Land Rover is inviting new owners to drive their vehicles in the rough terrain they were designed for, free of charge. Michael McAleer took up the offer.
Discover the outback. At least the outback of Aughrim, a wild and wonderful spot where road signs and white lines are the stuff of folklore. This splendid opportunity is now open to all who buy a Land Rover model. The lucky trekkers will receive a voucher for a free one-day familiarisation course in a similar model to that purchased.
No longer will you put up with snide comments about your only off-road exploits being when you drove over the daffodils during a tricky three-point turn. Instead you can acquaint yourself with the heather-covered hills of Wicklow, climb near-vertical slopes, plunge into muddy ponds, and put the 4x4 through its paces in the sort of environment it was really made for.
Wisely, owners will not get the chance to test their newly purchased vehicles on the 1,500 acres of mountainous terrain at the estate. The wisdom of this rule became obvious to us after the rear light of the Discovery we were driving was left trailing behind when we conquered a particularly treacherous hill climb.
The course can cater for 21 visitors a day and begins with a basic familiarisation session, introducing every gadget and gizmo on the vehicles - all those switches you have been too afraid to push before, and explains that extra gear lever, which offers "High" and "Low".
In total, a fleet of 10 Land Rovers, in a range of models, will be available at the course so that not only will participants get the chance to take the equivalent of their own vehicle off-road, but they also can test out some of the other Land Rover models and see how they perform. A further service offered to participants is an 1850 advice line. This is for those irritating questions that only come to you when you're lying in bed recollecting the muddy inclines you conquered and the Christmas trees you felled. Advice is also offered to those considering another purchase but uncertain about which model best suits their needs.
The course is all part of worldwide campaign by the British firm to develop its branding as being the only manufacturer to specialise solely in 4x4 and off-road vehicles. As most readers will know by now, Land Rover is part of Ford's Premier Automotive Group, and you can see the hand of the Ford executives in the new "brand vision" from the marque: "to be the World's leading brand at creating, inspiring and delivering adventure". Well done to the MBA that came up with that one.
The Aughrim centre is the only place you can take the course, but they have created some attractive packages with local hotels and also offer traditional country pursuits such as clay pigeon shooting, archery and falconry for those wishing to stay on after completing the course. All activities fit, of course, with the outdoor, country estate image of the product.
It's a very good offer and certainly puts Land Rover in the competitive driving seat again, amid the forest of challengers on the market at present.