol unit that delivers 156 kW of power and 360 Nm of torque — 30 kW and 20 Nm more than the previous-generation V8 could deliver. This is claimed to get the heavy vehicle up to a top speed of 180km/hr, with 100 coming up in 10,9 seconds. There’s also a 140 Kw/440 Nm turbodiesel displacing 2,7 litres that gets to 100 in 12,8 seconds and tops out at 180 km/hr, and a superb 4,4 litre V8 doling out 220 kW and 425 Nm for those who can afford the fuel to feed it. Top speed for the V8 is claimed to be 195 km/hr, with the 0-100 km/hr dash taking just 8,6 seconds. All three engines are mated to very efficient six-speed auto transmissions.
Land Rover South Africa has picked up flack in recent years because of poor build quality and unacceptable responses to customers’ complaints, but I believe that the company is serious about winning back customers with good service and this new 4X4 is good enough to give them the backing they need.
Pricing of the six-model range starts at R440 000 for the entry-level V6 S Discovery, with the TdV6 S costing R30 000 more. The TdV6 SE or the V8 SE will set you back R510 000 while the full house V8 HSE and TdV6 HSE both cost R570 000 inclusive of a three year/100 000km maintenance plan.