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August 26, 2005
First Look: Land Rover LR3
The Land Rover LR3 has been the primary driver behind the company's dramatic sales turnaround in 2005 -- sales are up 23.8% for the year-to-date for the company. With the introduction of another new model, the Ranger Rover Sport, Land Rover is having a very happy time indeed.
Hands down, this car leads the category of rugged, luxe SUVs. Driving it makes you feel rich -- mostly due to the performance of the vehicle itself, but also thanks to the approving comments from the public.
And that public includes a training class of the U.S. Park Police, which conducted a DUI checkpoint the other night. As I pulled up to the cordon of cub scouts, I swear, they all looked like high school kids, several of them were saying "nice truck."
The Eagle Scout that approached me said something like, "Hi, I'm Ranger Huckleberry, have you been drinking tonight?" Since I couldn't get over how young he looked, I said, "Did you say you were a Major?" That befuddled him, but the comment wasn't lost on the senior man conducting the drill. He smiled, then turned to spit a wad of tobacco juice.
Maybe the LR3 was instilling a sense of entitlement in me. More likely, I felt like being a jerk. Checkpoints are a clear violation of the fourth amendment of the U.S. Constitution, though the courts have yet to support an argument to that effect.
But the LR3 was so luxurious, such a sheer source of pleasure, both in its rugged, though responsive driving performance and its many luxury touches, such as the lovely, perforated leather seats, wind screen for the sun roof and double glove boxes, that the violation of my constitutional right to immunity from unreasonable search and seizure did not last as long as the glare of the klieg lights in my rear view mirror.
The LR3 has a base price of $49,330, with the cold climate package, third row seat and tow packages, my LR3 listed for $54,245, with 4.4 liter V-8 and 19-inch wheels.
Posted by Frank at August 26, 2005 5:28 PM | Filed under Auto News
| Land Rover