The Land Rover Discovery 4 Extreme is customized to YOU!
How New Zealand Land Rover Salesman Brendan McPhearson took a 2013 Discovery 4 HSE and made it deluxe with a capital "D" by adding an array of after market accessories and his own custom modifications. The result is the Discovery 4 EXTREME!How New Zealand Land Rover Salesman Brendan McPhearson took a 2013 Discovery 4 HSE and made it deluxe with a capital "D" by adding an array of after market accessories and his own custom modifications. The result is the Discovery 4 EXTREME!. . . . This article was originally produced by Ashley Lucas for New Zealand 4WD.
How New Zealand Land Rover Salesman Brendan McPhearson took a 2013 Discovery 4 HSE and made it deluxe with a capital "D" by adding an array of after market accessories and his own custom modifications. The result is the Discovery 4 EXTREME!
Land Rover Has A Utilitarian Past
For many years now, part of the Land Rover ownership has been the ability to personlize the vehicle to an individual's whims and use requirements, and also to make the vehicle stand out from the crowd. It has been popular to give the Land Rovers, especially earlier Defenders, a tough, rugged look - but not so much the later luxury models. But even the latest Range Rover or Discovery still have a wide range of genuine and aftermarket accessories to suit most individual's wants and needs, and if that is not enough, there are specialists aftermarket acessory suppliers.
When the Discovery 3 was first introduced in 2004 there was a separate accessories brochure with about 1,200 accessories to choose from. 
Today, though, today the genuine accessories lists are a little smaller, but this is complemented by niche aftermarket suppliers of truck, Jeep and SUV accessories. The Land Rover products of today are still world leaders in off-road ability straight off the showroom floor. But sometimes owners desier, in the words of Oliver Twist, "more".
Luxing Out Land Rover With After Market Accessories
This is where Brendan MacPherson from Duncan & Ebbett, the Waikato, New Zealand Land Rover dealership, had a vison and convince his boss, Craig Duncan, to allow him to put together a Discovery 4 Extreme as part of the company's "Extreme" range of vehicles. The idea was born from customers who liked the concept of the D&E Extreme Defender options, but were not so enthused about the utilitarian nature of the Defender and its mediocre road manners compared to the sophisticated Discovery and Range Rover.
The base vehicle for this Extreme makeover is a new 2013 model Discovery 4 HSE with SDV6 3-litre diesel engine and eight-speed automatic transmission with paddle shift. Of course, it has the Land Rover Terrain Response system as standard, but it also has the optional E-Locking rear differential, wich is fully integrated with the Terrain Response system. It is also optioned with the Winter Comfort package, which includes heated seats and front windscreen, a cooler in the centre cubby box, and roof rails. Brendan trolled through the various accessories brochures from both ehre and overseas to see what he could use to make this Discovery suitable for the Extreme badge that it now wears.
In Aussie he found Land Rover Australia had its own polished aluminum bull bar, but it was intended only for the Australian market. Not to be put off, Brendan sort permission from LR UK to have the bull bar approved for NZ, which was duly received. When the polished alloy bull bar arrived I wasn't convinced it was a thing of beauty, but Brendan had other plans.
Both the Discovery and the bull bar were sent off to the painters to be fully repainted in matt black, or as Brendan called it, "Extreme Dark". The wing grille, normally silver, was contrast painted in gloss black. Yes, that's right, a brand new vehicle was stripped and completely repainted.
Once back from the painters it was fitted out with the extras, and from the Land Rover accessories brochure came the full length roof rack and the rear access ladder. A LR raised air intake, or as it is commonely known here, a snorkel, was fitted, along with genuine Land Rover front and rear light guards. Inside, it got the heavy duty rubber mats throughout.
When it came to wheels Brendan chose 19-inch alloys from the Range Rover and had them powder coated black and fitted with black and silver logo centre caps, rather than the standard green oval ones. They were then wrapped with 255x55x19 Cooper Zeon LTZ all terrain tires.
The bull bar is a non-winch type, but as with any extreme off-road vehicle a winch is a must, so using a Terrafirma discrete winch mount supplied by Auckland-based Manlandrover, the bull bar was modified with a fairlead opening for the winch, which is a Warn Zeon 10-S 10,000lb with synthetic rope, and sits neatly behind the bumper/bull bar so doesn't impact on the 36 degree approach angle at off-road height.
Incorporating some underbody protection meant looking elsewhere, and again niche Land Rover accessory business Mainlandover supplied Terrafirma 8mm alloy front steering and transmission guards. For the sills TerraFirma Rock and Tree Sliders were fitted due to their strength and design. They are made from 6mm alloy carefully folded to match the sill, and the tubular bars help keep the body off banks, and double as a step for easier access.
On the roof rack are 4 OEX LED lights, two spots and two floods, reminiscent of the Camel Trophy days. The OEX lights are the latest LED technology and are IP68 waterproof rated and are wired independntly for off-road use.
Other options available, but not fitted to this particular car, include a swing away rear wheel carrier to get the spare wheel out form under the vehicle. Also an alloy fuel tank guard.
With All These Fancy Mods How Does The Land Rover Discovery 4 Extreme Ride?
For its inaugural off-road outing Brendan took the Discovery Extreme to the Woodhill 4WD Park, northwest of Auckland. Being so new he wasn't allowed to test the Discovery's 700mm wading depth in some of the large mud holes, mostly because if he did I was going to have to have it detailed before it was returned. But the off-road abilities were tested, including approach and departure angles and its traction ability on the Cooper Zeons.
We thought we had met its match when in slipped some ruts, but the E-locking differential, along with the all terrain tires, worked well and it managed to back out without haivng to resort to the winch. With the air suspension set to its highest setting, the 19-inch wheels looked small, but the ground clearance was an easy 310mm, and ramp breakover angle a respectable 27 degrees.
The Duncan & Ebbett Discovery 4 Extreme will be used as a company demonstrator over the next few months.
Post a Comment