Thread: All discussions relating to the Defenders end of production

Originally Posted by Didge

Who wants a Series 3? No one? Not surprising if you've got a new Defender (or an old one). So when the new Defender replacement comes out, my bet is no one will want the current one.

You make a valid point.
My own thoughts are that a good Defender will always hold its value well, relative to other vehicles.
However, how well, particularly the later models, could be influenced, IMHO, by what type of vehicle the "New" Defender turns out to be.
Pickles.

Originally Posted by Didge

Who wants a Series 3? No one? Not surprising if you've got a new Defender (or an old one). So when the new Defender replacement comes out, my bet is no one will want the current one.

I'm not sure I agree with that. The current Defender is as good as the car as we know it is ever going to get. Decades of iterations and improvements to the iconic Defender shape and underpinnings have resulted in a car that's more comfortable, capable and usable than ever and there's never going to be a "new" model that improves on that timeless formula. There will be a safer, more refined "Defender" replacement released in 2018-19 that complies with modern safety and emissions standards, but it'll be a totally fresh start for the line.

I think all Series/Defenders are desirable, but I think there's something special about the last of the breed.

Originally Posted by Andrew86

I'm not sure I agree with that. The current Defender is as good as the car as we know it is ever going to get. Decades of iterations and improvements to the iconic Defender shape and underpinnings have resulted in a car that's more comfortable, capable and usable than ever and there's never going to be a "new" model that improves on that timeless formula. There will be a safer, more refined "Defender" replacement released in 2018-19 that complies with modern safety and emissions standards, but it'll be a totally fresh start for the line.

I think all Series/Defenders are desirable, but I think there's something special about the last of the breed.

I agree with you Andrew, and if you follow the Classic Land Rover magazine, plenty people still like their Series 3's & they were an improvement over the Series 1's, in terms of ride & usability. I also believe that there will always be a strong following for the Defender. We had to take our 90 in for side steps & tow bar installation yesterday & were given a new (600kms) Discovery 4, which although nice to drive didn't put a smile on my face like the Heritage does. It was brilliant, but not memorable. Hope Land Rover can make the new Defender brilliant & memorable, could be the wife's next car!

I assume the new Defender will be more advanced but I expect it will take time to win over those of us who like it as is. However there aren't enough of us buying it to make the cost of designing a new one viable so it will have to attract maybe four times as many buyers and they may want a different type of vehicle.

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Hi guys, I thought the hornets nest might become agitated. Don't get me wrong - I'm driving a 96 Tdi 110 and love her to bits but I think a 2015 might be a more than a tad nicer to drive both off road and especially on road (I'd have one tomorrow if I could justify it financially but I wouldn't borrow money to buy a series or county even in good condition). If the series models were still being produced concurrently with the latest Defenders, who would buy one to use as a daily driver instead of the Defender? My bet is no one. IF (and it's a big one) the Defender replacement is as good as its touted to be and is the toughest yet and far superior to the existing Defender and the design appeases the Defender tragics (and that's the premise of my original point) I expect the current Defender to go the same way as the Series or County's have now; into the history books. People will generally accept and appreciate the new technology cos its an improvement and once they've won over the Defender diehards, the rest is history.
Andrew86, I don't know about the Defender being as good a car as we know its ever going to be - I've read about more faults with the late model cars than I can believe - diffs letting go at 70,000km, electrical faults, etc, etc so I suspect there are more than a few improvements JLR can make, and yes I know it happens with other brands as well. I'm hoping we get the Defender replacement that we want and without faults

Obviously if the next Defender "is the toughest yet and far superior to the existing Defender", it may go like hotcakes. But, most of us here would say the Defenders we own are better than anything else on the market, and they haven't exactly gone like hotcakes.

...this obsession with selling to the mass market as the reason-for-being just doesn't cut it for me. What's wrong with the best vehicle for purpose being a small market segment? A rare gem? A bespoke object? A design marvel?

The way Land Rover are currently going is that all new models look almost identical and are all aimed at the city based luxury aspirational market, which they've clearly identified as the growth/mass market. This is not the Defender market. If the new Defender is aimed at this market, it will be a Defender in name only.

Originally Posted by MrLandy

Obviously if the next Defender "is the toughest yet and far superior to the existing Defender", it may go like hotcakes. But, most of us here would say the Defenders we own are better than anything else on the market, and they haven't exactly gone like hotcakes.

...this obsession with selling to the mass market as the reason-for-being just doesn't cut it for me. What's wrong with the best vehicle for purpose being a small market segment? A rare gem? A bespoke object? A design marvel?

The way Land Rover are currently going is that all new models look almost identical and are all aimed at the city based luxury aspirational market, which they've clearly identified as the growth/mass market. This is not the Defender market. If the new Defender is aimed at this market, it will be a Defender in name only.

"Small Market Segment"?......Well that's the secret isn't it, the "New Defender" has to appeal to much more than that.
Pickles.

Safety and emissions rules will largely determine what kind of vehicle it is. It has to pass to sell in all markets, so that means it has to meet the latest and likely future safety standards, so that dictates the body design, plus it has to be very clean. The new LR engines meet the emissions standards, so there's the engines sorted. The body has to crumple to absorb impacts so that rules out the current body and determines the basic structure of the new one. After all that is in place, all that's left to decide is appearance items.

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