Land Rover Discovery 3


Ford’s Legendary First Land Rover
Discovery 3, the first Land Rover product developed during Ford’s ownership of the company, represented a step-change when compared with previous Land Rover Discoveries.  Only the all-important characteristic spirit, purpose and most prominent styling cues of Discovery were carried over from the original and Series II models, while the famous Land Rover market-leading off-road ability was astoundingly further improved.

The Original Discovery and The Series II
Back in 1989, the original Discovery model had been launched to plug the ever-widening gap between the utilitarian Defender and the increasingly upmarket Range Rover, a gap very successfully exploited by the company’s competitors for some years.
Based on the Range Rover Classic’s chassis and body substructure, Discovery was quick and inexpensive to develop; vital for the frequently cash-strapped Austin Rover, then owners of Land Rover.  Looking different to the other Land Rover models yet unmistakably a product of that marque, it was critically acclaimed and an instant sales hit, establishing the cornerstone values of Discovery: considerably more refined than Defender on tarmac, yet equally as happy in a utilitarian or off-road role.

The original Discovery went on to sell 392,443 units in nine years, being replaced in 1998-9 by the skillfully reworked Discovery Series II.  The new car faithfully retained the silhouette and ethos of the original, while introducing further much-needed refinement to stay abreast with competitors’ latest offerings.  These included a more powerful, smoother diesel engine, a stiffer bodyshell and such technologies as optional rear air suspension, active cornering enhancement to bring more car-like handling and hill descent control for improved off-road traction.  Discovery Series II production totalled 278,570 units over six years, comfortably if not hugely outselling its predecessor in yearly average sales.  Not bad for a car that history now often (and wrongly) regards as a stopgap between the conventional original Discovery and the altogether more advanced Discovery 3.

Enter The All-New Discovery 3
In April 2004, the third generation Land Rover Discovery made its debut.  Designed by Andy Wheel, now Land Rover’s chief designer, at first glance it was lower (easier car park access), wider (for better handling) and slightly longer than its predecessors.  The slight length increase hid the fact that the wheelbase was actually over a foot longer, providing more room for third row seat occupants without increasing rear overhang (the rear overhang, brought about for the same reason on Discovery Series II, had to some extent compromised off-road ability).  The new car bristled with styling features and equipment not seen before on a Discovery and yet it still looked like a Discovery, helped by such trademarks as the stepped roof and ‘Alpine’ rear side window design.

The badges on the tailgate proclaimed the new car to be ‘Discovery 3’, with the ‘3’ given as much prominence as ‘Discovery’.  This wasn’t the name used for North America, however; there the car was called ‘LR3’, local market research having concluded that alpha-numeric code names were preferred by the buying public.  It was also said at the time that ‘LR3’ was intended to distance the new model from a patchy quality reputation of previous Discoveries in North America; whether this is true or mischievous rumour is unknown.

An altogether more complex and more sophisticated (and more expensive) vehicle than its predecessors, Discovery 3 would win plaudits from around the world and quickly established itself as the sports utility vehicle (‘SUV’) of choice in the 91 countries in which it was sold.

Three New Engines 
A big break with tradition was to be found under the bonnet.  Discovery would be offered with three different engines, one diesel and two petrol, and for the first time none of them were derived from previous Land Rover units.

The most important engine for European markets and many others would be the 2.7 litre TDV6 diesel, which was expected to be fitted to 90% of vehicles for those markets.  This smooth 190bhp V6 engine, fitted with a large, single turbocharger in its Land Rover Discovery 3 and Range Rover Sport applications to increase low range torque for off-road and towing use, was a member of Ford and Peugeot’s ‘Lion’ engine family, also to be seen in different states of tune in Fords, Jaguars, Peugeots and Citroens and manufactured by Ford at its Dagenham plant in England (a 3.6 litre V8 version of the Lion diesel engine would later make it into the Range Rover and Range Rover Sport as well). Land Rover’s TDV6 also differed from other Lion engines by featuring a modified lubrication system and uprated seals to help combat the rigours of off-road use.

For the 2007 model year, the TDV6 received a makeover to enable it to comply with the latest European emissions regulations.  Most Euro Stage 4 engines were equipped with and were most obviously identifiable by the diesel particulate filter or DPF in the exhaust system.  However, some countries that were not subject to the new regulations continued to receive TDV6 models with the earlier EU2 or Euro Stage 4 (without DPF) emissions equipment until Discovery 3 production ceased in 2009.

