WRITERS’ ROVERS
How many of the haters have actually sat in or driven the latest version of the Discovery?
WE Land Rover enthusiasts are a funny old bunch. If I post a picture of the latest Discovery on our social media pages then there will always be those who say that they don’t like the rear. If Kim Kardashian (the reality TV star who also has an unnatural-looking rear end) came and sat on your lap and said “hey baby take me home”. Would you chase her away and say “sorry, no thanks I am going home with Twiggy
tonight”. Incidentally, Twiggy was born the year after the Series I.
I am sure that when the Range Rover Sport first came out in 2005 our Technical Editor Ed Evans probably never imagined himself owning one. Today he happily owns, drives and maintains one. The same could be said of our columnist and Classic Range Rover guru Gary Pusey who recently acquired an L322. They say when you get older you appreciate the finer and more comfortable things in life. Does this apply to Land Rover enthusiasts? I think so.
As motoring journalists we are given the latest Land Rovers to drive and I recently had a Discovery SE 2.0-litre petrol on test for just over a week. Yes I could’ve opted for a diesel but as the owner of three petrol Defenders I wanted to enjoy that sharp, strong smell of a 300 hp petrol engine in action. I did just over 1500 miles in it. The more I drove it and used it as a Land Rover is intended to be used, the more I liked it. Even the Kk-like rear. The biggest downside was the fuel consumption. I only managed 23.7 miles to the gallon. I wasn’t hanging around in it though and did not drive it slowly. I only get 20 miles to the gallon in my 1998 straight-six petrol Defender 110! Though it definitely does not produce 300 hp, more like 192. Also it does not have Terrain Response and definitely does not comfortably sit at the speed limit.
In the time I had the Discovery we took it greenlaning in Donegal, used it to shoot a promotional video for our upcoming Women’s Driving day at the end of September and even took it on the Flatdog Twist-off ramp at the Driffield Spring Adventure Land Rover show. In fact, I think it was the first-ever new Discovery on the twist-off ramp. Obviously it did not stand a chance against the heavily-modified stuff but it did kick a standard D2 and Ford F150’s butt.
I absolutely have no doubt that in ten or 15 years time the same enthusiasts who slated the new Discovery on social media will be eating humble pie and driving one. Then they will be slating the Discovery 7
on social media.
I also don’t like the offset number plate but I can live with it as I only see it if opening the boot manually. Also I am sure that there will be one specific thing in the design of the new Defender that will have the enthusiasts in a huff. Watch this space.
When the latest Discovery first came out we took several readers and owners of previous model Discoverys to Eastnor Land Rover Experience to try the new one for themselves. All except one only had good things to say about it. The one unhappy customer had a gripe with the accessibility of the boot area and preferred the set-up of his D4. Another went out and purchased a new Discovery. Sadly he had technical issues with it and ended up handing it back to Land Rover.
I have some friends who own D4s and they have decided not to go for the new Discovery mainly because of look and pricing. I also have some friends who drive a new Discovery and they couldn’t be happier. One of them uses it for grand expeditions over pretty rough terrain. Who said you can’t take a modern Land Rover across the dark continent?
The point I am trying to make is each to their own. My message to the haters is why not just go down to your local dealership and take one for a test drive? I for one can’t afford one now but what I do know is that in ten or 15 years time we will see enthusiasts driving the current Discovery around the off-road track at Billing. Mark my words.