Daily Archives: July 8, 2012
The Big Daddy of SUVs is Back in a Sporty Avatar
The year was 1948 when Land Rover unveiled the soon to be iconic Defender, a mammoth Sports Utility Vehicle, which set the standard for generations to come. And in the year 2015, sixty seven years after the Defender’s colossal entry, its sporty successor will be released!
The Land Rover DC100 Sport SUV Coupe Convertible is the flashy, sporty but still as pragmatic as ever successor to the Defender. The bosses at Land Rover define it as “bursting with California cool”. And indeed, its cheery yellow coloured exterior unveiled at the Frankfurt Auto Show brought to mind sunny Californian beaches! It was a largely successful unveiling but some critics called it ‘toy like’ and the creative minds at Land Rover put their heads together to re-introduce another ‘tougher’ model. In fact, the actual model hasn’t been finalized yet and a lot more modifications can be expected until 2015.
The first thing that hits you about the Land Rover DC100 Sport is its monumental size, enhanced by its 100 inch long wheel base, the feature which inspired the name DC100. It has seats two with an optional jump seat and a lot of back room, enough for a Californian surfboard! The cluster of buttons and knobs are thankfully missing from the dashboard, replaced by an iPad-like center console. Its plastic fibre top can be let up during those stormy days at the push of a button. Its seats, adorned with leather are as comfortable as they are stylish. Powered by a 5L V8 engine, the Land Rover DC100 Sport comes with ‘Driveline Disconnect’, a unique system that disconnects the rear axle to initiate a front-wheel drive, a move that increases its fuel economy by up to 7%.
And now for its truly awesome features, this is a car built for an all-terrain experience and it is built in indestructible style! It comes with an Automatic Terrain System, the Terrain I, which is basically the brain behind your off-terrain exploits! It senses the texture of the path ahead and automatically sets off a driver-assist system. It manages wheel slips, air suspension, skid control and engine recalibration like a mind reading psychic to give you the most exhilarating driving experience! And believe it or not, psychic powers are not its coolest features! It also procures a 3D visualisation of the terrain ahead to forewarn you in case there is trench or boulder in your path! The Land Rover DC100 Sport also comes equipped with the ‘Wade Aid System’, a sonar system that calculates the depth of water you are in and automatically closes vents or raises suspension to avoid flooding. So don’t hesitate before plunging your ride into untested territories because this beast will stop at nothing!
So with the spirit of the Defender still alive, the DC100 Sport comes armed with the latest technology and gadgets. It is a ride that will appeal to rural farmers and funky beach dudes alike! In fact the Land Rover DC100 Sport lives up to its Global Brand Director, John Edward’s claim of being “capable, usable and abusable”.