As expected, the TDV6 became the mainstay engine for Discovery 3, except in North America where a diesel variant of LR3 was not offered.  The main engine choice for North America and offered elsewhere as a high performance variant was the 300bhp, 4.4 litre AJ-V8 petrol engine.  As ‘AJ’ might suggest, this was a Land Rover version of Jaguar’s V8 petrol engine, manufactured within a special Jaguar area of Ford’s Bridgend engine factory in South Wales.  Featuring variable valve timing, it was more than capable of living up to the expectations of being the high performance engine.  Never that popular in countries where high fuel consumption and high fuel prices combined to make it considerably more expensive to run than the TDV6, the V8 petrol was quietly dropped from the UK price list (except for some special orders) and some other European countries in 2007.  It however continued to be offered after that date in North America, Australia and selected other markets.  Always a rarity in the UK, the V8 petrol Discovery 3 is now a sought after model by Land Rover enthusiasts (and is quite often converted to LPG to reduce running costs).

The third engine offered was a 216bhp, 4.0 litre V6 petrol engine.  Intended for use in a base model Discovery 3 in markets where the diesel was either not available or was of limited appeal, the V6 petrol was usually found in North America or Australia.  Developed by Ford as a single overhead cam version of their long-lived, German-built Cologne V6 engine family, the 4.0 litre V6 petrol was never going to set the sales charts on fire since it consumed nearly as much fuel as (and sometimes more than) the V8 petrol but didn’t offer anything like the same performance.  Dropped from the USA during 2007 (leaving the V8 petrol as the only LR3 engine available in the USA thereafter), it continued for Canada and Australia until the close of Discovery 3 production and even made it - just - into a few early Discovery 4s in those countries.

Incredible Off-Road Ability
Two gearboxes were offered on Discovery 3.  Both ZF 6 speed units, the manual S6-53 gearbox was only available with the diesel engine, whereas the automatic 6HP26 was optional for diesel models and standard for petrol.  Whichever gearbox was fitted, it was mated to the same transfer box, the Magna Steyr DD295.  This featured permanent four wheel drive (a given with all Land Rovers for 20 years previously) with a 50/50 torque split to front and rear axles.  It was a two speed, ‘shift-on-the-move’ transfer box, allowing range changes without having to stop the car.  An electronic clutch locked the centre differential when required and provided torque bias for optimised traction.  A slip controller increased locking torque according to off-road conditions (a similar device was optional on the rear axle).

Another break with tradition came with fully independent suspension replacing the beam axles of previous Discoveries, greatly improving ride quality.  Base models still came with steel coil springs, but all other models were fitted with air springs all round.  Electronically controlled, the air suspension adjusted ride height according to driving conditions and was able to sense the vehicle ‘grounding out’ off-road and further raise the height to clear the obstacle.  Another trick of the air suspension was to copy the outstanding attribute of the previous Discoveries’ rigid beam axles so that if one wheel dropped, the other rose to compensate and maintain traction.

To further aid the transmission and suspension in their quest for traction under difficult conditions, Discovery 3 came with a wealth of traction control systems.  Hill Decent Control, first seen on the Freelander, came as standard as did Electronic Traction Control (for off-road) and Dynamic Stability Control (for on-road).  The most sophisticated advance, though, came with a system called Terrain Response (not available on the base models with coil springs).  Terrain Response took the guesswork out of driving off-road by choosing all the settings on the car relevant for each of four different driving conditions: grass/gravel/snow, mud/ruts, sand or rock crawl, selectable by the driver from a cabin switch.

Having chosen the relevant driving conditions, Terrain Response would then set the ride height, traction control systems, diff locks, throttle response and even gearshift sensitivity to maximise stability and control for the conditions.  At a stroke, even inexperienced amateur off-road drivers could call on all the car’s potential for off-road use.  A real innovation and a very clever vehicle indeed, and it instantly won over everybody from the motoring press who experienced its incredible off-road ability.

Inside the Discovery 3, full use of state of the art electronic display technology meant that the driver didn’t have to remember the settings the car was in.  The Terrain Response mode, chosen gears, amount of diff locking, ride height and even steering angle (easy to forget in some driving conditions) were clearly shown in the fascia information display screen.  By the way, having mentioned steering, Discovery 3 was the first Discovery to enjoy the preciseness of rack and pinion steering.

