Thread: All discussions relating to the Defenders end of production

Originally Posted by Andrew86

G Wagons are awful to drive, hideously expensive and driven almost exclusively by footballers' wives and botoxed soccer mums. That's the case in North America anyway. I don't see the appeal, personally.

It doesn't make sense for JLR to release a Defender that walks on the toes of the Discovery. McGovern has already said repeatedly that the Defender nameplate will represent a 'pillar' in the brand focused on more rugged, durable and affordable vehicles. Offshoring production to the new JLR facility in Slovakia is almost certainly part of that.

The new Defender will be more approachable to more people, be more comfortable, more capable and have more technology and safety features. That doesn't make it a betrayal to its predecessor, it just means they'll actually make money from it for once. The original car will always be special because it represents where it all started.

I love my Defender, but I'm properly excited to see what comes next given how far modern vehicles have come.

Associated image with the non commercial / professional branding is exactly how you say.

Having driven my mates non fancy professional series it's a similar driving experience to the defender. I have not driven a fancy one.

Originally Posted by Andrew86

G Wagons are awful to drive, hideously expensive and driven almost exclusively by footballers' wives and botoxed soccer mums. That's the case in North America anyway. I don't see the appeal, personally.

It doesn't make sense for JLR to release a Defender that walks on the toes of the Discovery. McGovern has already said repeatedly that the Defender nameplate will represent a 'pillar' in the brand focused on more rugged, durable and affordable vehicles. Offshoring production to the new JLR facility in Slovakia is almost certainly part of that.

The new Defender will be more approachable to more people, be more comfortable, more capable and have more technology and safety features. That doesn't make it a betrayal to its predecessor, it just means they'll actually make money from it for once. The original car will always be special because it represents where it all started.

I love my Defender, but I'm properly excited to see what comes next given how far modern vehicles have come.

Well said Andrew, you've covered everything, in a few short words, without any" ra ra ra" & I agree with you 100%.
Thanks, Pickles.

Originally Posted by MrLandy

It's not about critiquing a vehicle that doesn't yet exist. It's about criticising JLR for what really amounts to at least 20 years of inaction on redesigning Defender for the future. It's clearly been a very low priority for a long time, and it still is. JLR deserves to be roundly criticised.

No they don't.

You know my opinions on this and we'll just have to agree to disagree, but this statement is not justifiable.

Land Rover in various incarnations (JLR at present) have been hamstrung by previous owners from Leyland all the way to Ford. They have never been given the funds to properly invest in Defender and they have not had the choice to redirect funds from other projects.

Tata is the first owner (arguably in Land Rovers entire history) to invest properly in the product and to actually allow management to make decisions on which projects to invest in. Because they live in the real world and have to make money they have prioritised accordingly.

There is a strategy there and Defender is part of it. I am confident you won't like the replacement because it will be modern, with all that entails, which is the very antithesis of what Defender was.

Cheers,
Jon

The design of the G wagon is as old as the Defender and I don't think it has what is needed to be a long term success in the future.
Its normal marketing practice to release a premium product first and then a series of cheaper products with aspects of the premium technology.
JLR already has the aluminium platform, engines, transmissions and technologies such as Terrain Response to build a killer new Defender. It will also be given the family grille.
Now its just a case of designing a range of body styles and pulling it all together in a viable business case.
I'm sure they can do it.

This thread regularly makes me laugh. It seems JLR is the name of a charity not the name of an automobile manufacturer.

JLR the manufacturer will only build vehicles that they are certain they will make a substantial profit on. That's business.

Who cares if they don't make another Defender? Who cares if they do and it's all 'modern like'?

I don't and 99.99999999999999 percent of the world's population don't either.

Love the one your with and stop worrying about what might or might not be or what responsibility you wrongly think JLR has to anyone but its shareholders.

None of the ownership changes of Land Rover have hamstrung the development of every other model. I just no longer believe their spin.

As I have said many times, I would love to be proven wrong. Nothing would please me more than a new super innovative heavy duty work vehicle from Land Rover.

If the ridiculously overpriced GWagen can be updated with airbags etc, to win over the worlds working vehicle markets including military, as well as the bling markets, so can Defender. BUT it simply hasn't been done. And it won't be.

Whatever comes next will be soft and cushy because that's the Land Rover market now. Actions speak louder than words.

I know some of you vehemently disagree with me and that's cool. Really hope you're right! But I think it's over brothers.

Cheers

Originally Posted by steane

Who cares if they don't make another Defender? Who cares if they do and it's all 'modern like'?

I don't and 99.99999999999999 percent of the world's population don't either.

I do and 99.99999999999999 percent of the world's population do too.

This is a LAND ROVER forum Steane. What 'real world' are you living in? Get with the programme!

Originally Posted by manic

I do and 99.99999999999999 percent of the world's population do too.

This is a LAND ROVER forum Steane. What 'real world' are you living in? Get with the programme!

Yeah, I know it's a Land Rover forum and I love my Landy obsessively, but we shouldn't let emotional twaddle get in the way of reality.

I think my JLR programme must be missing a few pages... it goes up to 2025 and covers Discovery, Discovery Sport, Evoque, some interesting and expensive Range Rovers, a range of Land Rover dinner attire, a limited edition picnic rug and a set of hand made shot guns, but no Defender

OMG are you thinking what I'm thinking!