Dear Mr New Defender Developer Guy

Quote:

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Originally Posted by ezyrama

All I am saying is there is no reason why Land Rover cant do a toyota and market like they do and take a giant slice of their market share if they build a vehicle that's competent, capable and reliable. The dont have to turn an iconic legend into a hairdressers car like the new fj cruiser, I have a mate who has one, capable, but not my cup of tea. It doesnt have to have all the mod cons, but then again, up where Davo is, most of them dont have them either. I think to automate the majority of the production line as is the Disco, Rangie and Freelander which up till recently shared a production line with the X Type Jag, would increase production to a point where they could keep up with any increased demand and customers would not get the ****s with waiting 3 and in one case on this forum 6 months for a vehicle. For a start, be proud of what you produce. A good vehicle, dealer back up, in your face saturation advertising and then build on a market share with the ones that want/need a few extra creature comforts with the Disco and also the double decaf soy mocha latte' set Range Rover/Sport clientele :wasntme: BTW, My eyes arent covered with rose coloured glasses either:cool:, their Mid Bronze Green if must know!;)

Cheers Ian

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Yup, that's it right there.

Bwahahahahaha....

If you say so guys... So is either of you in...

Automotive Marketing?
Market Research?
Automotive design?
Fleet management?

A million dollars worth of Land Cruisers... So about 10-12 vehicles then!

And Toyota owners are no different to Ford / Holden drivers...
Most of it is my Dad had a xyz mentality.
It's Certainly nothing to do with cost vs performance or LR would win hands down.

Several mine buyers are now going to the new Ford Ranger as its proving better and more reliable and they are getting better fleet deals.

To suggest a business keep making old designs propped up by profits from the new....well....
If I was a shareholder I'd be selling!!!!!!

And hairdressers cars... Composite non rusting panels and parts...
Doesn't plastic reduce weight, not rust or oxidise or react with other metals?

And I too, get a "Misty eyed sense of nostalgia" when I see a good Defender.

You lot - actually sound exactly like those on the other brands forums!!!!!

I say bring back crank handles.....

Peace
Skuilnaam

The days of Land Rover trading on it's name are not to, but far enough and forgotten enough that simple increases in marketing are no longer enough. It used to be the case that the others would have to attract the buyers away from out marque. These days Rover aren't even attempting to market their product let alone attract people away from/back to their product.

I'll always be a Rover guy, but then again I've also knocked back $100k + from someone for another car I have that I purchased for $300-. So I'm part looney, part looser, 100% brand loyal to a fault because I just can't bring myself to sit in a cruiser again. The only time I did get in one I got bitten literally, on the ass by a bee, 2 days across the Simpson. If thats not a sign, I don't know what is.

to increase volumes and sell to the masses you need to dumb things down and that is incompatible with the reasons why we have all ended up in a defender.

it reminds me of asking a work canteen once why their food was so dull. there response was whenever they added any flavour someone would complain so they stopped adding anything. Say hello to the D-Max, Hilux, BT-50, Triton, and Amorak. Bland, dull, they all look the same but geeze they sell.

I here the volume argument all the time from Toyota and Nissan drivers, they must be better because they sell more. My response is you stick to your Justin Beiber version of a 4wd but thats not for me.

And lets face - all of us enjoy the fact that the truck we drive is different. I dont want to see millions of them on the road. Where would that leave the wave?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by skuilnaam

Bwahahahahaha....

If you say so guys... So is either of you in...

Automotive Marketing?
Market Research?
Automotive design?
Fleet management?

A million dollars worth of Land Cruisers... So about 10-12 vehicles then!

And Toyota owners are no different to Ford / Holden drivers...
Most of it is my Dad had a xyz mentality.
It's Certainly nothing to do with cost vs performance or LR would win hands down.

Several mine buyers are now going to the new Ford Ranger as its proving better and more reliable and they are getting better fleet deals.

To suggest a business keep making old designs propped up by profits from the new....well....
If I was a shareholder I'd be selling!!!!!!

And hairdressers cars... Composite non rusting panels and parts...
Doesn't plastic reduce weight, not rust or oxidise or react with other metals?

And I too, get a "Misty eyed sense of nostalgia" when I see a good Defender.

You lot - actually sound exactly like those on the other brands forums!!!!!

I say bring back crank handles.....

Peace
Skuilnaam

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Right, I see we're still missing the point. Let me break it down for you:

1) No-one says the Defender should stay the same.
2) Instead it should be improved - or - replaced by another utility vehicle instead of a hairdresser's car.
3) So that it can compete in the utility market that really does exist, as proven by the competition making money from it.
4) The aforementioned million-dollar example was an attempt to show that there's plenty of money out there, which Land Rover doesn't get because other companies do.
5)

Quote:

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And I too, get a "Misty eyed sense of nostalgia" when I see a good Defender.

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That's nice - I don't. I've been waiting for years for them to improve it!

So the basics of what a revised defender should be is:

1. Bolt together, modular assembly on a ladder chassis with alloy body.
2. Live axle, built in/optional factory portals, factory mech diff locks.
3. Turbo Diesel, inter-cooled. Std Large volume fuel capacity.
4. Hose out, basic interior but with options for more appointed upgrades.
5. Marketed, appropriately, to both consumer and fleet users. Pointing out it's suitability for each users uses.


And finally, available in colors other than white that suit and a factory dealer network that gives a ****, doesn't quibble on warranty claims for the sake of it and doesn't see spare parts as a money making exercise but as a support to the product, keeping it going just as we do for the previous generations.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by clubagreenie

And finally, available in colors other than white that suit and a factory dealer network that gives a ****, doesn't quibble on warranty claims for the sake of it and doesn't see spare parts as a money making exercise but as a support to the product, keeping it going just as we do for the previous generations.

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Yup, and especially that! Unimaginable, isn't it?

Pommie property developer bought some land, an underling informed him that in buying the site of an old factory he had purchased the rights to Triumph Motorcycles Merriden. He then spent 5 million quid of his own money just doing a feasibility study in how to re enter the the bike market. He thought big and then put in @100 mil of his own dough.Who has grow bike sales in a recession, largest large bike sales in Europe ? Previous owners of JLR have not had the vision, some ripped off what they thought where the good product/ideas. Tata so far seem to be an improvement, they are investing, however the gaylander is just a prototype. Maybe they are listening. Volume worldwide sales are attainable but their vehicles have to conform to the same parametres as others.:):beer: