Ottawa Valley Land Rovers newsletter, May, 1994

by Robin Craig

McDERMOTT TO DRIVE A DISCOVERY! That got your attention eh?! While shooting the breeze at the baseball diamond the other night with another parent, the subject of the new Land Rover Discovery came up, he asked me about what I thought of it and if he could get one here in Ottawa. From what he has seen of it he says that he is pretty sure that he will buy one. His name is Steve McDermott, hence the opening sentence!

This month has been very busy for me, although still not back at work full time I am doing so many other projects that it seems incredible that I ever had the time to work in the first place.

By the time you all read this newsletter I will be in Mississauga for the official launch of the much awaited Discovery on Wednesday the 18th of this month. Those of us attending the launch will be given an opportunity to drive the Discovery and the other two members of the Land Rover product line the Range Rover and Defender 90. In next months newsletter I'll let you know how it all went.

While talking to Land Rover Canada Inc about the launch I got to thinking about what could be done to help them. After some frantic phone calls Andy graham and I decided to offer the loan of our joint toy collection to Land Rover for the event. This little project has taken up quite a bit of time in getting the whole lot together and deciding which one to take and what stays. Andy joked that perhaps we should take this one the road as a travelling roadshow. No sooner had he talked than we got the news that the display cases into which this lot is going will not be finished in time. So now we are making a travelling display to show the over 250 different Land Rovers and over 40 Range Rovers that we have between us.

Have you all seen the discovery adverts that are running on the US TV channels? Classic Camel Trophy shots of Discoverys bouncing climbing swimming through and over all kinds of terrain. It is good to see the event has a purpose to it now and does lasting good in the areas that it passes through. This was a theme that was apparent also in the trip Land Rover in the US were keen to get across to a number of journalists when they took them to Belize to test the Discovery.

Here is a touch of humour since, in case you didn't know, we are considered to be the most serious newsletter that is around in these parts. What could have been the LUCAS factory motto? Perhaps "A good days work and home before dark!". Yep, has a certain ring about it doesn't it.

There is a new book on the horizon, co produced by Messrs Taylor and Morrison of Land Rover Owner fame the title will be "Modern Military Land Rovers". Due out in the fall sometime and will cover a wide variety of the species. Review when I get a copy.

That's all for this month......... Robin Craig 613 738 7880

Reprinted from the Ottawa Valley Land Rovers newsletter, May 1994