A Fresh, Minimalist Style
The bodywork of Discovery 3 was, like the rest of the vehicle, all new and exuded a fresh, minimalist style and superior perceived quality than most previous Land Rovers had displayed.  The choice of all-steel skin panels and a more rigid, monocoque bodyshell construction allowed for tighter, more precise shut lines than on previous Discoveries.  Fussy multiple swage lines along the bodyside to stiffen aluminium door skins were no longer needed, so Discovery 3 made do with a simple waist-height groove along the wings, extending into the front doors just enough to mount the indicator repeater lamps.  This made for a much plainer, more business-like appearance than Land Rover owners were used to.

Carefully chosen styling cues reassured the viewer that they were still looking at a Land Rover: the stepped roof, Alpine rear windows, huge black bumpers and three bar radiator grille came from previous Discoveries, the full-width ‘clam shell’ bonnet came from Range Rover and Freelander and the black plastic wheel arch extensions, well, they reinforced the car’s utilitarian abilities and its relationship to the Defender.  Most 2009 model year Discovery 3s had the wheel arch extensions and bumpers colour coded to match the bodywork, which changed the character of the car’s appearance considerably.

The monocoque bodyshell was a feature of another innovation, one that Land Rover called ‘Integrated Body Frame’ construction.  The simple body on a sturdy ladder frame chassis of previous Land Rovers was replaced on Discovery 3 by a torsionally very strong, self-supporting bodyshell on a more basic chassis, thereby giving the car the plus points of both a monocoque body and a ladder frame chassis, which it undoubtedly had.  Unfortunately it also gave the car its only major Achilles’ Heel, a huge weight problem which would to some extent compromise performance both on and off-road.  It didn’t take long for motoring journalists to find out that Discovery 3 was even heavier - by a third of a tonne - than its larger Range Rover sibling.  It was the only thing that spoilt the car.

Inside, the function-over-fuss approach extended to the fascia and interior trim.  The fascia, while paying homage to the style of the Range Rover’s from a couple of years before, somehow successfully pulled off a utilitarian approach combined with a feel of quality, even though most of it was in varying textures of plastic offset by the occasional metal or wood accent.  All the usual attributes of a car from the Discovery 3’s price bracket could be had, though, if the customer wanted them: that British wood-and-leather ambience, electric seats, electric everything really, plus DVD, TV and navigation systems and three different sound systems including a premium Harmon-Kardon speaker system optimally tuned for Discovery 3.  However, unless the customer specified these fripperies, they got a very functional, basic and hard-wearing yet comfortable interior.  Despite later upgrades, a minor materials facelift and revised model specifications later in the car’s life, it was always possible to choose the minimalist interior that helped define the car’s character so well.

A Truly Outstanding Land Rover
During its five years of production, the Discovery 3 maintained the previous Discoverys’ rate of sales; extremely creditable, given its shift upwards on the price scale.  A total of 220,057 Discovery 3 models were built, averaging 44011 vehicles per year.

On the 8th May 2007, a Discovery 3 became the four millionth Land Rover built.  It was donated for use as a rapid response rescue vehicle for The Born Free Foundation, one of Land Rover’s key conservation sponsors.

The Discovery 3, like all its Land Rover predecessors, proved very adaptable for specific tasks.  A commercial (van) version, still based on the standard five door body, was marketed by Land Rover Special Vehicles from 2007 onwards.  In 2009 a B6 level armoured version was introduced, capable of withstanding side blasts and under-floor grenade attacks.  Many other special adaptations, too numerous to list here, have been made to Discovery 3s by organisations across the world.

A truly outstanding Land Rover?  Most emphatically, yes.  It won 4x4 of the year awards from the USA, Australia, Belgium and Germany amongst many others; Chinese periodicals voted it ‘best imported car’.  As Land Rover trumpeted in their own publicity, “Since its launch back in 2004, the Discovery 3 has achieved global acclaim winning a staggering 111 awards worldwide, including the honour of SUV of the year from countries as diverse as Mexico, Russia and Greece.”

