Land Rover Houston

The reviewer for Road and Track, a magazine usually partial to diminutive sportscars, likes the Range Rover Sport and notes, "It is the Range Rover Sport's tenacious off-road capability (thank you, Terrain Response), its solid on-road performance, stylish looks and handsome, but no-nonsense interior that make it the ute that I would choose - in Vesuvius Orange, please."
 
The 2008 Range Rover Sport offers eye-catching exterior styling, a luxurious interior and excellent overall performance. At an MSRP of $59,000, the Range Rover Sport is an investment with an unusually satisfying return in recreation, utility and pleasure. The Range Rover Sport is available in two models. The HSE has a 4.4-liter V8 that makes 300 hp at 5,500 rpm and 315 lb/ft of torque at 4,000 rpm. Of particular interest is the Supercharged model with a 4.2-liter V8 that creates 390 hp at 5,750 rpm and 410 lb/ft of torque at 3,500 rpm. The unforgettable whine of the Rootes-type compressor jamming air into the engine is only surpassed by the instantaneous availability of maximum torque in the middle of the power band. 

Power is distributed by an equally impressive six-speed CommandShift automatic transmission that adapts to your driving style. It offers imperceptible shifts, intuitive gear selection and the ability to shift manually when “hands-on” is the way to go. 

Professional test drivers agree that the Range Rover Sport offers a comfortable, responsive ride. Motor Week says, "On the squiggly, the Sport is the best handling Rover we've ever tested, feeling far more car-like than an SUV." Much of the handling excellence comes from the Sport’s four-wheel independent air suspension with four settings: “Optimum Handling” (the standard setting), “Highway” (for high speeds), “Access” (which lowers the SUV when parked to allow easier loading) and “Off-road” (providing more clearance). 

Land Rover’s Dynamic Response System, optional on the base Sport and standard on the Supercharged, controls front and rear anti-rollbars to minimize body roll and lean. In addition, owners can program a remote key fob to put the suspension in access mode, which lowers the vehicle and simplifies trailer connection. 

According to Road and Track, "The speed-sensitive steering is just right, not too light (car-like) and not too heavy (truck-like) with good feel for the road. Take a corner at speed, and you'll most likely find that it could have been taken at a brisker pace." Equipped with four-wheel antilock disc brakes with power-assist, the Range Rover Sport stops short and straight. "The shocking thing about the Range Rover Sport," writes Car and Driver, "is how amazingly well it stops."  Electronic brakeforce distribution adjusts braking according to front and rear weighting while cornering brake assist detects lateral forces to optimize braking during turns. 

Off road, the Sport is in its element. In fact, most reviewers consider the big SUV to be the best off-road vehicle in its class. Automobile magazine gets it right when it observes, "Unlike a lot of SUVs with macho names and steroidal styling, the Range Rover Sport is more than an off-road poseur." Edmunds.com agrees. "It handled muddy terrain with ease despite its wide, low-profile tires. Deep sand, too, was a walk in the park; just keep your foot planted on the throttle and it'll scoot up steep dunes that would leave lesser SUVs stranded." Need to tow? The Range Rover Sport will handle more than 7,000 pounds at its hitch. 

Rough-and-tumble it may be off-road, but inside the Ranger Rover Sport cabin is the lap of luxury. Fit and finish are heirloom quality. Lots of leather, real wood and aluminum trim create a handsome look. The Range Rover Sport seats five spaciously, and features firm, supportive, heated leather front sport seats. In the back, the "rear seats offered good legroom and knee room, so any adult riding back there would do so in comfort," reports The Auto Channel. The backseats are upholstered in leather and have heat, too. The standard equipment list is too lengthy to innumerate, but it suffices to say it is comprehensive. Think of any cabin comfort and the RRSS has it. Should you want more, several packages take care of every whim in entertainment, comfort and convenience. 

The Range Rover Sport comes standard with dynamic stability control, which moderates engine power and braking to help maintain control when a loss of lateral grip is detected. Four-wheel electronic traction control detects wheel spinning and applies brakes as necessary while active roll mitigation helps prevent tips by braking when the SUV becomes light on one side. Six airbags, including standard side-curtain airbags in the front and back, protect passengers. 

Is the Range Rover Sport Supercharged a good value? More than one authority thinks so. The 2008 Range Rover Sport has received the Automotive Lease Guide (ALG) Residual Value Award in the Luxury CUV segment. The annual Residual Value Awards identify those vehicles predicted to retain the highest percentage of their original purchase price after a conventional three-year lease term. 

Driving the 2008 Range Rover Sport – base or Supercharged – is a unique pleasure. It’s one of Land Rover’s most appealing SUVs and one you must experience in person. Please schedule a test drive at your earliest convenience.

The 2008 Land Rover LR3 brings British civility to any situation anywhere in the world. Global expeditions are part of its DNA and so are trips to the supermarket. The fact is that the LR3 is one of the four most versatile vehicles available…and the other three are Land Rovers, too! 

