・Extensive service history ・Unmodified condition ・Great example
The photographs in this listing were provided directly from the seller.
The Background
When Land Rover released the first Discovery in the late 1990s, the plan was to plug the gap in the market between the utilitarian Defender and the more luxurious Range Rover. Those two markets, and the gap between them, were more or less of Land Rover’s own creating, so they had their finger on the pulse of the market. Here we had a 4x4 in which you could turn up at the golf club without being sneered at, and one into which you could throw a dead sheep, and hose out later. And it worked – the perfect blend of a farmyard workhorse, coupled with a level of refinement that did well to establish the niche. In 2004 the third generation of the Disco arrived to great acclaim. Unlike its Discovery 2 predecessor, this was an all-new vehicle, with all-new powertrain, suspension, chassis, body, and terrain response technology.
This example was registered initially in November 2005, and has covered a fair mileage for its age with of its life being serviced by Land Rover specialists. During its last five years, it has averaged below 5,000 miles per year and its current owner covers very few miles in it: the sale is prompted by wishing to purchase a 1950s American car and there’s a requirement to make space in the dehumidified garage where the Discovery currently resides.
During its 117,000 mile lifespan, it has had only three previous owners, and there’s a very healthy number of stamps in the services history. As can be seen in the photographs, all are from Land Rover dealers or specialists. This, plus the invoice figures seen in the invoice history, suggests that the vehicle has had owners who were willing to pay for its maintenance and upkeep to a high standard.
The Discovery 3 had a clean, uncomplicated and ‘chunky’ feel to its dashboard and instruments and this one is clean and unmarked. The cloth fabric on the driver’s seat is showing signs of its six-figure mileage, as can be seen in the images though is still clean, as is the rest of the interior. Driver’s seat aside, the other six seats appear to be free from any blemishes and look to have seen few miles themselves over the years. Typically for this era of Discovery, it retains the ‘grab handle’ headrests on the front seats, meaning that the occupants of the ‘stadium’ seating in the second row have something to hold onto, should the pilot decide to negotiate the muddy slopes. The third row of seats also feature in the photographs, though can fold into the boot floor, making the car a very useable seven-seater. Another feature of the Discovery 3 is that the second row of seats can also be folded up and out of the way to create a cavernous load bay for golf clubs, sheep, or Shetland ponies.
This example also features other Discovery 3 perks, such as ride-height control for its air-suspension, Hill Descent Control, electronic park brake and selectable Terrain Response modes. There are other perks, too, such as heated seats, and a couple of favourites for the mild and damp UK environment: a heated front windscreen and an engine pre-heater, the latter of which can be operated from one of its two key-fobs.
It was once said that the stylist of the BMW Z4 said that they wanted the car to look like it was moving fast even when stationary, and that the stylist for the Discovery 3 wanted the car to look like it was stationary even when it was moving. The clean, uncomplicated lines of the Disco 3 are very typically…well, Discovery, and full of Land Rover DNA. The steep windscreen and stepped roof (for the aforementioned stadium seating) were somewhat eroded in the later Discovery, but feature prominently in this third generation. This example shows off the Discovery lines well, with straight panels, good panel gaps, and unmarked paintwork. The wheels also look very clean, with no chips, scrapes or scuffs, and sit well-shod on recent rubber.
As a benefit of being part of the Ford group in 2005, Land Rover brought in for this application the 2.7-litre Lion V6 diesel. A well-mannered and refined unit (which also made its way into Jaguars), it would ultimately increase its displacement to 3.0 litres for the Discovery 4, though the 2.7-litre unit in the Discovery 3 still offers an attractive package of performance, economy and refinement. The torquey engine belies the 2.7-tonne mass of the vehicle and the tow-bar fitted means that will also pull a horse box without breaking too much of a sweat.
Another feature of the Discovery 3 was the air suspension, meaning that the ride height can be lowered to assist with loading/unloading the vehicle, or raised to assist with off-road driving or wading – the latter of which is certainly aided by its 2.7-tonne weight, making it capable of 700mm depth.
The history file shows around £6,000’s worth of maintenance to the vehicle dating back to at least 2013 and recent work mentioned by the owner is a recent brake service.
The early part of the 21st century was an exciting time for Land Rover. It was beginning to flex its muscle into the luxury market and the Discovery 3 brought an attractive mix of superb off-road capability and practicality. With its seven seats, its cavernous load bay, its refinement, its off-road capability, its on-road manners, its towing capability and its performance – and all wrapped up into a footprint shorter than a Mondeo…it’s surely every car you’d ever need.
Notice to bidders
Although every care is taken to ensure this listing is as factual and transparent as possible, all details within the listing are subject to the information provided to us by the seller. Car & Classic does not take responsibility for any information missing from the listing. Please ensure you are satisfied with the vehicle description and all information provided before placing a bid.
As is normal for most auctions, this vehicle is sold as seen, and therefore the Sale of Goods Act 1979 does not apply. All bids are legally binding once placed. Any winning bidder who withdraws from a sale, is subject to our bidders fee charge. Please see our FAQs and T&C's for further information. Viewings of vehicles are encouraged, but entirely at the sellers discretion.
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2005 Land Rover Discovery 3
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