Thread: The "New" Defender,.....When?

Hi Dougal,

I don't disagree with you at all. The modern engines like the variants of the Puma and Lion engines all do, but the horse has bolted on spending money on Defender (as we know it) development. There is also no way they'll spend money on developing stability control based on the Defender's TC and believe me, the airbags is a HUGE issue. Defenders with crush cans and crumple zones will just never happen...

Pickles2,

I'm not in the motoring industry, but we manage fleets of light vehicles in our business and while there doesn't appear to be a fixed date all the manufactures have stepped up to the mark (those are the ones able to do so). We have stopped buying 70 or 76 Series LC's (think that's what they are called?) and are now just leasing them as they will be out the door as well when it happens.

Cheers,

Lou

Originally Posted by Loubrey

Hi Dougal,

I don't disagree with you at all. The modern engines like the variants of the Puma and Lion engines all do, but the horse has bolted on spending money on Defender (as we know it) development. There is also no way they'll spend money on developing stability control based on the Defender's TC and believe me, the airbags is a HUGE issue. Defenders with crush cans and crumple zones will just never happen...

The Eu5 engines are already there for the defender, so nothing extra to spend. It's literally parts bin stuff.
Stability control doesn't need developed, it's literally fitting and tuning. All the interfaces (4 channel abs and electronic throttle) are already in the defenders.

Is airbags the issue or crash standards? These while related are not the same thing.
If airbags are legally required, then how hard can it be to fit them? You can guarantee the last interior facelift had airbag functionality in the spec. Crumple zones and crash cans are not airbags. Airbags are triggered off inertia sensors.

What is the legislation calling for?

Lets not forget pedestrian friendly front ends ,something the defender doesn't have and shouldn't have considering we don't drive on the footpath. Pat

Heh, pedestrian safety...

Having recently been (deliberately) hit with a modern 'pedestrian friendly' car at about 10mph I can tell you it still ****ing hurt, whilst there's a reasonable chance a Disco or 110 would have done me less damage, and given me a better landing area.

Anything over 15-20mph it's fairly obvious the car isn't gonna come off worse, no matter how friendly it is.

What happens to existing Defenders when the law on stability control and airbags is implemented?

Originally Posted by Spencer72

What happens to existing Defenders when the law on stability control and airbags is implemented?

They explode in a ball of fire. Taking out a bus of Nuns in the process.

This may take some time to affect all defenders as the supply of Nun's is limited.

Nothing will happen to existing Defenders with any new laws, because if they were retrospective, hundreds of thousands of vehicles of all descriptions would simply be unable to be driven....so that ain't gonna happen.
Cheers, Pickles.

Quote From Fifth Gear the Tv Show

If the world were to end tomorrow 2 things would survive
Cockroaches
and
Landrover Defenders