VEHICLE PRODUCTION SUMMARY
2005 to 2009 Model Years

Late 2004 (2005 Model Year)
Discovery 3 introduced.  Badged as LR3 in some export markets (e.g. USA, Canada, Mexico). 
Models available in UK/Europe include Base 5 Seat, Base 7 Seat, S, SE, HSE.  Variations of this line up, with some differing specifications, supplied to other markets.
Powertrains available in UK/Europe include 2.7 TDV6 Diesel Manual, 2.7 TDV6 Diesel Automatic, 4.4 AJV8 Petrol Automatic.  ‘Entry level’ 4.0 Cologne V6 Petrol Automatic also offered in some export markets (e.g. USA, Australia).

2007 Model Year
Base 7 Seat model replaced by GS, S model replaced by XS. 
For UK/Europe, TDV6 diesel engine upgraded to Euro Stage 4 emissions compliance, including diesel particulate filter or ‘DPF’ in exhaust system.  Euro Stage 4 without DPF (rare variant) and earlier EU2 emissions TDV6 diesels retained for some other markets.

2007 1/2 Model Year
Discovery 3 Commercial (5 door van) introduced in choice of Base or XS trim.

2008 Model Year
Interior trim and fittings updated: trim panel finishes/colours changed, enhanced front seat features introduced, premium ‘Oxford, Windsor Style’ leather introduced alongside previous cloth and leather upholstery. 
Bluetooth phone integration introduced (previous cradle phone integration phased out during 2008 Model Year). 
4.4 AJV8 petrol engine discontinued in UK and most of Europe.

2009 Model Year
Exterior trim updated: body coloured front bumper on all models, plus body coloured rear bumper, wheel arches and tailgate fittings on higher specification models.
Side blast and grenade-proof Discovery 3 variant introduced, with category B6 level armouring.  Uprated suspension, brakes, wheels and tyres also fitted. 
Some late 2009MY cars fitted with Discovery 4 (2010MY) components, such as fuel tank. 

Discovery 3/LR3 production finishes at the end of 2009 Model Year. 
Total number of cars built in 5 years is 220057.

VEHICLE IDENTIFICATION
To ensure the parts that you order are correct for your Discovery 3, you will need to know the VIN (Vehicle Identification Number).  Unlike most previous Land Rover models, all component change points (including powertrain changes) are documented by the VIN at which the change took place.  There is no requirement to know the vehicle’s engine, transmission or axle serial numbers.

The last six characters of the VIN are the serial number of your car.  However, the VIN also provides you with considerably more useful information, most importantly the model year of your car (the majority - but by no means all - of changes in production relate to model years).  The complete VIN (excluding vehicles for USA, Canada, Mexico and China, which employ a significantly different VIN code system) can be broken down thus:

First character -         S = Europe
Second character -    A = United Kingdom
Third Character -       L = Land Rover (UK)
Fourth Character -     L = Land Rover marque
Fifth Character -        A = Discovery model
Sixth Character -       A = Standard EU & Rest of World
                                  J = Japan
Seventh Character -  A = 4 door
                                  B = 5 door
                                  D = Commercial
                                  K = Armoured
Eighth Character -     1 = 2.7 TDV6 diesel without DPF
                                  4 = 4.0 Cologne V6 petrol
                                  5 = 4.4 AJV8 petrol
                                  6 = 2.7 TDV6 diesel with DPF
Ninth Character -       3 = RHD automatic
                                  4 = LHD automatic
                                  7 = RHD manual
                                  8 = LHD manual
Tenth Character -      5 = 2005 model year
                                  6 = 2006 model year
                                  7 = 2007 model year
                                  8 = 2008 model year
                                  9 = 2009 model year
Eleventh Character - A = Solihull plant
Twelfth to Seventeenth - 999999 = serial number
Characters

Example:
A car showing SAL LA A D 6 7 9 A 498779 is -
Europe/UK/Land Rover UK/Land Rover/Discovery/Standard market/Commercial/2.7 TDV6 with DPF/RHD manual/2009MY/Solihull/serial no. 498779

...and for the purposes of using the VIN to trace applicable parts for the car in this catalogue, the tenth character onwards is the most important part, i.e. 9A498779.


Under-Bonnet VIN Plate Additional Information
Aside from the VIN, the under-bonnet VIN plate also provides the following additional information, from the top of the plate to the bottom:

1. Type Approval Specification
2. Vehicle Identification Number (VIN)
3. Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW, in Kg)
4. Gross Train Weight (GTW, in Kg)
5. Maximum Front Axle Load (in Kg)
6. Maximum Rear Axle Load (in Kg)
7. Exterior Paint Colour Name

Land Rover Discovery 3


Ford’s Legendary First Land Rover
Discovery 3, the first Land Rover product developed during Ford’s ownership of the company, represented a step-change when compared with previous Land Rover Discoveries.  Only the all-important characteristic spirit, purpose and most prominent styling cues of Discovery were carried over from the original and Series II models, while the famous Land Rover market-leading off-road ability was astoundingly further improved.

