Land Rover Discovery 2005 News

New Honda Jazz sets new benchmark for rear view cameras: $14,990.

These are two recommendations University of Queensland researcher Bronwyn Griffin expects to flow from her study into the incidents which is to be handed to Parliament by July next year.  She was speaking yesterday (FRIDAY MAY 21) at a demonstration of vehicle rear blinds spots held on the forecourt of Suncorp Stadium as part of an awareness campaign for national Fatality Free Friday (FFF) next Friday."Nothing replaces parental vigilance," Griffin said pointing out that in Queensland 196 children were seriously injured in low-speed accidents and 18 killed in the past five years.  "Queensland has the highest death rate in the nation probably because we have a higher proportion of four-wheel drives," she said."However, technology such as rearview cameras can't be trusted completely. It's a great aid, but it doesn't eliminate the problem. Also, it's not affordable to all families."  However, FFF founder Russell White said it was wrong to pigeonhole all four-wheel drives as a problem and pointed out with his demonstration that a Commodore sedan with a boot-mounted spoiler has a blind spot 15m long compared with 3.6m for a Land Rover Discovery.The demonstration also included a Holden Barina with a 6m blind spot and a Toyota Tarago with 10.1m.  "I would have expected the 4WD to be the worst, but you can't pigeonhole them as all the same," he said."Some of our sedans are a bigger problem. It depends more on the design of the vehicle rather than the type.  "The Disco has a big window in the back with a low tailgate while the Commodore has a high boot and a spoiler."Rear architecture of the vehicle clearly plays a huge role in visibility and we need to ask manufacturers if they ever take this into account."  While 4WD vehicles were involved in 10 of the 18 fatalities, passenger cars accounted for most accidents causing major injuries and 84 per cent of vehicles involved in low-speed run-over incidents were passenger vehicles.Griffin said most of these accidents happened in home driveways.  "Unfortunately most often it's the mum or dad that is driving," she said.  "With the decreasing size of homes these days the driveaway is an attractive place for children to play, but it's not a safe place."She recommended parents walk around their car before getting in, supervise and remove children in the area and separate their driveway with a physical barrier form the rest of the yard.White also suggested drivers should learn to adjust their rearview mirrors for better vision.  "But even with the mirrors correctly adjusted every vehicle will have a blind spot and we need to be aware of the size of that even in a small sedan," he said.  Drivers who wish to take part in Fatality Free Friday can register their interest online at www.fatalityfreefriday.com

There is more to towing than just hitching the trailer or caravan and pulling into traffic for a trip.Anyone who has lost control of a loaded trailer or caravan can tell you that getting it wrong can have serious consequences.Even taking a load of junk to the tip or picking up a box-trailer load of garden supplies can get ugly — or worse — if you are not adequately prepared.And learning to back and park with a trailer on the tail takes skill.The potential for disaster is everywhere: from choosing the right tow vehicle and preparing it for the job, to carrying too much weight, incorrectly distributing the weight of the load, or failing to maintain a trailer or caravan.STARTING POINTThe first step into tow land is to decide what you want to tow.More importantly, you need to calculate how much it weighs when fully loaded and ready for the road.This will help you work out if you can keep your existing car or whether you need to buy something new, perhaps a four-wheel-drive if you have horses or a big boat, to handle the tow work.TOWING CAPACITIESAll modern vehicles have a rated towing capacity.For example, a big 4WD such as a Nissan Patrol has a maximum towing capacity of 3500kg, but a small car such as a Toyota Corolla has a towing capacity of only 1300kg.The towing capacity includes the trailer or caravan, as well as all its contents, so people intending to tow a caravan should include everything they plan to take with them, including full water tanks.If you already have the caravan/trailer and can borrow a friend's tow car for a while, then it is easy to