UK & Ireland Feedback from those who have driven on Tarmac?

[Trialmaster]

Would really like to know those who have driven on Tarmac, what their impressions are? How does it feel at Motorway speeds 70-80 mph cruising and acceleration?

 

[Mr. Largo WINCH]

Bonjour
Séance d'essai du Grenadier sur le circuit de vitesse du Luc en Provence (avec un pilote professionnel)
Vitesse maxi sur le circuit à 134 - 136 km/h (soit 84 - 85 Miles / h)

20230411_Film de l'essai.mp4

drive.google.com

véhicule silencieux, très stable en virage et avec de très bonnes accélérations.

Bonne journée

 

[Halliwell Jones Chester]

Would really like to know those who have driven on Tarmac, what their impressions are? How does it feel at Motorway speeds 70-80 mph cruising and acceleration?

Absolutely fantastic, no tracking or pulling with the KO2 tyres on, surprisingly very quiet with very little road noise or wind noise. Overall pleasantly surprised by just how good it was.

 

[Jeremy996]

Got over 200 miles on the odometer; it is a good drive, more like a P38 than a Defender. Stable at speed and not too roll-poly on twisty bits. You can tell it is live axles, as you still get the wriggle over an off-set diagonal ridge or furrow, but a good compromise for UK road use. There is plenty of power, acceleration onto a motoroway is a pleasure; in a 200Tdi LR110, it always felt a bit fraught.

The steering seems a little slow, but I am getting more confident with it as miles are travelled; reversing is a little novel as I bought the rear view camera and I don't trust it yet.

I can feel the beginnings of a long term relationship.

 

[grenadierboy]

Got over 200 miles on the odometer; it is a good drive, more like a P38 than a Defender. Stable at speed and not too roll-poly on twisty bits. You can tell it is live axles, as you still get the wriggle over an off-set diagonal ridge or furrow, but a good compromise for UK road use. There is plenty of power, acceleration onto a motoroway is a pleasure; in a 200Tdi LR110, it always felt a bit fraught.

The steering seems a little slow, but I am getting more confident with it as miles are travelled; reversing is a little novel as I bought the rear view camera and I don't trust it yet.

I can feel the beginnings of a long term relationship.

didn't the P38 stop production 25 years ago?

 

[IG_in_AZ]

didn't the P38 stop production 25 years ago?

The can opener from WWII?

 

[bigleonski]

didn't the P38 stop production 25 years ago?

Hmmmm, I’d be hoping for something that drives a little better than a 25 year old vehicle.

 

[DenisM]

didn't the P38 stop production 25 years ago?

22 yrs ago, but the memory lingers still.... a marvellous vehicle! Grossly underrated, occasionally a cantankerous bugger if it woke up with a headache, a superb long distance tourer over rough roads. I took mine to Cape York with 150K+ on the clock and apart from a replacement air filter and 1.5L oil after the first 3500km of the trip, no other needs or wants.. The steering was recirculating ball, but an easy hack to slightly increase the caster above spec and it was extremely stable on tarmac at 110-120km/hr, especially as the air suspension was programmed to automatically lower the vehicle15-20mm above 90km/hr.... The view from the "Command" driving position was unbeatable... It always felt "grounded" with its constant 4wd...that's what I'm looking forward to in the Trialmaster.....

 

[Shopkeep]

Hmmmm, I’d be hoping for something that drives a little better than a 25 year old vehicle.

Hope its better than a P38, the air suspension on that thing was nasty (maybe the one my old man had was faulty, but the friggin compressor bugged the stuff out of me).

 

[CountyV8]

Would really like to know those who have driven on Tarmac, what their impressions are? How does it feel at Motorway speeds 70-80 mph cruising and acceleration?

The drag of a brick increases with the square of the speed.

 

[JOB]

Interesting comparisons with P38 - I was actually hoping for Road manners and drive similar to an L332, but with better reliability and up to date connectivity. I think that’s what we’ll get but it remains to be seen. When I drove my L322 this morning, the wipers effectively cleared the frost, my left knee wasn’t touching my chin and most amazingly; it didn’t break down.

 

[bigleonski]

I wish you Land Rover guys would use something more generic than L332 or P38. I’m having to google to see what vehicles you’re talking about.

 

[Jeremy996]

didn't the P38 stop production 25 years ago?

Well 22 I think. The thing is, the Range Rover P38 was live-axled, whereas every LR/RR since then has had independent suspension. I always found that model Range Rover very comfortable. You can feel that the Grenadier is live-axled, but like the P38, it is not the first thing you notice, as it is 'comfortable' and well controlled. Too many modern cars are very stiffly sprung, so the primary ride is terrible, but roadholding can be good and speed can be maintained through corners. German cars are often the worst and I am sure that it meets some fantasy of what a 'sporty' car should be.

A well designed independent suspension should drive the socks off a live-axled car as the massively reduced unspring weight should allow the wheels to more closely follow the road, even when the road is rough or broken. That the Grenadier is as good as it is, is a tribute to the chassis engineers - live axle development stopped, more or less with the P38 as most vehicles have gone fully independent or front axle, independent and rear axle cart springs.

 

[ryket]

I wish you Land Rover guys would use something more generic than L332 or P38. I’m having to google to see what vehicles you’re talking about.

P38 = the unreliable one from the mid-90s
L322 = the one from the 2000s that actually works

The P38 is actually a nice car to drive (when it's not broken down), so if its on road handling is similar to the Grenadier then that's a good sign.

 

[FlyingTrotter]

I have an L322 (MY2011) and that is what I will be moving from to the Grenadier - love it but time for a change

 

[ryket]

I have an L322 (MY2011) and that is what I will be moving from to the Grenadier - love it but time for a change

Maybe keep both? Resale value is rock bottom right now and the L322 is arguably the best Range Rover that ever was or will be made. I wish it had been a bit more rugged and off-road focused though - it's irritatingly close to perfection.

I plan on keeping my 4.2 SC even if I get the Grenadier.

 

[@nd]

Drives exactly like a P38put springs on mine drove like a dream.
only got rid because a service agent fried the electrics and offered me a deal too good to miss on a V8 Disco which in turn got rolled on the M4 (i wasn't driving and all got out ok)