The Original Discovery and The Series II
Back in 1989, the original Discovery model had been launched to plug the ever-widening gap between the utilitarian Defender and the increasingly upmarket Range Rover, a gap very successfully exploited by the company’s competitors for some years.
Based on the Range Rover Classic’s chassis and body substructure, Discovery was quick and inexpensive to develop; vital for the frequently cash-strapped Austin Rover, then owners of Land Rover.  Looking different to the other Land Rover models yet unmistakably a product of that marque, it was critically acclaimed and an instant sales hit, establishing the cornerstone values of Discovery: considerably more refined than Defender on tarmac, yet equally as happy in a utilitarian or off-road role.

The original Discovery went on to sell 392,443 units in nine years, being replaced in 1998-9 by the skillfully reworked Discovery Series II.  The new car faithfully retained the silhouette and ethos of the original, while introducing further much-needed refinement to stay abreast with competitors’ latest offerings.  These included a more powerful, smoother diesel engine, a stiffer bodyshell and such technologies as optional rear air suspension, active cornering enhancement to bring more car-like handling and hill descent control for improved off-road traction.  Discovery Series II production totalled 278,570 units over six years, comfortably if not hugely outselling its predecessor in yearly average sales.  Not bad for a car that history now often (and wrongly) regards as a stopgap between the conventional original Discovery and the altogether more advanced Discovery 3.

Enter The All-New Discovery 3
In April 2004, the third generation Land Rover Discovery made its debut.  Designed by Andy Wheel, now Land Rover’s chief designer, at first glance it was lower (easier car park access), wider (for better handling) and slightly longer than its predecessors.  The slight length increase hid the fact that the wheelbase was actually over a foot longer, providing more room for third row seat occupants without increasing rear overhang (the rear overhang, brought about for the same reason on Discovery Series II, had to some extent compromised off-road ability).  The new car bristled with styling features and equipment not seen before on a Discovery and yet it still looked like a Discovery, helped by such trademarks as the stepped roof and ‘Alpine’ rear side window design.

The badges on the tailgate proclaimed the new car to be ‘Discovery 3’, with the ‘3’ given as much prominence as ‘Discovery’.  This wasn’t the name used for North America, however; there the car was called ‘LR3’, local market research having concluded that alpha-numeric code names were preferred by the buying public.  It was also said at the time that ‘LR3’ was intended to distance the new model from a patchy quality reputation of previous Discoveries in North America; whether this is true or mischievous rumour is unknown.

An altogether more complex and more sophisticated (and more expensive) vehicle than its predecessors, Discovery 3 would win plaudits from around the world and quickly established itself as the sports utility vehicle (‘SUV’) of choice in the 91 countries in which it was sold.

Three New Engines 
A big break with tradition was to be found under the bonnet.  Discovery would be offered with three different engines, one diesel and two petrol, and for the first time none of them were derived from previous Land Rover units.

The most important engine for European markets and many others would be the 2.7 litre TDV6 diesel, which was expected to be fitted to 90% of vehicles for those markets.  This smooth 190bhp V6 engine, fitted with a large, single turbocharger in its Land Rover Discovery 3 and Range Rover Sport applications to increase low range torque for off-road and towing use, was a member of Ford and Peugeot’s ‘Lion’ engine family, also to be seen in different states of tune in Fords, Jaguars, Peugeots and Citroens and manufactured by Ford at its Dagenham plant in England (a 3.6 litre V8 version of the Lion diesel engine would later make it into the Range Rover and Range Rover Sport as well). Land Rover’s TDV6 also differed from other Lion engines by featuring a modified lubrication system and uprated seals to help combat the rigours of off-road use.

For the 2007 model year, the TDV6 received a makeover to enable it to comply with the latest European emissions regulations.  Most Euro Stage 4 engines were equipped with and were most obviously identifiable by the diesel particulate filter or DPF in the exhaust system.  However, some countries that were not subject to the new regulations continued to receive TDV6 models with the earlier EU2 or Euro Stage 4 (without DPF) emissions equipment until Discovery 3 production ceased in 2009.

