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e balanced, maximizing off-road agility while maintaining onroad
handling, precision and response.
My favorite feature of the LR3 has to be the infinitely variable
electronic locking center and rear differentials. The infinitely
variable electronic locking center differential comes
standard (a rear system is optional) and gives LR3 impressive
off-road abilities. What’s the advantage over the familiar manual
locking system? More conventional limited slip and torquesensing,
differentials always try to transfer torque from one
wheel to another on the same axle whenever there is a difference
in wheel speed. In most situations this is exactly what is
required, but there are some circumstances where this is
unhelpful.
An electronically controlled differential can behave in
whichever manner is most appropriate for the individual circumstances
and allow the differential to be ‘open’, ‘locked’ or
any degree of ‘limited slip’ in between. For example: Imagine
that one rear wheel loses traction while climbing a hill. With a
conventional limited Slip or Torsen differential, traction control
would operate to brake the spinning wheel and transfer
more torque to the opposite wheel. If that wheel then loses
traction, more braking force will be applied to transfer drive to
the front axle. However, the driver is now trying to drive uphill
with the brakes on – slowing the vehicle down, losing momentum
and possibly failing to complete the hill climb. With the
LR3’s infinitely variable electronic locking center and rear differential,
the ABS sensors detect the spinning wheel, trigger the
differential control system to transfer torque to the wheels with
traction – but do not apply the brakes; traction is regained and
full engine torque remains available to climb the hill.
Or, imagine that you are descending a steep, slippery hill.
With a Limited Slip differential or Torsen differential, braking
one wheel will cause some braking force to be transferred to
the opposite wheel, which in turn may need to be braked further
if it is trying to lock. The electronic differential are
switched to ‘open’ when Hill Descent Control is in operation,
so braking forces applied to an individual wheel do not affect
any others.
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The new Land Rovers make it possible to control your offroading
pace more than ever. In many conditions with the
older Land Rovers, “putting some wellie to it” was proper offroading
technique. While the Wellie on the accelerator helps
get through obstacles, it also increases the likelihood of vehicle
damage. With the LR3 I more often use the “point and
squirt” technique, using left foot on the brake and the right on
the gas. The computer sorts out the inputs providing proper
torque and the slow speeds to conquer the obstacle without
vehicle damage.
The LR3 makes off-roading or trailering easier with
improved transfer case operation. The LR3’s transfer box can
go from high range to low range without bringing the vehicle
to a stop. We’re not talking about walking pace but speeds in
excess of 30 MPH!
Whether you drive the flagship Range Rover, the Range
Rover Sport, the LR3 or the most advanced Land Rover, the
LR2, the Land Rover core values of marque we all love remain
the same. Land Rover is as off-road-centric as ever, only today
we see computers and fiber optics behind the green (and
sometimes black) oval. And because this technology is
designed for off-road it’s durable. I would not ask you to dunk
your new Mac Book Pro into a mud hole, but I will ask you to
do that to your new Land Rover. Land Rover likes to say that it
leads in iconic design, environmental innovation, and the
breadth of capability; the current Land Rover lineup certainly
backs up these claims off-road.
Visit any of the Land Rover Experience Driving Schools
across North America; we love to help new enthusiasts enter
the world of off road exploration in their Land Rovers or share
experiences with the seasoned off-roader. Join the 6,000
enthusiasts annually who participate in the Land Rover
Experience programs held at the Equinox, Manchester VT, the
Biltmore, Asheville, NC , the Quail Lodge, Carmel, CA, or the
Fairmont Le Chateau Montebello, Montebello, QC, Canada.
We’d enjoy sharing off-road adventures with you.
[For more information on the Land Rover Experience,
visit www.landroverschool.com]
P