6 - Friday, Jun , 1994 af AUTO THEFTS... West Vancouver police investigat- ed seven reported thefts from vehicles in the Lighthouse Park area last month, On June 6, police arrested two 18-year-old West Vancouver males when offi- cers came across the pair breaking into a car in the West Vancouver park. Both face charges of theft under $1,000, and one of the men faces additional charges of possession of break-in instru- ments and breach of proba- tion. “We encourage people to get out and enjoy the parks and remind them to remove all valuables from their vehi- cles while unattended,” says West Van police Cst. Jamie Gibson. June marks the beginning of the “Lock Out Auto Theft” campaign. CLEAN-AIR COMMUTE DAY... John Sheehan, acting president and CEO of BC Hydro, recently challenged Vancouver company heads to a Clean Air Commute Competition on June 22. “In the month ahead, we hope that the people of the Lower Mainland can make a difference in the air we breathe,” Sheehan said while issuing the challenge. “I am confident enough in our employees that I have chal- lenged Ontario Hydro to try and beat our people in the Clean Air Commute.” Sheehan said that the los- ing company will plant a tree for every employee in the winner’s company. “I have a feeling that there will be a lot more maple trees growing in Toronto next year,” he added. The Society Promoting Environmental! Conservation (SPEC) is coordinating a Clean Air Campaign during the month of June, hoping to increase awareness of urban air quality. Call Pat Currie at 736-7732 for details. SHARE-A-RIDE... a solu- tion, for some, to commuting nightmares was recently launched in the Lower Mainland. Share-A-Ride is 4 private- ly owned business which is designed to bring together people living in close proxim- ity and sharing a common work (or school) destination. . With the help of computer software, the program regis- ters all new members into a, “destination file.” Users are asked four sim- ple questions: starting point; destination; driver or passen- ger; and smoker or non- smoker. The computer processes this information and matches compatible rid- ers and drivers. The fee for the service, collected once a match is found, is $25 for a one-year membership, which includes the finding of the first ride. A $5 charge will be charged if any changes over the course of the year are made. For more information call 689-RIDE (7433). + North Shore News _ Photo sutmittad THE NEW Land Rover Discovery offers a standard 3.9-litre V8 engine, dual airbags, full-time four-wheel-drive, disc brakes with ABS, and available seven-passenger seating. The luxury sport-utility vehicle starts at $39,995. iscovery Explorer and the Cherokee The Empire’s Greg TEST DRIVE THERE’S SOMETHING ter- ribly inconsistent with the idea of an upscale 4X4. I mean, how can one vehicle attempt to be both a rugged off-road vehicle and a presti- gious luxury car? Do people really want a utility vehicle to go grocery shopping? Isn’t a “prestige 4X4” a contradiction in terms? A quick look at the popularity of sport-utility vehicles wiil dispel any doubts as to the relevance of well- equipped off-road vehicles. Ford Explorers and Jeep Grand Cherokees are selling like hotcakes. Imports, such as the Nissan Pathfinder and Toyota 4-Runner are very popular in B.C. And the stately Range Rover is still going strong after 23 years. And there are more sport-utility vehicles on the way. General Motors will soon be offering a full-size, four-door Blazer; Ford has a full-size Bronco in the works; and Chrysler answer to the will be building a full-size sport-util- ity based on the new Ram pickup. A new Pathfinder will be here this fall. Even Mercedes-Benz has plans to produce a luxury sport-utili- ty vehicle. In Canada and the United States, buyers love their sport-utes — an most of the time. they want them loaded. Which brings me to the new Land Rover Discovery, a mid-sized luxury 4X4 imported from England. The “Son-of-Range-Rover” fea- tures a standard V8 engine, full-time four-wheel-drive, available seven- passenger seating, and all the luxury features you could ask for. Its most interesting styling feature is a stepped roof and integral “eye- brow” windows, similar to those seen on vintage Land Rovers. Its tall stance, big windows, lack of chrome trim, and distinctive bodywork, give it a purposeful, ready-to-get-off-the- beaten-track appearance. Of course, you will be going in style. The Discovery comes com- plete with dual-zone climate control, power windows, cruise control, cen- tral door locking, a premium audio system, split 60/40 rear seats, tilt wheel, and more. Much attention has been paid to safety considerations. The Discovery is the first sport-utility with both dri- ver and passenger airbags. There are also side-door impact beams, front and rear three-point safety belts in outboard positions and a centre lap belt, and four head restraints. The Discovery also has a standard anti-theft system. The stylish interior features a wide centre console with a console shifter. However, the wide console forces the front seats closer to the doors, resulting in less shoulder room on the door sides. The rear seats are positioned higher than the front seats enabling rear passengers to see over the front passengers. Two side-facing rear seats are available as an option, increasing the potential seating capacity of the Discovery to seven. In terms of off-road abilities, the Discovery benefits from the decades of experience Land Rover has gleaned from the Discovery's big brother, the Range Rover. The Discovery features rust-proof aluminum body panels, with the exception of a steel roof. A 14-gauge boxed stecl ladder frame provides durability for off-road excursions, and a Class IH towing hitch is stan- dard equipment. The Discovery offers a standard 182 horsepower 3.9-litre V8 engine, permanent four-wheel-drive with selectable-locking centre differential, four-wheel disc brakes with ABS, and long travel suspension, giving it confidence-inspiring agility and poise on steep grades, with traction and braking to match. The 16 x 7’“alloy wheels and big 235/70HR- 16 inch Michelin Mud and Snow rated all-season radials are standard. The tires are surprisingly quict on the highway while offering excellent grip on slippery surfaces. Price as tested: $46,990 Base price: $39,995 Type: four-door, five-passenger sport utility Layout: longitudinal front engine/{ull-time four-wheel-drive Engine: 4.0-litre V8 Horsepower: 182 @ 4,750 rpm Torque: 232 ft.-lbs. @ 3,100 tpm Transmission: five-speed manu- al (four-speed automatic) A five-speed manual transmission is standard while a four-speed auto- matic is optional. I would highly rec- ommend the automatic transmission as the manual has rather long throws and the 2nd to 3rd shift was rather stiff in my test vehicle. As with all good off-road vehi- cles, the Discovery benefits from short front and rear overhangs, a high grounu clearance (20 cm, 7.8 in.), and excellent driver visibility. Unlike many sport-utes, the Discovery’s externally mounted spare tire doesn’t get in the way of rear vision. The new Discovery starts at just under $40,000, a reasonable price considering the standard V8-engine, full-time four-wheel-drive, alu- minum body panels, and luxury fea- tures, The few options include leather upholstery, dual power sunroofs, seven-passenger seating, and auto- matic transmission. So equipped, the Discovery tops out at about $47,000, plus transportation costs of $950, plus taxes. If you're in the market for gen- uinely versatile sport utility with a lot of character and features, the Discovery is worth a test-drive. Transfer case: two-speed, lock- ing centre diferential . Curb weight: 1,986 kg (4.379 Ibs.) Tires: 253/70HR-16 Michelin M+5 all-season radials Ground clearance: 206 mm (8.1 in.) Wheelbase: 2,540 mm (100 in.) Length: 4,539 mm (178.7 in.) Width: 1,793 mm (70.6 in.) Height: 1,966 mm (77.4 in.)