As expected, the TDV6 became the mainstay engine for Discovery 3, except in North America where a diesel variant of LR3 was not offered.  The main engine choice for North America and offered elsewhere as a high performance variant was the 300bhp, 4.4 litre AJ-V8 petrol engine.  As ‘AJ’ might suggest, this was a Land Rover version of Jaguar’s V8 petrol engine, manufactured within a special Jaguar area of Ford’s Bridgend engine factory in South Wales.  Featuring variable valve timing, it was more than capable of living up to the expectations of being the high performance engine.  Never that popular in countries where high fuel consumption and high fuel prices combined to make it considerably more expensive to run than the TDV6, the V8 petrol was quietly dropped from the UK price list (except for some special orders) and some other European countries in 2007.  It however continued to be offered after that date in North America, Australia and selected other markets.  Always a rarity in the UK, the V8 petrol Discovery 3 is now a sought after model by Land Rover enthusiasts (and is quite often converted to LPG to reduce running costs).

The third engine offered was a 216bhp, 4.0 litre V6 petrol engine.  Intended for use in a base model Discovery 3 in markets where the diesel was either not available or was of limited appeal, the V6 petrol was usually found in North America or Australia.  Developed by Ford as a single overhead cam version of their long-lived, German-built Cologne V6 engine family, the 4.0 litre V6 petrol was never going to set the sales charts on fire since it consumed nearly as much fuel as (and sometimes more than) the V8 petrol but didn’t offer anything like the same performance.  Dropped from the USA during 2007 (leaving the V8 petrol as the only LR3 engine available in the USA thereafter), it continued for Canada and Australia until the close of Discovery 3 production and even made it - just - into a few early Discovery 4s in those countries.

Incredible Off-Road Ability
Two gearboxes were offered on Discovery 3.  Both ZF 6 speed units, the manual S6-53 gearbox was only available with the diesel engine, whereas the automatic 6HP26 was optional for diesel models and standard for petrol.  Whichever gearbox was fitted, it was mated to the same transfer box, the Magna Steyr DD295.  This featured permanent four wheel drive (a given with all Land Rovers for 20 years previously) with a 50/50 torque split to front and rear axles.  It was a two speed, ‘shift-on-the-move’ transfer box, allowing range changes without having to stop the car.  An electronic clutch locked the centre differential when required and provided torque bias for optimised traction.  A slip controller increased locking torque according to off-road conditions (a similar device was optional on the rear axle).

Another break with tradition came with fully independent suspension replacing the beam axles of previous Discoveries, greatly improving ride quality.  Base models still came with steel coil springs, but all other models were fitted with air springs all round.  Electronically controlled, the air suspension adjusted ride height according to driving conditions and was able to sense the vehicle ‘grounding out’ off-road and further raise the height to clear the obstacle.  Another trick of the air suspension was to copy the outstanding attribute of the previous Discoveries’ rigid beam axles so that if one wheel dropped, the other rose to compensate and maintain traction.

To further aid the transmission and suspension in their quest for traction under difficult conditions, Discovery 3 came with a wealth of traction control systems.  Hill Decent Control, first seen on the Freelander, came as standard as did Electronic Traction Control (for off-road) and Dynamic Stability Control (for on-road).  The most sophisticated advance, though, came with a system called Terrain Response (not available on the base models with coil springs).  Terrain Response took the guesswork out of driving off-road by choosing all the settings on the car relevant for each of four different driving conditions: grass/gravel/snow, mud/ruts, sand or rock crawl, selectable by the driver from a cabin switch.

Having chosen the relevant driving conditions, Terrain Response would then set the ride height, traction control systems, diff locks, throttle response and even gearshift sensitivity to maximise stability and control for the conditions.  At a stroke, even inexperienced amateur off-road drivers could call on all the car’s potential for off-road use.  A real innovation and a very clever vehicle indeed, and it instantly won over everybody from the motoring press who experienced its incredible off-road ability.

Inside the Discovery 3, full use of state of the art electronic display technology meant that the driver didn’t have to remember the settings the car was in.  The Terrain Response mode, chosen gears, amount of diff locking, ride height and even steering angle (easy to forget in some driving conditions) were clearly shown in the fascia information display screen.  By the way, having mentioned steering, Discovery 3 was the first Discovery to enjoy the preciseness of rack and pinion steering.