work out the weight of what you are towing.Just go down to a public weighbridge and roll the trailer on to the scales.Most new caravans have a rating that tells you how much the van is able to safely weigh, then you can compare this figure with the car's towing capacity.If your vehicle doesn't have a specified towing capacity (this often happens with older cars), you are allowed to tow up to 1 1/2 times the unladen mass of the tow vehicle, as long as the trailer and braking system complies with the relevant Australian Design Rule.If the trailer is not fitted with brakes, the mass of the caravan/trailer must not exceed the unladen weight of the tow vehicle, or 750kg.BRAKESThere are two common types of trailer brakes.The older type is mechanical, which triggers a hydraulic system that reacts when the tow vehicle decelerates.New trailers and caravans have an electric braking system that is much easier to control.Apart from being adjustable, electric brakes can be operated separately from the tow vehicle's brakes. If a trailer or van starts to sway, the driver can apply its brakes separately and have a much better chance of bringing it under control.WEIGHT-DISTRIBUTION HITCHA tow vehicle running with its nose in the air and rear almost rubbing on the ground is dangerous.Apart from all the wear and tear it causes, it also affects steering and braking.So a weight-distribution hitch is an important part of safe towing.OTHER GEARIt is a legal requirement for drivers to have a clear view of the road at all times, so you should consider fitting larger mirrors or mirror extenders, especially if towing a caravan.SPREADING THE LOADThe way a trailer or caravan is loaded is important.Put too much weight at the front or too much at the back of the caravan/trailer and it will negatively affect the handling, perhaps leading to a crash.MAINTENANCEMost trailers are stored in the back yard and are not used often, so it is important that they be regularly check and maintained.Wiring can easily corrode, causing lights to stop working, tyres can crack from old age, wheel bearings can dry up and braking systems can seize.The same goes for caravans.They may also be fitted with gas cylinders for cooking, which need to be regularly checked.GETTING IT RIGHTTow-Ed driving instructor John Eggenhuizen, who runs a national towing course, says towing accidents happen far too often.He tells of a just-retired couple who bought a $70,000 Toyota LandCruiser and a $65,000 caravan to set off on holiday, only to lose control and write them off in a crash.Eggenhuizen says such accidents are often caused by poor caravan/trailer set-up and a lack of experience.He says proper training prepares drivers for such situations, but also helps drivers with the sometimes difficult task of backing a trailer or caravan.BUYING A TOW CARBigger is usually better when it comes to tow cars.You don't need to have a giant 4WD, but they are often the best machines for the job.Vehicles designed for carrying heavy loads, including 4WDs such as the Nissan Patrol, Toyota LandCruiser and Land Rover Discovery, are the best if you have a heavy caravan/trailer.Mid-sized 4WDs such as the Nissan Pathfinder and Toyota Prado are also excellent, and family machines such as the Ford Falcon and Holden Commodore are good.Ford Falcon wagons and utes make better tow cars than Holden Commodores and regular Falcons because they have leaf-spring suspensions, and the Ford Territory's extra weight and reduced rear overhang makes it a good tow vehicle.Small 4WDs such as the Subaru Outback or Nissan X-Trail are OK for towing relatively light loads.Turbo diesels are the prime engine choice for many tow cars because they have lots of torque and don't use as much fuel as a petrol engine.Six or eight-cylinder petrol engines are good because towing requires maximum pulling force. The more torque an engine has the better it will be for the job.Four-cylinder petrol engines can pull lighter loads, but often struggle with heavier cargo.TOW DRIVING TIPSAllow extra distance in traffic.Apply throttle and brakes more gently.If the caravan/trailer starts to sway do not apply the tow vehicle's brakes. If the trailer/caravan is fitted with independent electronic brakes, apply them slowly. If not, continue at a steady speed or accelerate slowly.Engage a lower gear for better control downhill.If possible, pull off the road to allow faster traffic to pass and stop more often to rest. 

