Not "Out Of Africa'' But "Into Africa!''
We had at least half an hour of this experience; before the boys decided enough was enough of this 鈥榳hite paparazzi鈥?and gently loped off into the bush. We still talk about our experience excitedly like kids to everyone who will listen. So do Ken and Marion! Several years ago we visited Ken Marion and the kids at their previous base on Impala ranch. They had a fully grown Hippo who had appreciated being fed hay to him as a youngster with his mum and others in his family. Five years on this hippo, fully grown visited approx three times a week their garden to 鈥榯ouch base again.鈥?They introduced this hippo to us as their lawn mower! Thanks must go to Martin and tiddy; their incredible hospitality and great skill in not only spotting wildlife(I am in awe of Tiddy鈥檚 talents!) but also in their ability to offer experiences to ordinary folk of an extraordinary nature!
The Land Rover Discovery has earned a reputation for off-road capability over the years and, in LR3 and LR4 forms in the U.S., became one of the brand鈥檚 more affordable yet still decently sized SUVs. Today, the Discovery offers impressive electronic off-road features, sleek styling, and luxurious options. The original Land Rover Discovery was introduced to the world in 1989 with the Series I, but the U.S. 鈥檛 receive it until 1994. Built on the same rugged body-on-frame Range Rover platform, this SUV was initially equipped with a 3.9-liter V-8, and later a 4.0-liter V-8. A four-speed automatic and a five-speed manual were available with four-wheel drive standard. The Land Rover Discovery Series II reached the U.S. 1999 for the 2000 model year equipped with a 4.0-liter V-8 and a four-speed automatic powering its impressive four-wheel-drive system. With its 2003 refresh, the Discovery received a new 4.6-liter V-8. The Series II鈥檚 full-time four-wheel-drive system incorporates a center locking differential and a two-speed transfer case, giving this SUV incredible off-road capability. In 2005, for the third-generation model, Land Rover replaced the Discovery nameplate in the U.S. LR3 but still kept the Discovery name in other markets.
The DVD player and rear MP3 with headsets are added perks that everyone will enjoy and it has a sunroof for soaking up sone rays and tinted windows for privacy. All that, and a roof rack to hold your stuff and a running board for easy passenger access. I'm not done; this fabulous funmobile is also equipped with good tires on alloy wheels; what a super SUV! Alloy Wheels and a fair body with some scuffs on the rear passengerside panel and rust on the rear drives side wheel well. Tires are low and should be replaced within the year as well. So this Mazda is not perfect, but these are very minor blemishes as you can see in the pics so for No Reserve you cannot beat the price no matter what! No Reserve Means NO RESERVE! 500 and if you are the high bidder it's yours. And Remember All Cars are Green Light!
Now that the Land Rover Defender Discovery Vision Concept has been revealed at the 2014 New York Auto Show, it is time for the news on the production vehicles set to 鈥渄erive鈥?from it. Land Rover has now confirmed that it will bring us a Discovery Sport in 2015, with the vehicle set to replace the Freelander / LR2. 鈥淚 am proud to confirm the nameplate that will make Discovery a family of vehicles for the first time. The Discovery Sport will arrive as a five-seater crossover, but a version offering seating for seven is also in the works. The company didn鈥檛 offer any other information for now. Nonetheless, the Discovery Sport will be powered by Jaguar Land Rover鈥檚 Ingenium four-cylinder engine family, which is currently being developed. The two Sport models are part of a Discovery family that will obviously include a plush replacement for the current Discovery / LR4, as well as a model slotted in between these. The last will be a more rugged proposal, something to take the Discovery鈥檚 offroading legacy into the future.
This dose of reality appears lost on Land Rover, which invested the LR2 with much more capability than most competitors in the middle-luxury CUV segment. The LR2 attempts to follow the larger LR3, which is goat-like in its ability to climb up any terrain with Land Rover's Terrain Response system that dials in the appropriate measure of traction. The auto maker tweaked the Terrain Response system for use in the LR2, as well. The smaller CUV has four settings 鈥?the rock-crawl option is omitted as the LR2 lacks low-range gears and has less ground clearance with 8.3 ins. LR2 eats its way through each of them on a test course. Maximum wading depth for this 鈥渦rban鈥?Land Rover is an impressive 19.7 ins. Tested in about 16 ins. It also proves solid sluicing through snow and slush on mountain roads when caught in a surprise snowstorm in the California desert. Returning to lower altitudes, the LR2's performance in deep sand arguably exceeds that of an LR3. The LR2 is equipped with a permanent intelligent all-wheel-drive system, similar to the one in the new Volvo S80, but customized for Land Rover to jive with Terrain Response.
