Famous Nollywood actor, Osita Iheme, popularly known as Pawpaw, is a favourite of many movie lovers when it comes to acting. The undersized 32-year-old actor is reputed to be one of Nigeria’s most entertaining actors.
The comedian, who hails from Imo State, has featured in over 30 movies and has proven himself as a versatile actor.
The Mass Communications graduate of Enugu State University, Enugu has an exotic Land Rover 3, also called LR3 in the fleet of vehicles in his garage. The car costs about N7m.
Land Rover SUVs are known for their utility, good performance, luxurious advantage and off-road proficiency, which are not lacking in the LR3. It may not be the most ideal car for daily on-road use like some other luxury SUVs, the LR3 offers versatility and luxury.
The vehicle’s performance and styling are almost unbeatable, coupled with its head-turner updated exterior and interior features. The seats position the occupants as if seated in the stadium, offering a clear view of the road ahead with great comfort. The vehicle’s handling is great and it has plenty of power.
Introduction
the LR3 bridges the gap between everyday usability and off-road capability. It comes with plenty of standard performance-enhancing features, three rows of seating, abundant headroom and a very useful cargo compartment. When the road turns to dirt, the LR3 is at the ready with a 300-horsepower V8 engine, a sophisticated suspension and four-wheel drive.
Features
The LR3 SUV is offered in a single trim level while the previous HSE trim becomes an option package.
It is loaded with a long and impressive list of modern standard interior features including rear parking sensors, leather upholstery, eight-way power front seats, and a nine-speaker stereo with an in-dash CD changer and auxiliary audio jack, while rear-seat entertainment system is available as option.
The HSE package adds front and rear parking sensors, front and rear heated seats, heated windshield-washer jets, Bluetooth, satellite radio and a navigation system that has mapping capability for both on- and off-road.
The HSE LUX package adds adaptive bi-xenon headlights, higher-grade leather upholstery, a 14-speaker Harman Kardon surround-sound audio system, a centre-console cooler box and driver memory settings.
Performance
The LR3 is powered by a 4.4-litre V8 engine that makes 300 hp and 315 pound-feet of torque. A six-speed automatic transmission sends power to its sophisticated four-wheel-drive system. Using a rotary knob, the driver can select one of five settings: general, snow/grass/gravel, mud and ruts, sand and rock crawl, which optimise everything for the conditions at hand, from throttle response to the differentials, enabling the system to automatically adapt to virtually any terrain or off-road challenge.
However, this heavy SUV is expectedly thirsty. Fuel mileage ratings stand at 12 miles per gallon in the city, 17mpg on the highway and 14mpg combined. When properly equipped, the LR3 can tow up to 3493 kg.
Safety
Safety features on the 2009 Land Rover LR3 include antilock disc brakes, brake assist, traction control, stability control, with rollover mitigation technology, hill descent control, driver and passenger airbags with on/off switch, side head and rear head airbags, front-seat side airbags and three-row head curtain airbags. Also available are child safety locks and rear parking sensors, while front bumper sensors come with the HSE package.
The advantage
Land Rover has a style of its own. Filled with luxury features, it has a general rugged ambience that is traceable to all adventure-seeking Land Rover models. However, the centre-stack is awash with black buttons and knobs, resembling some sort of navigational control panel from a yacht, which can also be a little confusing. In terms of everyday usability, the LR3 shines. There has never been any recall since it was produced, which symbolises great quality.
The good: The SUV is excellent and well suited for both on-road cruising and off-road driving, with comfortable and luxurious interior, coupled with its appealing and updated appearance and a rugged feel advantage.
The bad: Reviewers complained about its poor fuel economy, low reliability rating, tough-to-use buttons on the heavy centre console, excessive weight, which affects performance, and that its off-road prowess limits its on-road comfort.