A Fresh, Minimalist Style
The bodywork of Discovery 3 was, like the rest of the vehicle, all new and exuded a fresh, minimalist style and superior perceived quality than most previous Land Rovers had displayed.  The choice of all-steel skin panels and a more rigid, monocoque bodyshell construction allowed for tighter, more precise shut lines than on previous Discoveries.  Fussy multiple swage lines along the bodyside to stiffen aluminium door skins were no longer needed, so Discovery 3 made do with a simple waist-height groove along the wings, extending into the front doors just enough to mount the indicator repeater lamps.  This made for a much plainer, more business-like appearance than Land Rover owners were used to.

Carefully chosen styling cues reassured the viewer that they were still looking at a Land Rover: the stepped roof, Alpine rear windows, huge black bumpers and three bar radiator grille came from previous Discoveries, the full-width ‘clam shell’ bonnet came from Range Rover and Freelander and the black plastic wheel arch extensions, well, they reinforced the car’s utilitarian abilities and its relationship to the Defender.  Most 2009 model year Discovery 3s had the wheel arch extensions and bumpers colour coded to match the bodywork, which changed the character of the car’s appearance considerably.

The monocoque bodyshell was a feature of another innovation, one that Land Rover called ‘Integrated Body Frame’ construction.  The simple body on a sturdy ladder frame chassis of previous Land Rovers was replaced on Discovery 3 by a torsionally very strong, self-supporting bodyshell on a more basic chassis, thereby giving the car the plus points of both a monocoque body and a ladder frame chassis, which it undoubtedly had.  Unfortunately it also gave the car its only major Achilles’ Heel, a huge weight problem which would to some extent compromise performance both on and off-road.  It didn’t take long for motoring journalists to find out that Discovery 3 was even heavier - by a third of a tonne - than its larger Range Rover sibling.  It was the only thing that spoilt the car.

Inside, the function-over-fuss approach extended to the fascia and interior trim.  The fascia, while paying homage to the style of the Range Rover’s from a couple of years before, somehow successfully pulled off a utilitarian approach combined with a feel of quality, even though most of it was in varying textures of plastic offset by the occasional metal or wood accent.  All the usual attributes of a car from the Discovery 3’s price bracket could be had, though, if the customer wanted them: that British wood-and-leather ambience, electric seats, electric everything really, plus DVD, TV and navigation systems and three different sound systems including a premium Harmon-Kardon speaker system optimally tuned for Discovery 3.  However, unless the customer specified these fripperies, they got a very functional, basic and hard-wearing yet comfortable interior.  Despite later upgrades, a minor materials facelift and revised model specifications later in the car’s life, it was always possible to choose the minimalist interior that helped define the car’s character so well.

A Truly Outstanding Land Rover
During its five years of production, the Discovery 3 maintained the previous Discoverys’ rate of sales; extremely creditable, given its shift upwards on the price scale.  A total of 220,057 Discovery 3 models were built, averaging 44011 vehicles per year.

On the 8th May 2007, a Discovery 3 became the four millionth Land Rover built.  It was donated for use as a rapid response rescue vehicle for The Born Free Foundation, one of Land Rover’s key conservation sponsors.

The Discovery 3, like all its Land Rover predecessors, proved very adaptable for specific tasks.  A commercial (van) version, still based on the standard five door body, was marketed by Land Rover Special Vehicles from 2007 onwards.  In 2009 a B6 level armoured version was introduced, capable of withstanding side blasts and under-floor grenade attacks.  Many other special adaptations, too numerous to list here, have been made to Discovery 3s by organisations across the world.

A truly outstanding Land Rover?  Most emphatically, yes.  It won 4x4 of the year awards from the USA, Australia, Belgium and Germany amongst many others; Chinese periodicals voted it ‘best imported car’.  As Land Rover trumpeted in their own publicity, “Since its launch back in 2004, the Discovery 3 has achieved global acclaim winning a staggering 111 awards worldwide, including the honour of SUV of the year from countries as diverse as Mexico, Russia and Greece.”