There is more to towing than just hitching the trailer or caravan and pulling into traffic for a trip.Anyone who has lost control of a loaded trailer or caravan can tell you that getting it wrong can have serious consequences.Even taking a load of junk to the tip or picking up a box-trailer load of garden supplies can get ugly — or worse — if you are not adequately prepared.And learning to back and park with a trailer on the tail takes skill.The potential for disaster is everywhere: from choosing the right tow vehicle and preparing it for the job, to carrying too much weight, incorrectly distributing the weight of the load, or failing to maintain a trailer or caravan.STARTING POINTThe first step into tow land is to decide what you want to tow.More importantly, you need to calculate how much it weighs when fully loaded and ready for the road.This will help you work out if you can keep your existing car or whether you need to buy something new, perhaps a four-wheel-drive if you have horses or a big boat, to handle the tow work.TOWING CAPACITIESAll modern vehicles have a rated towing capacity.For example, a big 4WD such as a Nissan Patrol has a maximum towing capacity of 3500kg, but a small car such as a Toyota Corolla has a towing capacity of only 1300kg.The towing capacity includes the trailer or caravan, as well as all its contents, so people intending to tow a caravan should include everything they plan to take with them, including full water tanks.If you already have the caravan/trailer and can borrow a friend's tow car for a while, then it is easy to work out the weight of what you are towing.Just go down to a public weighbridge and roll the trailer on to the scales.Most new caravans have a rating that tells you how much the van is able to safely weigh, then you can compare this figure with the car's towing capacity.If your vehicle doesn't have a specified towing capacity (this often happens with older cars), you are allowed to tow up to 1 1/2 times the unladen mass of the tow vehicle, as long as the trailer and braking system complies with the relevant Australian Design Rule.If the trailer is not fitted with brakes, the mass of the caravan/trailer must not exceed the unladen weight of the tow vehicle, or 750kg.BRAKESThere are two common types of trailer brakes.The older type is mechanical, which triggers a hydraulic system that reacts when the tow vehicle decelerates.New trailers and caravans have an electric braking system that is much easier to control.Apart from being adjustable, electric brakes can be operated separately from the tow vehicle's brakes. If a trailer or van starts to sway, the driver can apply its brakes separately and have a much better chance of bringing it under control.WEIGHT-DISTRIBUTION HITCHA tow vehicle running with its nose in the air and rear almost rubbing on the ground is dangerous.Apart from all the wear and tear it causes, it also affects steering and braking.So a weight-distribution hitch is an important part of safe towing.OTHER GEARIt is a legal requirement for drivers to have a clear view of the road at all times, so you should consider fitting larger mirrors or mirror extenders, especially if towing a caravan.SPREADING THE LOADThe way a trailer or caravan is loaded is important.Put too much weight at the front or too much at the back of the caravan/trailer and it will negatively affect the handling, perhaps leading to a crash.MAINTENANCEMost trailers are stored in the back yard and are not used often, so it is important that they be regularly check and maintained.Wiring can easily corrode, causing lights to stop working, tyres can crack from old age, wheel bearings can dry up and braking systems can seize.The same goes for caravans.They may also be fitted with gas cylinders for cooking, which need to be regularly checked.GETTING IT RIGHTTow-Ed driving instructor John Eggenhuizen, who runs a national towing course, says towing accidents happen far too often.He tells of a just-retired couple who bought a $70,000 Toyota LandCruiser and a $65,000 caravan to set off on holiday, only to lose control and write them off in a crash.Eggenhuizen says such accidents are often caused by poor caravan/trailer set-up and a lack of experience.He says proper training prepares drivers for such situations, but also helps drivers with the sometimes difficult task of backing a trailer or caravan.BUYING A TOW CARBigger is usually better when it comes to tow cars.You don't need to have a giant 4WD, but they are often the best machines for the job.Vehicles designed for carrying heavy loads, including 4WDs such as the Nissan Patrol, Toyota LandCruiser and Land Rover Discovery, are the best if you have a heavy caravan/trailer.Mid-sized 4WDs such as the Nissan Pathfinder and Toyota Prado are also excellent, and family machines such as the Ford Falcon and Holden Commodore are good.Ford Falcon wagons and utes make better tow cars than Holden Commodores and regular Falcons because they have leaf-spring suspensions, and the Ford Territory's extra weight and reduced rear overhang makes it a good tow vehicle.Small 4WDs such as the Subaru Outback or Nissan X-Trail are OK for towing relatively light loads.Turbo diesels are the prime engine choice for many tow cars because they have lots of torque and don't use as much fuel as a petrol engine.Six or eight-cylinder petrol engines are good because towing requires maximum pulling force. The more torque an engine has the better it will be for the job.Four-cylinder petrol engines can pull lighter loads, but often struggle with heavier cargo.TOW DRIVING TIPSAllow extra distance in traffic.Apply throttle and brakes more gently.If the caravan/trailer starts to sway do not apply the tow vehicle's brakes. If the trailer/caravan is fitted with independent electronic brakes, apply them slowly. If not, continue at a steady speed or accelerate slowly.Engage a lower gear for better control downhill.If possible, pull off the road to allow faster traffic to pass and stop more often to rest. 

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. 

