Lot Listing #582 2006 Land Rover LR3

Lot 582 2006 Land Rover LR3

When the Land Rover Discovery first appeared in Europe in 1989, the Berlin Wall hadn't yet fallen, SUV sales were only beginning to mushroom here in the States, and clear colas were still a couple of years away. The luxury-SUV segment, so popular today, had about three members: the Land Rover Range Rover, the Toyota Land Cruiser, and the Jeep Grand Wagoneer.

By the time Land Rover shipped over the Disco for 1995, the luxury-sport-ute segment was growing. Although not as decadent as the Range Rover, the Discovery conveniently filled the lower end of the luxury segment for Land Rover. Buyers bit, gobbling up about 15,000 in that first year. Turns out the Disco bit back, by being about as reliable as a British car built in the '70s on free-Guinness Fridays. Revisions to the Disco sought to recapture the faith of a disgruntled buying public, but the latest Discovery was enough like the original to trigger painful flashbacks. Clearly, an all-new design was necessary.

The 2005 LR3 is the much-needed replacement for the Discovery. Land Rover seems to want buyers to forget the Discovery, so henceforth it will be called the LR3. In other, perhaps less discriminating lands, the LR3 will be known as the Discovery 3. We can understand why they might want to separate the two vehicles, as the LR3 is a far more advanced beast than the Disco.

Built on a stiff steel frame that buttresses a rigid body whose styling is a more modern interpretation of the Discovery, the LR3 imparts a satisfying feeling of solidity and significance. Unfortunately, that hefty feel and sturdy structure are evident in the eye-popping 5686 pounds of avoirdupois. The mass becomes a bit less satisfying when you burden the LR3 dynamically by doing things like turning the steering wheel or coming down on the throttle.

The all-aluminum V-8, a bored-out version of the 4.2-liter that can be found in all current Jags except the X-type, is smooth and unobtrusive, and has a willing dance partner in its six-speed automatic. Unfortunately, the two prefer slow dancing to krumping. With 300 horsepower, 83 more than the 4.6-liter, Buick-derived pushrod V-8 that did duty in the Disco, the new 4.4-liter DOHC engine is even 18 horses more powerful than the BMW-sourced 4.4-liter found under the Range Rover's bonnet. But pulling all that weight, it takes 8.2 seconds to clear 60 mph, which is slower than most of the LR3's competition but faster than the outgoing Discovery's 10.1-second amble to the same speed and even the Range Rover's 9.6 second mosey.

Roll out into the left lane, and the LR3 will pass with more confidence than the previous model as the six-speed finds the appropriate gear for the situation. If you find there isn't enough room to pass, stomp on the predictable and strong brakes that will bring you to a stop from 70 mph in 173 feet, not too shabby for a nearly three-ton beast. When considered in relationship to its gene pool, the LR3 isn't exactly slow, but there are faster and lighter sport-utes that are the same size and trade for similar cash.

On-road demeanor is far more refined than in the Discovery, and if you were able to drive the LR3 blindfolded, you might think you were in the more expensive Range Rover. Wind and road noise are restrained at highway speeds; the LR3 registered a low 66 dBA at 70 mph. The steering is a bit heavy and slow, but then again so is the whole package, so it's well-matched. Even the harshest dirt roads are taken in stride, thanks to the aforementioned structure and the adjustable air suspension that ditches solid axles in favor of a fully independent setup.

Hard-core off-roaders are typically turned off by independent suspensions because they generally have limited wheel travel and articulation (the ability to keep the tires in contact with the earth in off-road situations) when compared with traditional solid axles. Land Rover claims its control-arm suspension matches the articulation and bests the wheel travel of its previous solid-axle design. To make the most of available grip, the LR3 sent to our offices had the optional Heavy-Duty package that adds a locking rear differential to divert power to the rear wheel with more traction. To maximize ground clearance, the air suspension can be set to lift the body for 9.5 inches of ground clearance. The LR3 can be adjusted for about any situation, and it even includes Terrain Response, which tailors the LR3's reactions to different surfaces.

