Land Rover Experience cars - standard?

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MikeV8SE

MikeV8SE

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OK, I'm currently thoroughly engrossed in this great book (if you haven't read it, do so, a nice detailed history from where it all began right up to today with loads of great pictures from the author):

RGBhr_H4498.jpg


Anyway, there's loads of pics in there of launch vehicles and the like being tested at Land Rover's favourite proving ground, Eastnor Castle. Now, being new to 4x4's and offroading I'm reading all about the things I must do before I go offroading - underbody protection inc. sump guards, diff guards, tank guards, as well as engine waterproofing (swapping viscous fan for electric), sealing the dizzy cap, moving the ECU higher up, etc etc.

The thing is, all the pics in the book show standard looking cars (even Range Rover Sports!!) ploughing over rock inclines and through bonnet-deep muddy water with no problem - no snorkel, no suspension lift, no sump guards, nothing. And some are V8's too, not all diesels.

So, are the completely standard cars or are they very subtley but extensively modified to cope? And if the former, are all these modifcations everyone makes really necessary?

land-rover-experience2.jpg

range-rover-in-mud.jpg

RRS.jpg


Answers on a postcard! :)
 
All LR demo cars are standard, but some have winch and a few have snorkel.

You ask a valid question.

My immediate answer is 'ah yes, but land rover spend A LOT of cash making eastnor castle acceptable terrain.' your average pay an play WILL have rocks in the worst places, eastnor will not.

Regards diff guards (the things that I have been telling you are very necessary) the fact is that the terrain at Eastnor has been set up not to damage the vehicles. It will be combed for diff smashing rocks. As it happens, only a defender is vulnerable now, a D3/D4, RRS and RRV all have independent suspension so the diffs are different, and much stronger, and out of the way anyway.

Also the modern v8s have coil-on-plug igntion, they are distributorless, so they are 99% as waterproof as the diesels. And with so many electrics in the diesels now they're not invincible either!

A standard landy is great, but if they didn't need mods at all, the mods wouldnt exist.

Cheers :)
 
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Don't worry Mr Noisey, diff guards are being ordered today - along with JATE rings!! :D

I guess it make sense that they'll clear the course to prevent damaging the vehicles - although part of that book suggests the course around Eastnor is 220 miles long?! Out of interest, do they open the course up to Land Rover owners ever?

I guess driver ability has a lot to do with it (particuarly in deep water), and not having a distributor cap will be a big help - but even so, its mighty impressive what they can do as standard! :)
 
I've had experience of there training not at eastnor though this was at Silverstone Race circuit, Family brought me a driving experience morning there wicked they use standard 90's TD5's this was last year they are all trained by land Rover,

Thats 's a nice track they got there all the elements te big slope, water and the angle.

could say thats were i got the offroad bug, before than mainly been on fields with horse boxes and caravans:):)

and
 
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I've had experience of there training not at eastnor though this was at Silverstone Race circuit, Family brought me a driving experience morning there wicked they use standard 90's TD5's this was last year they are all trained by land Rover,

Thats 's a nice track they got there all the elements te big slope, water and the angle.

could say thats were i got the offroad bug, before than mainly been on fields with horse boxes and caravans:):)

and instructors at work I think are trained there
 
good one mike, pleased to hear. i'd hate to say i told you so :D

im not sure but i reckon the only way you can drive eastnor is in one of their cars with one of their guys. tey dont want the course wrecked by some idiots paying 30 quid a day - this place is a few hundred a day and atthe end of it you buy an 80 grand range rover off them. you could say its their top salesman :)

would be a top place to drive though, just to see what its all about. id like to do a day there, but i feel i might either 1. get a bit bored with the saftey stuff etc and all along id know that the cars are capable of way more than what im carefully being shown and 2. feel a bit silly when im not driving my own motor, offroading in a range rover sport would be ok, but i think i'd always rater drive my old beater :D

thats love that is!

cheers
 
Funny you should mention the RR Sport - I'm hoping my next car will be a RR Sport G4! Dunno why, but I think it's because most Sport owners are very much "on-road" drivers, so whack big wheels on them, lower the air suspension (why???) and fit bodykits and big stereo's! For some reason I really like the idea od taking a Sport in the opposite direction - snorkel, sump guard, proper A/T tyres, etc etc :D
 
landy1uk said:
That would look smart
:D:D
Click to expand...

Hell yeah! :D:D

2010_land_rover_range_rover_sport_sc-pic-1114684362358681737.jpeg

range_rover_g4_1.JPG


Weirdly, I've just been speaking to my Factory Manager who has revealed he is an ex-LRE instructor! Small world! Apparently the key to using standard cars in deep water is all about the bow-wave - keep that going and the water should stay out of the engine compartment!
 
he's right mike, finely tuning the speed for the perfect bow wave and you be fine. the air intake is situated so that it's shielded from flowing water, when theres a good bow wave of course.

the problem is off road that your going along 'swimmingly' ;) and then the terrain changes underneath and it all get very wet.

but thats not often the case at most PNPs cos the ground underneath gets very worn in.

cheers

p.s. big props on the RRS idea, G4 style is far cooler than kerb crawler style. im afraid that look has been played out now, apart from the fact that it's a lowered land rover! :doh:

on a side note, i dont know if youve ever seen a lowered defender on 15x10s with low profiles on. oh my that's fresh! :D
 
How is the air intake situated to be shielded from water? Mine seems to be pointing forwards, directly towards the back of the N/S headlight! I think if water were to get in then it'd be heading up that pipe pretty soon after?

And yeah, the G4 RRS's look the nuts so quite fancy one of them, or replicating one. Haven't seen the Defender you mentioned, but it sounds awful!! :D
 
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i had a l322 4.4 v8 at the LrE place near milton keynes, was standard-well a vogues with all the wistles n bells inc action camera.
 
Mike, the air intake is behind the headlight, so that if you are in deep water the water will flow through the rad and under the inner arches etc, but the principle of the bow wav will stop the water level coming up inside the engine bay (unless you slow down) and the headlamp area itself will remain pretty dry as they headlamp area is fairly solid, so water will get pushed away.

Honestly the top front corners of the engine bay are the driest places!
 
Fair enough Mr Noisy, i'll trust your judgement - and also store my sandwiches there, wouldn't want them getting wet!
 
:D

You know it REALLY easy to remove the viscous fan mike.

Honestly I would say why not just pop the hood and unscrew it, drive the water and then pop it back on. It takes about 30 seconds to remove it.

Sandwiches are dry, you're happy, it's all good :)
 
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