The Range Rover Vogue, flagship of the Land Rover fleet, glides into El Questro trailing red dust and miles of memories. Memories of dust hovering in billowing clouds, of stones flicking up and spitting sideways as Goodyear Wranglers pounded down the Gibb River Road.Our convoy of eight Land Rovers is heading to a well-earned break at the Kimberley resort.The Range Rover Vogue and Sport, the Freelander, three Discoverys, Defender wagon and ute have been comfortable, reliable and capable on this long, dry run from the Alice up through the Tanami Desert.Through corrugations and bulldust, chill desert mornings and gold-red sunsets, the Land Rovers have run easy through a rugged and remote piece of the continent.At the end of the trek, as we head for our first shower in five days, there are few more suitable — and suited — vehicles than a Vogue to roll into the greens of the El Questro oasis.Here, in this stunning part of Western Australia, gateway to a land of geographical treasures, the Vogue and all its comforts and conveniences makes a driver feel extra-special.Inside is soft and quiet, apart from unintelligible Olympic commentators fading in and out on the radio. The Vogue ignores rough, nasty patches of ancient landscape passing beneath.Its mighty turbocharged diesel V8 powers on, its six-speed sequential transmission slurring through the changes, rounding up 50m roadtrains or pushing on through the talcum-soft bog of bulldust.This year, the Range Rover Vogue has benefited from minor changes including a four-zone air conditioning option and Bluetooth connectivity.But the basics remain the same in a majestic off-road machine that sails through this wild country with supreme comfort.The Vogue and its Land Rover mates have crossed the Simpson Desert from Birdsville, then on to Alice Springs. The next leg — Alice to El Questro — was a further 1700km.During this epic drive to mark Land Rover's 60th anniversary, there has not been a single drama aside from the odd flat tyre.And, thanks to the attention paid to build quality under BMW and Ford's ownership of the famous British brand, the fleet is pleasantly free of rattles and loose bits.All of them prove to be great touring and rough-track machines on this run across Australia (despite outback tales of certain Japanese makes being the only means of travel out here).The Vogue is — surprise, surprise — the pick of the Land Rover bunch: elegant and effortless.The Range Rover Sport is very good but, for desert tours, the Discovery wagon is probably a better bet. The Sport is quite capable but with a bias towards on-road handling, while the Discovery sits on a longer wheelbase.If the Vogue is the flagship of the fleet, the acclaimed Discovery is the battleship and the Defender the minesweeper: a tough wagon to send out if the going turns really gnarly and some forward scouting is needed. This square-jawed, 2.4-litre machine is hard to stop, and dings and scratches will only enhance its character.Where the Defender loses out is in cabin ergonomics, ride comfort and noise levels on rough, corrugated roads.The wagon, priced from $48,990, is acceptable if the sweet spot can be found — up the Tanami Track, that was around 90 km/h.That leaves the surprise packet of the convoy, the Freelander. This is the patrol boat, quick and game for anything.Unlike the Range Rover or the Discovery, the Freelander has no low-range gearing or suspension height adjustment (the bigger wagons have air suspension that adjusts the ride height according to the terrain).But the diesel Freelander, with its six-speed transmission and clever four-wheel-drive system, is forever willing to tackle both high-speed runs down dirt roads or off-road crawls.Like its bigger mates, the Freelander has Land Rover's All Terrain System, which sets engine and transmission parameters to suit the work involved — more torque and lower gearing for rocks, more power and quicker changes for sand.On all Land Rovers (aside from the Defender) this system is best proved by setting the centre console dial to the wrong spot.Try to slip through sand and mud with the rocky road setting, and the vehicle bogs down. Try to climb a rock-strewn hill with the sand setting, and it bounces around with too much ground speed.The system does help the Freelander (from $49,990 in petrol form, $52,490 for the diesel) get further than may be imagined; this is arguably the best of the premium compact SUVs for combining good road manners and some rough paddock ability with a fair degree of comfort.It's also a fun machine on a soft dirt road, stability control turned down to allow more tail slides, driver's arms crossed in rally style.All the while, the Freelander's 2.2-litre diesel is returning better than 10 litres per 100km through the scrub. The big Vogue can achieve close on 10 litres on a run down the track, out to a reasonable 13 litres when it's needed to work harder down a bush track.These machines allowed a disparate group of travellers to explore some of Australia's most desolate country, then the magnificent Kimberleys.There are many vehicles capable of such a trip, but this fleet of Land Rovers added extra style and comfort to the journey.For, despite some hiccups over the past 60 years, the British maker (now owned by India's Tata) has been doing it with a passion for the brand and the adventure — characteristics not always seen among the Johnny-come-latelys of the four-wheel-drive business. 