Push the LR3 through a few corners, and aside from some body roll, there is a predictable, safe chassis underneath. In an attempt to cancel the body lean, the LR3 gets "active roll mitigation" programmed into the air suspension to keep the body from assuming lurid angles. Maximum skidpad grip from the 255/55R-19 Goodyear Wrangler HPs is a lowly 0.71 g, primarily because of the intrusive stability-control system that can't be fully disabled. Hitting the "off" button stops the engine from cutting out, but the brakes still intervene. The last Discovery worked hard with active roll control of a different design to cancel the tipsy feel that comes from sitting so high in the vehicle, but the wider track and longer wheelbase of the LR3 make the old Disco feel as if it were balancing on one foot.

Two of the better aspects of the defunct Discovery were a high seating position and low side windows that made it feel as if other motorists could see your hips while driving. Land Rover calls this "command seating." The same sensation exists in the LR3, but in a wider, airier cabin. If you're unfamiliar with the seating position, the closest way to mimic it is to arrange your dining-room chairs on top of the table. Sit there, and you'll improve your view of the rest of the house at the expense of the feeling that you could fall over at any moment--that's where the roll mitigation comes in.

Once you're perched up there high above traffic in the Rover-sphere, you'll likely notice the handsome plastics and close-fitting pieces that make up the interior. The dash is awash with buttons for the radio and climate controls, but the navigation system, standard on the top-dog HSE trim level, is of the intuitive touch-screen variety. Despite all the buttons (most of them are for presets anyway), the 14-speaker Harman/Kardon system works well and provides clear, loud sound. Our HSE also came with a standard leather interior. A few gray trim pieces try to break up the monotonous darkness, but the LR3's interior is a rented-out hall next to the more expensive Range Rover's country-club atmosphere. A few sprinklings of wood trim in the LR3 would close the gap between the two models, but the LR3 HSE is about $25,000 less than the Range Rover.

Getting into the LR3's back seats is far easier than in the Discovery, thanks to the 13.6-inch-longer wheelbase that allows for a longer rear door and the ability to lower the vehicle using the air suspension. Even in its "access," or lowest, setting, you'll still have to step up to the LR3, but squeezing into the back seat no longer requires Camel Trophy training. Since the rear seats are mounted a few inches higher than the fronts, passengers get a piece of the vast view. There are 55 cubic feet of space back there, enough room for three passengers to sit comfortably for more than a few minutes at a time. Leg- and kneeroom are on par with that of large sedans, but if you want to carry more than five passengers, you'll have to shell out $1250 for the rear-seat package that adds a fold-flat third row and extends the curtain airbag for two more passengers.

The LR3, despite its lack of a sybaritic cabin, is a convincing luxury sport-ute. It's quiet and solid and offers a smooth ride, a high seating position, off-road capability, and enough techno-gimmicks to require a sidebar. These positive traits do come at a cost, which can be seen in the curb weight, poor fuel economy (14 mpg in our hands), and less-than-enthusiastic roadholding. Several of the LR3's competitors that have more of a penchant for on-road use do not suffer as severely from these drawbacks, but they don't have the LR3's off-road knack and magnificent God-save-the-Queen I'm-going-to-colonize-everyone-on-my-commute attitude. If those are your priorities, then by all means, be the lord of the interstate in your LR3.

Major standard accessories: power windows, seats, locks, and sunroof; remote locking; A/C; cruise control; tilting and telescoping steering wheel; rear defroster and wiper

Sound system: Harman/Kardon AM-FM radio/CD changer, 14 speakers

ENGINE
Type: V-8, aluminum block and heads
Bore x stroke: 3.46 x 3.56 in, 88.0 x 90.3mm
Displacement: 268 cu in, 4394cc
Compression ratio: 10.8:1
Fuel-delivery system: port injection
Valve gear: chain-driven double overhead cams, 4 valves
per cylinder, variable intake-valve timing
Power (SAE net): 300 bhp @ 5500 rpm
Torque (SAE net): 315 lb-ft @ 4000 rpm
Redline: 6200 rpm

