Being that the LR3 features an automatic transmission, a rather sophisticated six-speed unit by the way, equally suitable to
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| A preliminary obstacle course will no doubt be enough of an adventure for those in the 4x4 101 stage of their life. (Photo: Catherine Lemieux, Land Rover) |
city driving, stretching its legs on the highway or, better yet, slow crawling over rocks and through mud, I was able to reacquaint myself with left foot braking. Using this method allows the right foot to remain on the throttle, ever so slightly, and the left foot firmly planted on the brakes. This keeps the engine at optimal revs for inching forward over more treacherous territory, kept in control by steadily releasing and applying the brake pedal. It takes some getting used to, but when mastered is the ultimate way to drive an automatic-transmission equipped 4x4.
During
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| During the initial off-road process I have to admit to falling head over heals for Land Rover's new Terrain Response system, which allows the choice between multiple terrain settings for optimal performance on all road surfaces. (Photo: Catherine Lemieux, Land Rover) |
this process I have to admit to falling head over heals for Land Rover's new Terrain Response system, which allows the choice between multiple terrain settings for optimal performance on all road surfaces in any weather condition. Whatever wheel finds traction will bite into the ground and move the LR3 forward, even if there's only one gripping solid ground. And I truly wasn't quite sure what to expect from the new truck, being that its ground clearance was dropped from 8.2 inches to 7.3 inches in transforming from Discovery to LR3. Normally this is not a good thing when off-road, and to be fair to the old model which wasn't there for a back-to-back test, it may not be to the LR3's advantage either, at least when on the trail. But just the same, during this beginning stage, which was hardly light duty, and throughout the remainder of the day, I never touched ground a single time.
