I was never a huge Land Rover fan until I attended the Land Rover Driving School at the famous Greenbriar Resort in West Virginia last year. It was there I gained a true appreciation for what makes Land Rover perhaps the most capable off road vehicle on the planet.

The redesigned Land Rover LR3 is a big improvement over its Discovery predecessor and the influence of parent company Ford, makes it obvious this the first Land Rover designed specifically with Americans in mind.

The Discovery boasted undeniably offbeat styling, idiosyncratic ergonomics, was underpowered and needed an optional suspension to make it handle decently on American roads. Meanwhile, the new LR3 is about 6 inches longer with a wheelbase stretched almost 14 inches, an inch wider, and several inches lower and than the Discovery — which just looked top-heavy and clumsy.

The LR3 also is costlier than the Discovery, with list prices starting around the mid $44,000 level and running up close to $50,000.

While the snob appeal of the Land Rover name has always been its major selling feature, not to mention its superior off-road ability, many buyers understandably passed up the quirky and expensive Discovery in favor of somewhat less capable, albeit more comfortable and stylish rival sport-utility vehicles like the Lexus RX330, Volvo XC90 and BMW X5.

The larger, more powerful 2005 LR3 is the first Land Rover completely engineered from the ground up by the Ford management team that took over Land Rover after buying it from Germany’s BMW — which owned it only briefly — in 2000. Until being purchased by BMW, Land Rover was an all-British company. It offered the first upscale SUV back in 1970, but like all British automakers — most of which today are owned by Ford (Land Rover, Jaguar, Aston Martin, etc.) — it eventually fell behind it’s more business-nimble competitors in many areas.

Walkaround: The LR3 is promoted with the phrase, “its clean, simple, minimalist shape ensures a fresh look for many years.” That’s cosmopolitan for box. While more styling pizzazz may be desired by some, like the original 1948 Land Rover, the LR3 does have a certain smooth, very clean-sided appeal that looks modern, but isn’t especially distinctive.

A glass liftgate and drop-down tailgate similar to the Volvo XC90, replaces the Discovery’s clumsy cargo door, which swung out to the curb and complicated the loading process. The spare tire is located under the trunk and is no longer on the outside.

Interior: Because its split-level roofline allows “stadium seating”— each seat row sits higher than the row in front — occupants sit high in the upscale interior so everyone can see out the windshield, or just gaze out of the tall, dark-tinted windows, which are seemingly wrapped around the entire vehicle. There’s standard 5-passenger seating, with leather front bucket seats that provide sports sedan support and comfort, Due to the longer wheelbase, an optional third-row allows seating for seven and is fairly easy to reach. Unlike most SUV third seats, it will actually accommodate adults in comfort —— although there isn’t much spare legroom. Believe it or not, the middle second-row split seat isn’t nearly as hard as many upscale cars.

Instrumentation is easy to see, but the gauge numbers could be larger making them easier to read. The steering column is adjustable and sound and climate system controls are large. There’s plenty of cup holders and storage areas, and all side windows lower all the way.

Cargo room is marginal with the third-row seats in their normal position, but second and third-row seats fold flat, converting into an impressive amount of space.

Under The Hood: The LR3 offers a strong 4.4-liter 300-horsepower V8 — the most powerful engine ever put under the hood of a Land Rover. It’s a derivative of the hot 4.2-liter Jaguar V8, and Land Rover reportedly spent millions making this high-torque Jag powerplant suitable for the LR3.

The V8 is married to a responsive 6-speed automatic transmission with an easy to use manual shift gate. Acceleration is surprisingly brisk up to 60 mph, with strong 65-80 mph passing times in spite of the LR3 being 850 pounds heavier than the 217 horsepower Discovery.

The V8 loafs at 2,000 rpm doing 70 mph for relaxed long-distance highway cruising. As you might expect, the required high-octane fuel economy isn’t anything to write home about —14/city and 18/highway.

Behind The Wheel: Like all Land Rover products, the LR3 is ruggedly built and equipped for conquering the world’s worst terrain with ease. It has a permanent four-wheel-drive system, separate low-range gearing, locking center differential, and an optional locking rear differential. The hill-descent control makes going down wet, slippery, steep grades trouble-free.

A new driver-controlled Terrain Response system changes electronic suspension and powertrain settings to match general driving conditions as well as treacherous, slippery conditions on and off-road — including low-speed, off-road, “rock crawl” driving.

Replacing the Discovery’s old solid axles and metal springs is an all-independent air suspension utilizing the LR3’s big wheels and tires. It delivers a comfortable ride on bumpy roads and keeps things relaxed off-road.

I found the power steering to be quick, but slightly heavy for my personal taste. Handling in town is excellent, but quick freeway lane changes and zipping through curves forces the body sway you would expect from a 74.1-inch high SUV. Although handling isn’t as sporty as say, the trimmer XC90 or X5, the LR3, which has an antiskid/traction control system, handles much better under any condition than the Discovery.

Braking with the 4-wheel disc, anti-lock system is certain and the pedal has nice linear feel, although it’s slightly soft. Optional adaptive headlights swivel to illuminate the road in the direction of travel.

Whines: The LR3 isn’t as stylishly sporty as some rivals, and at three bucks a gallon, improved fuel economy would help.

Bottom Line: The new Land Rover LR3 has lots more going for it in every way than just traditional snob appeal. Its mainstream design should suit American tastes more than the Discovery, increasing sales, while except for it’s sibling Range Rover, it remains perhaps the most capable, omfortable — and civilized — off-roader on the planet.