Land Rover Discovery 3 2008 News

...including malfunctioning brakes, faulty airbag systems, leaking fuel pumps and spare wheels which could become missiles. The latest round of national recalls has hit Honda, Mercedes-Benz and Land Rover. Honda has recalled more than 1300 of its Accord sedans, built between 2001 and 2002, because a faulty driver's airbag inflator can rupture which can tear the airbag. Land Rover wants to check the high pressure fuel injector pump on more than 1600 of its Discovery 3 and Range Rovers built between 2007 and 2008. The company says in worse case situations the pump can leak fuel on to the engine or the ground, causing a fire. Land Rover has also recalled 5400 Discovery 3 and Range Rover diesels, built between 2007 and this year, to check the vacuum pump which may leak oil into the brake booster, reducing the vehicle's braking performance and in extreme cases a total loss of brakes. The wagons may also suffer from a sticking vacuum non-return valve which can cause a temporary brake pedal problem. Mercedes-Benz also has launched a double recall. It wants to inspect more than 4700 Vito and Viano vans because the spare wheel, mounted under the van, could fall from the vehicle. It has also recalled 14 Sprinter vans to fix a software upgrade for the engine control unit which can cause piston damage 'from a less than ideal combustion process’.

Of all the brands, Land Rover's performance has defied the odds.As the year winds down with plenty of its rivals seeing red ink, Land Rover sales are up almost 20 per cent over last year, largely on the back of the return of the Defender crew cab and wagon.The volume-selling Discovery and Range Rover Sport have also done their bit.Land Rover Australia product manager, Brett Lewis-Driver, says the Defender's success comes from a loyal customer base."There are a lot of repeat buyers but also a little bit of conquest from other brands there," he says."Defender also does tend to do quite well in a launch year."The company expects to end the year with about 4500 sales, which will be up 1000 over 2007.Going into 2009 though, Lewis-Driver, is more cautious."Because of the downturn in the overall market we are not alone in thinking things will be a bit quieter," he says.He sees the next 12 months as a time of consolidation.But to help entice showroom traffic Land Rover has just launched a refreshed Discovery, Range Rover Sport and range-topping Range Rover, each with more equipment and mild facelifts.The Discovery gets a cleaner looking body-coloured front bumper as well as revised rear bumper, tungsten coloured side vents, new alloys and rear clear-lens indicators, Inside there are some trims changes.The TDV6 S gains air suspension and terrain response and leather seats have now been made an option.The SE gets Hi-ICE as standard, six-disc CD changer, 8 speaker Harmon Kardon speaks and steering wheel controls.The range topping HSE gets Premium ICE with 13 Harmon Kardon speakers and Logic 7 sound system.Prices remain largely unchanged, starting at $66,490 for the SE V6 and topping out at $92,990 for the HSV V8.The Range Rover Sport also gets some mild exterior tweaks, new alloys and three new colours.At the top-end of the Land Rover spectrum is the Range Rover Vogue Autobiography.The Autobiography adds another level of luxury with leather dashboard, doors, seats and centre console as well as leather-bound floor mats.The lavish attention to detail continues with acoustic and climate glass.The acoustic glass reduces cabin noise, while the sun-reflective climate glass reduces heat build-up.Outside the Autobiography has new 20-inch diamond-turned twin-seven-spoke alloys.Both the TDV8 and Supercharged petrol models have diamond mesh grille and side vents, black and silver badging and stainless steel detailing on the pedals.Range Rover Vogue prices start at $153,400 for the TDV8, with the Supercharged Autobiography costing $212,700. 

Land Rover Discovery 3 diesel for the serious four-wheel-driver, BMW X5 diesel for the luxury 4WD buyer and Nissan X-Trail for the recreational 4WD motorist.They are the winners of the three 4WD categories in Australia's Best Cars awards, decided by state motoring organisations, including the RAA.The judges consider safety, price, running costs, comfort, performance, security and retained value. Design, function and on-road ability - and in the case of 4WDs, offroad ability - also are scored.The awards have 12 categories, with three finalists short-listed for each category. Three of the categories are for 4WD vehicles.The Recreational 4WD category was won by the newly-updated Nissan X-Trail 2.5-litre four-cylinder. The ST version with CVT automatic transmission, priced at $33,990, came in ahead of Honda CR-V and Toyota Kluger.“Off-road, the new X-Trail shows why it is rated at the front of the recreational 4WD pack,” says the judging panel. “Nissan's intelligent All Mode 4x4 system is controlled by the twist of a centre console knob, which allows the driver to choose between front-wheel drive and fully automatic four-wheel drive.“A centre differential lock is also provided for improved off-road performance. Two new worthwhile standard features are a hill-descent control and a hill-start assist.”The Luxury 4WD award was won by BMW X5 three-litre diesel with a six-speed automatic. Priced at $86,800, it beat the Lexus RX350 (which won in 2006) and the Lexus RX400h hybrid version.Judges noted the Lexus beat the BMW in standard features, and that BMW charges heavily for options. Yet the BMW scored consistently high in all areas, coming tops in braking, handling, security and trebling the Lexus score in 4WD ability. “It's a moot point as to how much off-road work the X5 will do. But when called upon, it can deliver in spades,” say the judges. “Like many diesel engines, the three-litre oil-burner is powerful (160kW), flexible and frugal (potentially under 9 litres/100km) and puts out a tree-stump-pulling 500Nm of torque at 1750rpm.”The All-terrain is the category for more serious 4WDs, this time won by the Land Rover Discovery 3SE with the 2.7-litre V6 diesel and six-speed automatic. Priced at $74,990 it beat Mitsubishi Pajero VRX diesel and Toyota Prado GXL diesel, which each cost less.Judges say “prospective buyers can rest assured that once comfortable with the dollars, they will have one of the best-engineered 4WD vehicles on the market. At full suspension height, the approach and departure angles, as well as the overall ground clearance, will handle the worst bush tracks, while the degree of selectable suspension control means it does not dance around at higher speeds on corrugated roads.”Australia's Best Cars judges say buyers do not have to compromise between off-road capability and on-road comfort and performance.