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LAND ROVER I

23rd June 2005, Page 50
23rd June 2005
Page 50
Page 51
Page 50, 23rd June 2005 — LAND ROVER I
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Which of the following most accurately describes the problem?

ANTANA

WMe both Land Rover and Santana have 3,500kg towing limits,this is only achieved by reducing the owing units payload,by500kg in the PS10 and .00kg in the Defender/Ns we carried out the est with unladen vehicles, this wasn't an issue or us. Due to the nature of press fleets, both 7ebicles were in high spec,passenger carrying 7ersions, but again,this had no effect on the test.

The Defender was a 110 XS nine-seater tation wagon with lots of electric toys and even leather trimmed heated seats.The significant part of this spec is that it includes as standard the electronic brake package with ABS, EBD and traction control.

As you'd expect from a vehicle that has built much of its reputation on its towing abilities, it coped easily with its 3,500kg burden.

A rather high tow hitch, at 540mm even in the lowest of its three positions, could cause problems in getting a level set-up with smaller trailers. Land Rover owners will need no reminding of the limitations of the seating forced by the design of the seat box, which dates back to the '40s when it housed the fuel tank. Now it just limits driving seat adjustment, but the worst problem is its proximity to the door. Not without good reason is it advisable to open the window before complex manoeuvres.

On the move, though, the Defender feels strong.The five-cylinder engine has a pleasing sound,only marred by a lot of combustion noise at certain loadings.The long travel accelerator gives fine control. Permanent fourwheel-drive means one less control to play with, and range-changing is achieved easily.

The first sign that we were crossing the threshold where gravity exceeds grip was on the 1-in-4 hill where the Defender had to make extensive use of its electronic traction control to restart.The parking brake failed to hold as the lever ran out of travel.The steeper slope completely defeated the available grip with 3,500kg hanging off the back as any stop saw the Defender sliding backwards with all wheels locked, an interesting and potentially damaging challenge to the driver's reversing skills. Downhill,it provided enough engine braking to descend safely, although the trailer's over-run brake coupling reacted to cause mild "kangarooing" that needed a little foot braking to check.

Santana Our test Santana was already familiar to us as it had previously been the one used for demonstration rides at CM'sTruckzone at SED.

It is the latest version, which incorporates a much improved gearbox from ZF, tighter turning circle and some cosmetic improvements inside and out. than its Solihull cousin, its 25Nm torque deficit saw it take nearly four seconds longer to reach 50mph from rest.

With very few miles under its wheels, the Santana's gearbox was still quite stiff, although the new short lever with its short travel is a definite improvement.Apart from another stiff lever, the changes in and out of all-wheeldrive and low range were no problem.

The difference between high and low ratios is nearly 50% greater in the Santana. The 2.8litre Iveco engine is not quite as refined as the TD5 is at its best, but it's more consistent.

The Santana's efforts on the test hills produced virtually the same results as the Defender. On the gentler slope,it restarted but the lack of traction control meant it was accompanied by much wheelspin. On the 1in-3, there was a brief period of wheels spinning and hopping while the whole show slid gently backwards.The Santana also suffered the same kangarooing on the hill descent, but this was greatly improved by changing up to second low.

Summary Never has the phrase "swings and roundabouts" been as relevant as when describing the attributes of this pair.We were surprised by how much more effect a 3,500kg trailer has on hill start ability than the 2,800kg of the Ford. Bearing in mind that this was on reasonably grippy dry concrete, then obviously care is needed on more slippery surfaces.

The effect on trailer tyres was also a revelation. On what would have been the very last braking test of the day, the combined flat spots created by two dozen emergency stops took their toll on one tyre, which suffered a blow-out. So the lesson here is obviously to drive so that you have room to brake gently. Land Rover's strong points include rather better perforrnance,better ride and handling onroad and the availability of the electronic brake and traction aids On the plus side for the Santana are better axle articulation despite its parabolic leaf springs,hetter visibility from its deeper windscreen and befter manoeuvrability. And don't forget the significantly lower purchase cost. Only a potential buyer can j udge how important these factors are to their own needs, so we're taking the score-draw cop-out. But overall, we learned from the process that, for the majority of operators who don't need the ultimate in payload and off-road ability, a onetonne pickup exemplified by the Ford Ranger will do the job at least as well.

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