The LR3 calmly sends power to where it needs to go and serenly pulls us out of our hazardous situation

Considering I was born and raised in the UAE I have probably spent less time off-roading than I would ideally like. A combination of the love of sleeping-in on the weekend and a busy work and racing schedule has kept me away from the joys of the desert for many years now. It is strange then, that last month I found myself out in the wilderness not once but twice after such a long sabbatical.

Let me set the scene of how this ended up happening. My girlfriend’s dad; Paul; is a complete Land Rover buff and massively into green-laning in England, where he lives. Of course anyone familiar with off-roading in that part of the world will know that it is very different from what we are familiar with in the Middle East. Their off-road is mud, forests and rivers and the crawling speeds that are associated with it, while our terrains are the soft sand of flowing dunes and the gravel and rocks we come across when wadi-bashing. This variation in the definition of what off-roading means has led to years of friendly debate between us, as to which version is the more authentic, challenging and engaging of the two. We had also endlessly deliberated what brand of car was the best tool for off-roading. For him his beloved Land Rover was undoubtedly the way to go, while I, like most people in this part of the world, felt that Toyota’s ship of the desert, the Land Cruiser, was definitely the weapon of choice.  

So, while on a recent holiday to Dubai, Paul and I decided to settle our disagreement once and for all. I borrowed a mate’s Land Rover LR3 and grabbed the keys to an old two-door Land Cruiser and we headed off to the desert.  By the end of the day Paul begrudgingly admitted that the Middle East’s brand of off-roading was brilliant and was at-least as challenging as what he got up to back home. Strangely we also agreed when it came to which car we preferred. The Toyota felt as tough as nails and was deeply satisfying in an old fashioned back to basics way. The old Land Cruiser crashed violently over bumps and was far from a smooth ride, but it did everything we asked of it and more than lived up to its pedigree. In fact Paul gave it the best compliment he knew of, and that was that it reminded him of his trusty old Land Rover Defender back home. The LR3 on the other hand, while obviously very able in the sand also left us very confused. Its modern chassis that was so good at the on-road stuff left us a bit cold off it. We felt very isolated from what was happening below us due to the comfortable ride and were totally thrown off by all the fancy electronic safety nets that seemed to second guess everything you asked the car to do.

Ironically a week later I got an email from Land Rover’s Middle East office asking if I would like to do an advanced off-roading course in an LR3, where an instructor would teach me some new techniques to use when I got off the black stuff. Very interestingly he would also be showing me how to get the most out of the electronic systems that are standard across Land Rovers range. That brings us (rather long- windedly) to today, perched precariously in a small valley between two small gravel-covered hills in Wadi Asma. My hugely experienced off-road instructor Peter Gladstone, who is sat in the passenger seat, is pointing at the Chassis View display feature on the screen in the centre console that shows that (despite the astonishingly long wheel travel of the LR3) only two of my wheels are in contact with terra firma. He doesn’t need to tell me though, as I can feel the car tilting from side to side in the air, balanced on its front left and right rear wheels. Peter calmly instructs me to put the car in neutral so that I can engage Low Range in the transfer gearbox. The Terrain Response system is in its Rock Crawl setting and the display shows that the central differential is locked. I pop the gear lever back in Drive and feather the throttle. The LR3 calmly sends power to where it needs to go and serenely pulls us out of our hazardous situation.

I have never driven on rock and gravel before and I’m finding the first part of our day rather illuminating. The pace is very slow, as you would expect on this uncompromising surface, but it is the perfect scenario to exhibit the prowess of the clever computer systems that the LR3 is wired with. Climbing a path which feels like it is completely vertical from the driver’s seat, all I can see is the clear blue sky above me. I am used to being pressed back into a seat, but usually it is due to a big horsepower engine not the force of gravity.  As the track ahead gets even steeper, the tyres of the LR3 start to lose traction. My instinct is to give it more gas to help pull us up, instead Peter directs me to maintain a steady throttle, after a momentary pause the traction control figures out what’s going on and amazingly grip returns and we continue our arduous ascent to the top.

As we drive further we reach a narrow path that runs along the Wadi bed. In winter these would be the scene of flash flooding, but as we are on the verge of summer, precipitation is only accumulated in some areas and is not particularly deep. Even though, I can’t help but feel like a Camel Trophy driver as I wade the Land Rover through the water. It is very picturesque out here with the rugged scenery contrasted with green foliage and a drying river bed. It is now lunch time and we park up for a sandwich and a cup of tea. Peter seems to be happy with my performance so far, and while I am having a good time I am itching to move onto the desert and the higher speeds that go along with driving on sand.

With our bellies full, we head towards   Jebel Malaiha, which is more commonly known as fossil rock due to the intriguing rock formation that juts out of its pristine red sand. Today the desert looks extra gorgeous, as strong winds have erased all traces of human presence. The shifting sands wiping away all imperfections and trails previously left behind. The surroundings are so perfect it almost feels like we are about to drive through a postcard.

First though we drop the tire pressures before we hit the sand, to increase the rubber footprint and improve traction on the fine particles of sand below us. We also switch off the Dynamic Stability Traction Control and set the Terrain Response system to Sand Mode. Five minutes in and Peter shows his first signs of displeasure with my driving, he feels that I am too aggressive. What I love about driving in the sand is the sense of freedom to go wherever I choose, not where a predefined road takes me. I also love to feel the car slide as I come off the bottom of a dune and often find myself driving along the side of a dune just for the hell of it. Peter feels this is a waste of energy and encourages me to drive more smoothly and effortlessly. Allowing the 4-wheel drive wizards to do the hard work and using only as much of the 4.4-litre V8’s power as is necessary to take us where we want to go. Not wanting to be obtuse I follow his instruction.

‘I feel like we are floating across the sand  always maximising traction’

Up until then the LR3 had once again felt heavy and clumsy in the sand. On more than one occasion I had to reverse out of a difficult situation, and I often felt I was fighting a losing battle against the electronics that persisted in straightening me up when I actually wanted to be sideways. When I do as I am told things begin to feel more natural, the Landie climbing effortlessly up every dune it comes up against. I feel like we are  floating across the sand, always maximising traction. If you follow the basic rules of desert driving (keep your wheels as straight as possible, don’t descend steep dunes sideways, don’t stop where you can’t use gravity to help you move) the LR3 is ridiculously easy to cover off-road distances in. Unfortunately, serene progress is not what I’m after. Just because I’m off-road doesn’t mean I am not still chasing the thrill of driving.  As we cruise back towards Dubai I contemplate my experience. The LR3 and its electronics are very effective on rough terrain; particularly when you consider how good it is to drive on tarmac; it just isn’t exciting enough to get my pulses racing. For a blast in the sand, give me the Land Cruiser anyday.

	Land Rover LR3
Engine	V8
Location	Front
Displacement	4394cc
Max power	294bhp @ 5500rpm
Max torque	315lb ft @ 4000rpm
Transmission	Six-speed auto, 4-wheel drive
Weight (kerb)	2704kg
0-100kph	8.0sec (claimed)
Top speed	195kph (claimed)
Basic price	$ 75,000 (approx)
On sale	Now
EVO Rating	***