The 2008 Land Rover LR3 is both an upscale SUV and a chameleon on wheels. That’s not surprising given the British legend of Land Rover invincibility anywhere in the world. The 2008 LR3 retains the ability to go where none have tread before, yet it has acquired a distinctive and luxurious interior that pleases heads-of-state, as well as heads-of-families. 

Easily confused with the Range Rover, the midsize LR3 is very capable. It’s designed for seriously difficult off-road conditions and is so well engineered, the V8 version can tow up to 7,700 pounds. Inside, the LR3 is a masterpiece of space efficiency with seating for up to seven adults and is easily converted to cargo duty with two rows of fold-flat seating. While you would expect this rugged mountain goat to be sprung stiffer than a military transport, the LR3 employs its high compliance suspension to ride smoothly and handle whatever comes its way. 

Taking many of its styling cues from the larger Range Rover, the LR3 adopts a no-nonsense look one might call “utilitarian chic.” LR3 makes no bones about being angular, yet manages to soften the angles just enough to convey a purposeful elegance. It’s an iconic shape that proclaims “Land Rover” with a glance. 

For 2008, the LR3 uses a single 4.4-liter V8 that was previously only available on the higher trim or as an option. The 4.4-liter V8 engine makes 300 hp and 315 lb/ft of torque. This engine is well suited to the LR3 and motivates it at a brisk pace. The transmission is a beauty, a six-speed adaptive automatic with Land Rover’s CommandShift system. It allows the driver to hold a gear when desired, as well as when climbing a hill or pulling a load, rather than constantly hunting for the right ratio. It also allows for manual gear selection or fully automatic mode. Most impressively, Command Shift “learns” your driving style and adjusts for maximum responsiveness. 

The LR3 handles with agility and aplomb, on- or off-road. "LR3 handles the toughest of off-road obstacles brilliantly, yet is comfortable on rush-hour freeways," says New Car Test Drive. “The end result is more like a sport sedan than a rough-and-tumble truck.” Nearly every road test reviewer marvels at the LR3’s rack-and-pinion steering with engine-speed-sensitive power assist. Reviewers freely use adjectives such as “satisfying,” “responsive” and “effortless.” According to Car and Driver, "It has the same fluid steering and power delivery as the top-of-the-line Range Rover." 

Another LR3 “surprise and delight” feature is its Electronic 4-Corner Air Suspension (4CAS) system. Automobile.com explains, "The LR3 makes up for road imperfections with a firm, but sympathetic suspension setup and manages high speed sections, as well as tighter curves, with uncanny stability." 

Listing every 2008 LR3 driver’s aid device is like preparing acronym soup! There’s the four-channel, four-wheel, all-terrain Antilock Brake System (ABS), Electronic Brakeforce Distribution (EBD), Emergency Brake Assist (EBA), Cornering Brake Control (CBC), Dynamic Stability Control (DSC), Active Roll Mitigation (ARM), Electronic Parking Brake (EPB) and Hill Descent Control (HDC), Electronic Traction Control (ETC) and Terrain Response––all standard equipment. With all this braking technology, it’s no surprise Edmunds.com marvels that "the four-wheel disc brakes never feel overwhelmed and stop this big heavy beast from 60 mph in a very short 117 feet. That's sportscar braking performance." 

By the way, “Terrain Response” refers to LR3’s ability to “dial in,” (the dial is on the console) the perfect vehicle setup for five different types of terrain – “Grass/Gravel/Snow,” “Rock Crawl,” “Mud/Ruts,” “Sand” and normal highway. It sure beats having to manually lock the hubs and batten down the hatches! Terrain Response, low-range gearing and a locking center differential mean the LR3 is capable of going pretty much wherever you please. 

All three rows of seating in the LR3 get raves for support, accessibility and long-haul comfort. Among the many standard interior features included in the 2008 Land Rover LR3 are stadium seating, two fixed-glass roof panels, a sunroof, polished silver accents, dual-zone automatic climate control, leather seating surfaces for the first and second rows, eight-way power-adjustable front seats and a 35/30/35-split flat-folding second-row seat, which can be configured to form a large table for rear passengers. 

The upscale LR3 HSE adds a memory system for the driver's seat and exterior mirrors, and an integrated Bluetooth phone system that’s operable through a vehicle keypad, voice recognition and steering wheel controls. Moreover, the HSE features Land Rover's DVD-based Premium Navigation System, which includes a high-resolution touchscreen. This model’s standard stereo system is a 14-speaker, 550-watt harman/kardon LOGIC 7 unit with an in-dash six-disc changer and auxiliary input for an MP3 player. Remote audio controls in the rear allow backseat passengers to listen to music that’s different from what's playing in the front cabin. Safety is topnotch with full airbag coverage and top crash-test scores in government testing. 

At an MSRP of $49,000, the 2008 Land Rover LR3 is an amazing SUV for the money. For family outings or urban expeditions, the LR3 is nearly unstoppable. Driving one is a unique experience. Owning one is a transformational, transportational delight. Come in and see for yourself!