Thread: All discussions relating to the Defenders end of production

Originally Posted by MrLandy

Oh thanks Plutei. Finally permission granted to have my own point of view!

Seriously? Am I really the only guy who thinks Land Rover has totally dropped the ball on work vehicles?? Defender hasn't been their priority for 20 years! I doubt we'll even see one in 2018.

No but we just love seeing you spinning out of control because you are holding on so tight. Cheers

Originally Posted by ozscott

No but we just love seeing you spinning out of control because you are holding on so tight. Cheers

Um, I don't think it's me who's holding on tight. I've given up on LR bro. Love my Defender. Enjoy the Defender threads. But looks like I'll be saving for a G Wagen Pro sometime in the future. ...I just enjoy winding you guys up about your faith in shiny bling mobiles 😜👍

Haha. I like it when my v8 manual D2 with 16's is called a bling machine...i feel all Gangster

Originally Posted by ozscott

Haha. I like it when my v8 manual D2 with 16's is called a bling machine...i feel all Gangster

Hehe, glad I made you smile. Any D2 is bling out bush. ... even my shiny Indus silver Defender is a bit too bling for my liking. 😊

Originally Posted by MrLandy

Defender hasn't been their priority for 20 years! I doubt we'll even see one in 2018.

I understand where you're coming from with your cynicism MrLandy, but you're looking at it the wrong way. The Defender suffered from under investment for so long because of the profitability woes of JLR more broadly in the past. The company today is totally different.

Those luxo-barges that you so despise are JLR's biggest source of profit and have been a priority in recent years for that reason. They've filled the coffers and kept shareholders happy. With that solid base now well established, and with a wealthy Indian parent company, there's investment capital available to get the lower profit/higher volume cars right (i.e. Defender).

Look at Porsche. Purists cursed the day the Cayenne was released but the reality is that it has become their highest selling, highest profit vehicle. With those profits, they have been able to increase investment in their core 911 vehicles. Meeting the demands of the market doesn't dilute a brand, it gives it room to grow.

The new Defender isn't going to be a purpose built 'work vehicle'. Whatever that is? Few people can afford to have garages with 3 or 4 single purpose vehicles to fulfill different roles. Modern cars are capable of performing multiple roles very well, and I think the new Defender will do just that.

Originally Posted by Andrew86

I understand where you're coming from with your cynicism MrLandy, but you're looking at it the wrong way. The Defender suffered from under investment for so long because of the profitability woes of JLR more broadly in the past. The company today is totally different.

Those luxo-barges that you so despise are JLR's biggest source of profit and have been a priority in recent years for that reason. They've filled the coffers and kept shareholders happy. With that solid base now well established, and with a wealthy Indian parent company, there's investment capital available to get the lower profit/higher volume cars right (i.e. Defender).

Look at Porsche. Purists cursed the day the Cayenne was released but the reality is that it has become their highest selling, highest profit vehicle. With those profits, they have been able to increase investment in their core 911 vehicles. Meeting the demands of the market doesn't dilute a brand, it gives it room to grow.

The new Defender isn't going to be a purpose built 'work vehicle'. Whatever that is? Few people can afford to have garages with 3 or 4 single purpose vehicles to fulfill different roles. Modern cars are capable of performing multiple roles very well, and I think the new Defender will do just that.

Well said Andrew. I like your optimism, I just don't share it. Being serious now, I wouldnt buy any of the current cross-over dual cab options on the market and it's pretty clear that this is the only market anyone is interested in because of sales volumes. I had an Amarok for a while, but it was too soft for constant harsh roads and too car-like for my liking. Unless new Defender is a proper full size HD vehicle I won't like it. It can be as high tech as possible and should not be a replica of current Defender. But it will need to be built for purpose ie HD hose out simplicity to win me over. I just can't see it happening because the culture of Land Rover is no longer about building pragmatic work ehicles.

I'm so with you Mr Neg-Landy-ative

I don't really care for any current JLR offerings for an actual working vehicle. Sure an evoque would make prime 2nd vehicle, shopping sled & sneaky weekender.
But I want a proper full size dualcab ute for actual off-road/ camping/ exploring.
I honestly don't care if a D3,4,5,6 is 200% better off road -if it doesn't have a tray, inherrant toughness and soul then it isn't in my vision as a true off-roader

The reason I upgraded from a 1995 130 to a 2010 130 is purely because it is a fools errand to think that the next "pretender" will really just be another ranger/Amarok/bt50/hilux clone.

On a recent Kimberley trip I was passenger and witness to the failings of a newish bt50 (written off due to twisted chassis from rock impact) and the disappointing lack of toughness in a sub 10oookm old hilux ... plasticcy interior, **** poor fittings and 17" rims on a heavily loaded dual cab in rocky terrain don't mix well for me. In a week between those two soft-cab Utes there would be in excess of 25 grand damage ... a 130 or Tojo 78 or 79 would have pizzled it.

Like Mr Landy I am all but certain that Whatever the next defender is - it will be in the market sphere of hilux/Amarok etc NOT Tojo 78,79 and as such it will be a pretender.

Also, like Mr Landy I would love to be proved wrong with JLR releasing a solid, high clearance , under stressed GVM, innovative electric drive, active suspension piece of magic!

But they won't will they - it will be another cloned RR looking SUV perhaps with bigger wheels and some agressive plastic bumpers - they will chase the market not the soul.

Prove me wrong JLR prove me wrong


Steve

Originally Posted by MrLandy

Hehe, glad I made you smile. Any D2 is bling out bush. ... even my shiny Indus silver Defender is a bit too bling for my liking. 😊

Come off the grass. You're totally besotted with Indus Silver.