Thread: All discussions relating to the Defenders end of production

Originally Posted by Tombie

Do some more research!

The ADF wanted a "one supplier provides all" and LR have no big fleet (Mogs, Trucks etc)..

LR therefore had no chance.

Plus Ford stopped them tendering.

Originally Posted by scarry

And following on,the Aussie LR market is about 3% of the LR world market.

So why would they listen to anyone here?

They certainly haven't, but our market is growing. From what I hear it seems we may be getting to the point where we may at least have a seat at the table.

Cheers,
Jon

Land Rover need to make the next vehicle above and beyond what's currently available. Rose coloured glasses may be for those who don't rely on vehicles for a living, but even if the defender continued I doubt I would buy one unless the 130s were sub $50k. My ute purchases are purely dollar for km and the defenders have held up well, I'd buy an F350 tomorrow but I know I can't get it into or out of the road conditions I run every day. Tombie, you shouldn't assume everyone one this forum is an armchair critic, I've had nearly every make of heavy duty and not so heavy duty ute in my fleet over the years in serious off-road service the defenders hold up well but agreed they need a replacement , I dont give a crap about ergonomics, load it to gvm, drive it and make sure it gets you home..no rose coloured glasses here.

Originally Posted by Tombie

Nostalgic nonsense?

Like refusing to acknowledge that the design has run its course?
Refusing to accept the next vehicle may well be very superior to the current one?
There is no play in the sector for a 130 now - I certainly can not see why when there are Iveco, Fuso, F250, Dodge Ram etc all capable of 4.5-6t towing and a full load in the tray...

LRs biggest fear is the replacement being shunned by stuck up *******... Like pretentious Defender owners who refuse to acknowledge the breadth of capability in other LR models - and yet hardly use the capability of theirs - whilst continually ****ing harping on about it...

They didn't have a choice - there was no R&D budget for decades...

Only recently has the company been in a position to commence serious development into a replacement.

Every time a concept comes out Luddites criticise and belittle everything about it - imagine that nightmare as a vehicle CEO/Marketing/Design Team perspective.

Sadly it seems several Defender drivers have devolved to the point of being derogatory to anyone in a LR but not in a Defender.

Chill out a little. This thread is about the end of the defender, and how we would like to see it replaced.

You are now the one being derogatory, as much as any other. From memory I recall numerous threads where you have called defender owners luddites and the vehicle a dinosaur relic etc etc. When done tongue in cheek, fine......

There has only been one replacement concept and it was not well received because it did not demonstrate enough of the qualities found in the original Defender. If Land Rover want to get it right they should listen to the criticism from defender fans/owners. Should we have been more loyal, clapped and cheered just because it was new and it had a defender badge on it?

Without the defender Land Rover only supply the luxury suv market. So of course there are going to be many on here that will hope for a replacement that is distinctly different from the current models. And that shouldn't be seen as criticism from 'stuck up *******'!

Originally Posted by Summiitt

Land Rover should have looked (and competed)at how mercedes made a comeback into the commercial ute(government market). They hit the ADF contract hard and won it, that gave mercedes a stepping stone into other government utilities. Vic CFA have ordered heaps of 4x4 and 6x6 fire units, (300 units?) and I know of other government rural fire agencies doing the same, as there is no other vehicle on the market other than the Iveco that can carry every thing required on a fire ground. I enquirer about buying a G wagen commercial ute but it's a minimum order of 20. Landrover have dropped the ball big time and should have been more proactive in developing and adapting the current defenders for these applications. I'm running 5 defender Utes at the moment but have a dmax and an amarok in the mix as a test because I can't buy defenders any more, and can't justify the stupid prices of any second hand ones..

""Landrover" should have looked at"?....If you examine the "history" of Landrover over the years, through the British Leyland , BMW & Ford periods etc, you may wish to have a look at that wording.
"Landrover" itself had plenty of ideas, but was constrained by its owners at the time, who were simply not interested, mainly because of shortage of dollars, or in some cases, because they had models of their own brand that they wished to promote.. In fact, if one does look at its history, Defender was considered obsolete by many 20 yrs ago, & it was actually very lucky that it survived as long as it did, albeit with insufficient development/improvements, in ANY form.
Pickles.

It would also be too easy to argue in reply that Land Rover now ONLY makes vehicles for stuck up poseurs, but I won't. They now only make luxury vehicles.

The idea of disurbanity has come true at Land Rover. It's now more about projecting the image of adventure, of nature, of superiority. We have witnessed the end of production of a vehicle of beautiful simplicity; the end of a humble, pragmatic, design icon. No more rever, no more wandering. Land Roving is over.

Roving now only means being cocooned in nappa leather, carpet and faux woodgrain, in silent high tech smoothness. Every mod con to remove oneself from nature. Road Roving? Space Roving perhaps? But no longer Land Roving.

It's got nothing do with being a Luddite or not liking the new. It's about the new not being fit for purpose. It's not about nostalgia, it's about a lack of foresight and critiquing design choices. Lack of resources hasn't done anything to slow development of every other Land Rover model.

It's about what some people find important, the tactility of nature, going beyond the surface skein, bush pragmatism, loading sheep poo in the back, timber on the roof, and not caring about scratches and dents on or off the track.

The end of production of Series/Defender is just that. The end. Whatever comes next will be something different and I doubt it will be able to be hosed out.

One of the recurring things I keep hearing is the "ability to be hosed out".

I don't know anyone who has "hosed out" their Land Rover , but I don't mind hearing from those who have.

If you are talking about washing the floors with a bit of water , then thats not special, I know people who have shampooed their carpet.....nothing wrong with that.

I don't think a defender would take too kindly to being hosed out......unless its at very low pressure.

I think a lot of posters just quote others because it sounds good.

Hosed mine out last week at the high pressure car wash, from back seat floor right through, out both side doors and rear door.
Cheers