VEHICLE PRODUCTION SUMMARY
2005 to 2009 Model Years

Late 2004 (2005 Model Year)
Discovery 3 introduced.  Badged as LR3 in some export markets (e.g. USA, Canada, Mexico). 
Models available in UK/Europe include Base 5 Seat, Base 7 Seat, S, SE, HSE.  Variations of this line up, with some differing specifications, supplied to other markets.
Powertrains available in UK/Europe include 2.7 TDV6 Diesel Manual, 2.7 TDV6 Diesel Automatic, 4.4 AJV8 Petrol Automatic.  ‘Entry level’ 4.0 Cologne V6 Petrol Automatic also offered in some export markets (e.g. USA, Australia).

2007 Model Year
Base 7 Seat model replaced by GS, S model replaced by XS. 
For UK/Europe, TDV6 diesel engine upgraded to Euro Stage 4 emissions compliance, including diesel particulate filter or ‘DPF’ in exhaust system.  Euro Stage 4 without DPF (rare variant) and earlier EU2 emissions TDV6 diesels retained for some other markets.

2007 1/2 Model Year
Discovery 3 Commercial (5 door van) introduced in choice of Base or XS trim.

2008 Model Year
Interior trim and fittings updated: trim panel finishes/colours changed, enhanced front seat features introduced, premium ‘Oxford, Windsor Style’ leather introduced alongside previous cloth and leather upholstery. 
Bluetooth phone integration introduced (previous cradle phone integration phased out during 2008 Model Year). 
4.4 AJV8 petrol engine discontinued in UK and most of Europe.

2009 Model Year
Exterior trim updated: body coloured front bumper on all models, plus body coloured rear bumper, wheel arches and tailgate fittings on higher specification models.
Side blast and grenade-proof Discovery 3 variant introduced, with category B6 level armouring.  Uprated suspension, brakes, wheels and tyres also fitted. 
Some late 2009MY cars fitted with Discovery 4 (2010MY) components, such as fuel tank. 

Discovery 3/LR3 production finishes at the end of 2009 Model Year. 
Total number of cars built in 5 years is 220057.

VEHICLE IDENTIFICATION
To ensure the parts that you order are correct for your Discovery 3, you will need to know the VIN (Vehicle Identification Number).  Unlike most previous Land Rover models, all component change points (including powertrain changes) are documented by the VIN at which the change took place.  There is no requirement to know the vehicle’s engine, transmission or axle serial numbers.

The last six characters of the VIN are the serial number of your car.  However, the VIN also provides you with considerably more useful information, most importantly the model year of your car (the majority - but by no means all - of changes in production relate to model years).  The complete VIN (excluding vehicles for USA, Canada, Mexico and China, which employ a significantly different VIN code system) can be broken down thus:

First character -         S = Europe
Second character -    A = United Kingdom
Third Character -       L = Land Rover (UK)
Fourth Character -     L = Land Rover marque
Fifth Character -        A = Discovery model
Sixth Character -       A = Standard EU & Rest of World
                                  J = Japan
Seventh Character -  A = 4 door
                                  B = 5 door
                                  D = Commercial
                                  K = Armoured
Eighth Character -     1 = 2.7 TDV6 diesel without DPF
                                  4 = 4.0 Cologne V6 petrol
                                  5 = 4.4 AJV8 petrol
                                  6 = 2.7 TDV6 diesel with DPF
Ninth Character -       3 = RHD automatic
                                  4 = LHD automatic
                                  7 = RHD manual
                                  8 = LHD manual
Tenth Character -      5 = 2005 model year
                                  6 = 2006 model year
                                  7 = 2007 model year
                                  8 = 2008 model year
                                  9 = 2009 model year
Eleventh Character - A = Solihull plant
Twelfth to Seventeenth - 999999 = serial number
Characters

Example:
A car showing SAL LA A D 6 7 9 A 498779 is -
Europe/UK/Land Rover UK/Land Rover/Discovery/Standard market/Commercial/2.7 TDV6 with DPF/RHD manual/2009MY/Solihull/serial no. 498779

...and for the purposes of using the VIN to trace applicable parts for the car in this catalogue, the tenth character onwards is the most important part, i.e. 9A498779.


Under-Bonnet VIN Plate Additional Information
Aside from the VIN, the under-bonnet VIN plate also provides the following additional information, from the top of the plate to the bottom:

1. Type Approval Specification
2. Vehicle Identification Number (VIN)
3. Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW, in Kg)
4. Gross Train Weight (GTW, in Kg)
5. Maximum Front Axle Load (in Kg)
6. Maximum Rear Axle Load (in Kg)
7. Exterior Paint Colour Name