By Mike Koch

[Mike Koch of the Rovers North staff has entertained readers with stories ofhis ex-MOD 109” and Range Rover Classic. Always looking for his next Land Rover, Mike tested the current range off-road at the Land Rover Experience, Mt. Equinox, Manchester, VT –ed.]

Why must all my most memorable Land Rover weekend experiences begin with an alarm clock blaring in my ear at some ungodly hour? It really shouldn’t surprise me at this point. After getting myself together, I met up with some co-workers from Rovers North at the Pour House in South Burlington, VT for one of the greasiest –yet tasty - breakfasts in recent memory. Our group of four, Les Parker, Steve Haskell, Matt Martin and I loaded our larded-up selves into the vehicle and pointed it south down Route 7 towards Manchester, VT. Our destination: the Land Rover Experience Driving School at the posh Equinox resort, about 100 miles south of Westford, VT. Just south of Rutland, VT, we met up our fifth teammate from Rovers North, Calef Letorney, our specialist in Waxoyl products.

As soon as we made the left on to Union Street in Manchester, we spotted the armada of shiny and stately silver Land Rovers we’d soon be driving off-road. The four Land Rovers in the line up included: an LR3, a Range Rover Sport, a Range Rover HSE and an LR2. The vehicles were as they left Solihull, sporting factory tires and impeccably clean. The latter issue would soon change.

We proceeded into the retail shop where our instructors greeted us: Location Manager Josh Williams, Chuck Worrell, Cortland Wood, and Rick Serroro. We were impressed to learn that all four of our instructors were genuine Land Rover enthusiasts with personal Land Rover ownership experiences. After an introduction to the day’s off-road activities, we boarded our Land Rovers and convoyed out to the site of the 80-acre offroad course, consisting of about 5 miles of trails. The 80 acres are split into two sections: the front 40, featuring “purpose built” obstacles and the “back 40,” which remains in its more natural state, yet hosting a series of challenges.

Josh Williams educated us with a most detailed explanation of the vehicles specifications and their off-road systems. He compared and contrasted the vehicles on and off-road technologies in the current Land Rover line up. Owning a Range Rover Classic, I impulsively headed towards the Range Rover HSE, where Rick pointed out the off-road capabilities of the HSE. Needless to say, technology has come a long way since the days of the red and yellow transfer case levers in my military 109”.

Each of the four Land Rovers went in separate directions, exploring all aspects of the trail network, rejoining momentarily up to swap drivers until we met up as a group and headed to lunch. We began our instruction on the “front 40” with side-hill traverses, ascents so steep that you only see the blue sky, descents so steep you are grateful for Hill Descent Control(HDC) and Gradient Release Control(GRC) systems, terrain so rocky that you are forced to explore the “Rock Crawl” mode on the Terrain Response System.

The Land Rover handles all these situations with aplomb once you’ve selected the appropriate settings on the Terrain Response System’s five settings: General, Grass/Gravel/Snow, Mud/Ruts, Sand, and Rock Crawl. The HDC kept roughly 6,000 pounds of Range Rover HSE from uncontrollably barreling down steep descents without my foot ever making contact with the brake pedal. The Electronic Air Suspension(EAS) raised our vehicles and increased our approach and descent angles, also allowing for impressive suspension travel. The Electronic Throttle varied the accelerator pedal feel in accordance with our selection on the Terrain Response System. CommandShift manual gearbox control gave us plenty of drive train control, as we were instructed on the optimal gear selection to conquer obstacles with the greatest degree of poise. The 4-wheel Electronic Traction Control (4ETC) provided confidence inspiring traction even on the most slippery of terrain. Electronically controlled, infinitely variable locking center and rear differentials allowed us to climb to the heavens. Eventually, we made our way to the “back 40” and started mudding up the Land Rovers with a combination of dirt and water, in all their various forms. After an appetizing lunch break, we were back on the trails, making sure we were each able to sample driving each Land Rover in the line-up. If I had to do it again, I wouldn’t have eaten so much as we headed back to tackle the trails immediately after lunch. As the afternoon hours passed ever so quickly, our instructors encouraged us to pick and choose the obstacles, instructing us only when we were nearing danger.

Suddenly, it was someone’s bright idea to swap vehicles, extracting me from Land Rover’s flagship model and placing me at the controls of an LR2. After the initial shock of off-roading in the only current Land Rover lacking both EAS and low range, I began to enjoy maneuvering the LR2, to the point of admiring its off-road capabilities. Aside from its inability to clear only a couple tall obstacles that would have high-centered it due to its lack of EAS, the LR2 went everywhere the other Land Rovers did and its diminutive size made navigating between trees effortless.

Piloting the LR2 was much better than expected, but the next vehicle was simply awesome. The Range Rover Sport seemed more Park Avenue, Manhattan, than Park in Field, Vermont, but I loved it. As with the LR2, my assumptions were proven wrong. It enabled me to drive anywhere and everywhere on the course with the greatest of ease.

Sporting more of a positive outlook with each vehicle, my final conquest was the LR3, a vehicle I normally associate with hauling small children both to and from the elementary school across the street from my house. The LR3 stood proudly alongside its brethren, showing me it too could tackle any terrain. When I first laid my eyes on the Land Rovers we’d be driving, adorned in their large diameter aluminum wheels, I’ll admit I thought the terrain would be far tamer than it actually was. Land Rover’s current model line-up surpassed my highest expectations and left me feeling that “go anywhere” is still top priority at Solihull. Solid axles, steel wheels and a forest of levers emanating from the floor are no longer the tools necessary for proper off-roading.

Thanks to the Land Rover Experience Driving School at The Equinox and especially Josh, Chuck, Cortland and Rick. Thanks to Matt Martin for photographing the adventure. Oh, by the way, Matt, my apologies for leaving you behind on the trail. My enthusiasm for driving took over my better judgement and manners as I drove off, abandoning you in the woods on more than one occasion.

Wow, I hope he didn’t take a photo of that!

[For more information on the Land Rover Experience, visit www.landroverschool.com]