Picked it up this morning for a days worth of test driving.
Positive points.
The engine is utterly superb & pulls like a train from all revs, the torque is incredible, you don't need first gear at all. I just set off in second & it pulls like a train. It is also impossible to stall in first & second gear, superb anti stall system.
Gearbox is precise & very good indeed, sixth gear on the motorway was ace. I looked & was doing 80mph with my foot just touching the throttle. It is just so different to the old Td5.
Seats are comfy & the dash is very good indeed, the ventilation is very good now, no shitty vents etc. The AC works a treat & the heater is bloody boiling!
Road manner are very good, just the usual jiggle from the 90 version, I would hope the 110 to be nicer riding. Damping is much better & springs feel very solid. It feels very planted on the road.
Off road use was minimal, but I'm doing the LRE for Defeners tomorrow, so will let you know how it goes.
Build qualitry felt a lot better than previous models, no rattles that i could hear. A stereo that works & you can hear at 80mph with no problems.
Economy, we had the AC on all day & it was 50/50 town & motorway, we got 29.8 overall. I reckon on the motorway at 60 all day you could get
32-35mpg easily.Negatives
Why the f*ck do they insist on the drivers door handle to be there, it hurts my leg all day long.
The engine is not as refined as a Td5, put is much better.
All in all a cracking new Defender, it's on my list now.
The funny thing was the abs & TC didn't work as they had nicked the module for a car with a problem........
'That is one bad hat Harry'
Nige
Land Rover Discovery II (2001) Honda CBR900RR Fireblade (1997) Yamaha MT-03 (2006)