There are plenty of reasons the 3Birds Template team loves the [OEM] lineup. [OEM] vehicles are capable, well-crafted, and high-performing, so it's easy to see why we like them so much. But when it comes to power and maximum capability, the Discovery HSE Td6 may just take the cake.
Discovery takes on a road train
During a recent ultimate towing test in the Northern Territory of Australia, an unmodified Discovery Td6 towed a 328-foot seven-trailer semi-truck from a stopped position for a total of nearly 10 miles. The Discovery used its standard eight-speed automatic transmission and four-wheel drive system and was hooked up to the road train using an optional tow bar attachment.
The Discovery Td6 has a maximum permissible towing capacity of 7,716-lbs (3,500kg) on public roads, but successfully towed the 121-ton road train 9.9-miles along a closed section of the Lasseter Highway, thanks to its 254-horsepower 3.0-liter turbocharged diesel engine and four-wheel-drive traction.
Wheels of steel
“Towing capability has always been an important part of Discovery DNA and the raw weight of the road train tells only half the story here,” said Quentin Spottiswoode, Land Rover Product Engineer. “Pulling a rig and seven trailers, with the rolling resistance of so many axles to overcome, is a huge achievement. We expected the vehicle to do well but it passed this test with flying colors, hitting 27mph (44km/h) along its 10-mile (16km) route.”
The optional Advanced Tow Assist technology assists drivers with reversing by providing responsive trajectory lines on the rear camera feed on the vehicle's central touchscreen. This allows the driver to steer the Discovery Td6 using the rotary Terrain Response® 2 controller on the center console while the system calculates the steering inputs required to achieve the desired outcome.
To find out more about the Discovery Td6, or to explore the other extraordinary models in the [OEM] lineup, call, contact us online, or visit us in person at 505 W. Franklin St., Chapel Hill, NC 27516 today. We're sure you're going to find them just as enticing as we do.
Image Credit: [OEM]