Since the model was launched into Australia late in 1993 there has been little room to argue that it was, in true Land Rover style, a capable off-roader. Unfortunately, there was little room inside the car too. Not so now. The Discovery 3, due to be launched in Australia around March next year, is positively spacious by comparison and certainly comparable to most of its competitors. "Extra space was one of the key targets for this car," lead program engineer Steve Haywood says. "There were so many targets we set ourselves but the interior packaging was right at the top. "Of course, it had to be superb off-road, excellent on-road and be instantly recognisable as a Land Rover." There is no disguising how important the Discovery is to Land Rover. It is the heart of the manufacturer's range, the vanguard of the next generation of cars and the model to take the sales fight into North America. "The Discovery 3 is a new generation Land Rover, a vehicle of great conviction that points the way forward for the company," managing director Matthew Taylor says. "As you would expect from a Land Rover it is awesome off-road. What may be more surprising to some is its great performance on-road too. "The result is the widest breadth of capability in the class." The Discovery 3 will launch in Australia with a mix of three engines and three specification levels in a price band from around $56,500 for the V6 petrol S with five seats and coil springs through to $91,500 for the HSE V8 with air suspension, seven seats and terrain response all-wheel drive. "It is certainly a price increase over the outgoing model – about 20 per cent – but with all the technology and equipment improvements the Discovery 3 represents incredible value," Land Rover Australia managing director Steve Morten says. Morten says there is a demand for the functional workhorse models without some of the more advanced technology. "Some buyers do want the car with five seats and without air-suspension or an electronic rear diff. For those buyers the base S will be available in V6 petrol or diesel." Morten says that while the third row of seats would be available as an option on the S models it would only be sold in a package with air-suspension and the same would apply for terrain response. "They will be available but we are pricing the SE so sharply that with air-suspension and terrain response standard on those models, it doesn't make sense to option up the base model," he says. Land Rover Australia is predicting sales of around 3500 for a full year, an increase of 30 per cent over the previous couple of years. First drive Land Rover's innovative Terrain Response system has made getting off the beaten track, and back again, as simple as it has ever been. Twist a knob, flick a lever and away you go. A simplistic explanation, to be certain, but fairly close to the mark for a system which has taken the guesswork out of the best way to handle a wide range of difficult terrain. "Terrain Response is a good example of Land Rover's commitment to offering 'smart' technology that aids the driver," Land Rover managing director Matthew Taylor explains. "It is easy to use. It simplifies rather than complicates driving." With Terrain Response, a driver can select between five settings – on-road, slippery surface (grass/gravel/snow), mud, sand and rock crawl – with the simple twist of a knob. With a choice of high or low range there are effectively 10 settings available. The system adjusts ride height, engine torque response, hill descent control, traction control, transmission and differential settings to best suit the nominated terrain. "In developing the system we footprinted 50 differing surface conditions around the world," Discovery 3 chief program engineer Steve Haywood says. "Of course it wasn't physically possible or practical to fit 50 settings on the car so we distilled those down to five most likely to be encountered by owners. "It's like having an expert alongside you, to help you get the best out of the vehicle whatever the conditions." The latest electronic wizardry is patented to Land Rover and according to Haywood will trickle down through the range as each new model comes on line over a couple of years. On the test drive of the new Discovery in northern Scotland the system handled peat bogs, sand mountains, rocky traverses and deep water crossing with aplomb. It is not magic ... there are some conditions which will still make a snatch strap and a shovel required equipment but the operating envelope is certainly much larger. Given the Australian experience of most all-wheel drive vehicles rarely seeing the type of conditions which make Terrain Response a must, one of the key improvements in Discovery 3 is in the packaging. No longer does the "reverse Tardis" – huge exterior, cramped interior – label apply. The exterior is still huge, larger than the Range Rover and heavier at a maximum 2.7 tonnes than just about any other commercially available off-roader, but it is the improvement in interior space that is immediately noticeable. There is elbow and shoulder room for driver and front passenger. Unlike the previous model the door pockets are accessible beside the seat with the door closed.