Allow me guys to make small contribution here, in September 2004 ( a year ago), I was invited by Land Rover for a preview Test Drive in Wick -Scotland. I spent 3 days with the LR3 driving it on roads, mud, water, sand...etc.
Videos can be seen on my site here :
http://www.uae4x4.com/vids/lr3.htm
For those of you who posted saying they owned a Disco, the LR3 is NOTHING like the Discovery, COMPLETELY redesigned from scratch. The LR3 is more like a Range Rover with Offroad capabilities rather than a new Disco.
Onroad, the LR3 drives like a Range Rover, very smooth. but lacks power in a way.
In terms of offroad, as an Offroader I found the LR3 to be very controversial. It has very good offroad capabilities....BUT, and a biiiiig but. it's just tooooo full of electronics.
I asked the LR Engineers, everything was great and nice gadgets and all, but being electronic, how reliable are they ? even the engineers could not answer, they're hoping for the best, I dont blame them, the vehicle is very new and needs to be tested.
The vehicle is designed in a very foolproof manner, there is no high and LO (well there is but presented in a different way) there's a knob in the center console that says " Sand, Mud, Rocks...etc" you turn the knob to the desired type of terrain, and the engine, T-case, suspension adjusts itself accordingly.
When I say Engine, yes this knob actually controls engine speed as well, which I found to be very stupid. when I was driving on the main road, one engineer was riding with me, I told him it lacks power, he said, turn the knob to "sand" I did and it gave me more power, hehehe, who on earth would think of that ???
I prefer the more conventional H3. at least I AM in control, not the electronics.
SledgeHummer