L405 test drives

TR2 is the auto setting - the LRE instructors wanted us to use TR in the manual mode in Grass Gravel and Snow
As you have owned a Disco4 you will be familiar with the extra functions that the air suspended cars have anyway. While we were on the LRE Dunkeld trails we did find that the car we were in seemed to lower itself to access mode whenever were stopped and had TR2 Auto mode switched on - twice the guy who was driving forgot to raise the car to offroad height when he pulled away resulting in some unpleasant noises under the car, strangely it didn't raise itself after detecting a bottoming out situation. When he switched back to manual selection the car stayed up at offroad height. All the cars at the LRE were riding on standard OEM 19" alloys and standard tyres.

Interesting stuff Tim! I've seen 3 now around London over the past two weekends around the Holland Park/Shepherds Bush area so I imagine they're on the London equivalent events. Not sure what happened to my invite!!

Interesting to hear that the wing mirrors are smaller as I thought they'd lifter the Evoque mirrors and it does re-raise the question of why the Evoques have to be so big - surely the L405 has a bigger frontal area?

(04-12-2012 10:51am)WB Wrote:  Interesting to hear that the wing mirrors are smaller as I thought they'd lifter the Evoque mirrors and it does re-raise the question of why the Evoques have to be so big - surely the L405 has a bigger frontal area?

While they look very similar in style,the differences in dimensions are actually NOT much at all.
My dealership has a L405 on display this week, and while i was checking it out, i got my tape measure onto the mirror shell, and noted the 3 widest points for a comparison with the Evoques.

These are general approx figures, give or take a few mm's.

Face shell width
Evoque - 23cm
L405 - 22cm
Face shell height
L405 - 18CM
Evoque - 17cm
Shell Depth
Evoque - 17cm
L405 - 15cm

Summary of mirror dimension comparison
In real world use,it's the two Face dimensions that count when comparing size, and in this comparison, they basically cancel themselves out for size....The Evoque is wider by 1cm, but the L405 it taller by 1cm. As the L405 mirror shell has the shorter depth, it is smaller overall,but not by much.
Amazing how much lower L405's waist line and mirror sits , compared to the high waisted Evoque.

Love the update on these cars, thanks for that.

However, very disappointed to see LR have kept the crap satnav.

(added) Actually, I may have jumped-the-gun. Did you see any major software enhancements? I utterly detest the whole media centre + satnav etc in my Evoque.

Sat in one at my local dealer whilst I waiting for my car Bluetooth to be checked.

Beautiful car, the showroom car had a mode where it was plugged into 240v under neath the car and the daytime lights and interior features were live.

I sat in and behind the wheel, really nice.

Also opened the electric rear tailgate, noticed under the bootfloor a full size alloy spare wheel and jack, brace etc.

Then I found the towbar switch section. After some beeping a towbar appeared from behind the bumper, a proper forged bar. Some more safety beeping and it was gone.

Just need to change the company car policy and multiply it three times, I'll have to keep dreaming.

All the body lines looked great and interior build quality looked great. It felt like a well made mature daddy evoque.