DRIVETRAIN
Transmission: 6-speed automatic with manumatic shifting
Final-drive ratio: 3.73:1
4-wheel-drive system: full-time 2-speed with electronically
controlled limited-slip center and rear
differentials and open front differential with
brake-based traction and hill-descent control
Transfer-gear ratios (low/high): 2.93:1/1.00:1
Gear Ratio Mph/1000 rpm (L/H): Max test speed (L/H)
I, 4.17, 1.9/5.5, 12/34 mph (6200/6200 rpm)
II, 2.34, 3.4/9.9, 21/61 mph (6200/6200 rpm)
III, 1.52, 5.2/15.2, 32/94 mph (6200/6200 rpm)
IV, 1.14, 6.9/20.3, 43/121 mph (6200/6000 rpm)
V, 0.87, 9.1/26.6, 56/121 mph (6200/4600 rpm)
VI, 0.69, 11.4/33.5, 71/121 mph (6200/3600 rpm)

DIMENSIONS
Wheelbase: 113.6 in
Track, front/rear: 63.2/63.5 in
Length/width/height: 190.9/75.4/74.1-76.2 in

Ground clearance: 7.3-9.5 in
Drag area, Cd (0.41) x frontal area (33.9 sq ft): 13.9 sq ft
Curb weight: 5686 lb
Weight distribution, F/R: 48.8/51.2%
Curb weight per horsepower: 19.0 lb
Fuel capacity: 22.8 gal

CHASSIS/BODY
Type: full-length frame with rubber-isolated body
Body material: welded steel and aluminum stampings

INTERIOR
SAE volume, front seat: 59 cu ft
rear seat: 55 cu ft
cargo, seats up/down: 44/90 cu ft
Practical cargo room, length of pipe: 137.0 in
largest sheet of plywood: 72.0 x 45.0 in
no. of 10 x 10 x 16-in boxes, seats up/down: 32/63
Front-seat adjustments: fore-and-aft, seatback angle, front height, rear height, lumbar support
Restraint systems, front: manual 3-point belts; driver and passenger front, side, and curtain airbags
rear: manual 3-point belts, curtain airbags

SUSPENSION
Front: ind, unequal-length control arms, 3-position cockpit-adjustable air springs, anti-roll bar
Rear: ind, unequal-length control arms with a toe-control link, 3-position cockpit-adjustable air springs, anti-roll bar

STEERING
Type: rack-and-pinion with hydraulic power assist
Steering ratio 17.7:1
Turns lock-to-lock: 3.3
Turning circle curb-to-curb: 37.6 ft

BRAKES
Type: hydraulic with vacuum power assist, anti-lock control,
and electronic panic assist
Front: 13.3 x 1.2-in vented disc
Rear: 13.8 x 0.8-in vented disc

WHEELS AND TIRES
Wheel size: 8.0 x 19 in
Wheel type: cast aluminum
Tires: Goodyear Wrangler HP, 255/55R-19 111V M+S
Test inflation pressures, F/R: 33/42 psi
Spare: full size on matching aluminum wheel

C/D TEST RESULTS

ACCELERATION Seconds
Zero to 30 mph: 2.7
40 mph: 4.3
50 mph: 6.1
60 mph: 8.2
70 mph: 11.2
80 mph: 14.5
90 mph: 18.5
100 mph: 24.4
110 mph: 33.0
Street start, 5-60 mph: 8.8
Top-gear acceleration, 30-50 mph: 4.2
50-70 mph: 6.3
Standing 1/4-mile: 16.5 sec @ 85 mph
Top speed (governor limited): 121 mph

BRAKING
70-0 mph @ impending lockup: 173 ft

HANDLING
Roadholding, 300-ft-dia skidpad: 0.71 g
Understeer: minimal moderate excessive

FUEL ECONOMY
EPA city driving: 14 mpg
EPA highway driving: 18 mpg
C/D-observed: 14 mpg

INTERIOR SOUND LEVEL
Idle: 46 dBA
Full-throttle acceleration: 71 dBA
70-mph cruising: 66 dBA

This LR3 has been well cared for and is in great cosmetic condition and runs very well. It even has a powered cooler in the center console! The owner had been driving it up until 7 months ago and has been unable to drive due to medical issues. Upon sitting, the vehicle developed some warning lights on the dash that will need to be addressed before it is roadworthy. It does run and lot drives.  

Auction Notes to Possibly Announce: Parking brake won't release, but vehicle still moves. Carries WA Rebuilt Title due to accident; owner retained