2016 'Defender'

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/im...015/02/298.jpg

not sure if any of the eagle eyed among you can theorise any more about the axles suspension and chassis that Bond is using now he has been kind enough to show us the under carriage.

For anyone who hasn't seen Solmaniac's 1 year review of his G Wagon, it's excellent... http://www.aulro.com/afvb/european-m...ml#post2089693

I read it with interest in context with this discussion about what the next 'Defender' could be... Obviously the price makes it comparable to a Range Rover, but as most here would know the seating position, overall design and capability make it more comparable to a Defender... but if LR are going all out on the new 'icon', surely the G Wagon is potentially the marker, especially as MB have won so many military contracts with it... and also interesting regarding Solmaniac's review of MB service vs LR service!

Solmaniac..."Will I go back to Land Rover? Well that depends on what the new Defender ends up being and whether LRA stop behaving like a bunch of ****** and learn how to effectively service their customers instead of treating them like an inconvenience. They could learn a lot from MB Australia-Pacific."

...oops! sincere apologies Solmanic!...for inadvertently calling you Solmaniac!...two typos!
Mr Landy

I hope the new defender is very different mechanically to the old one..I very nearly bought a landcruiser this week, but I knew from experience that I would need to upgrade the suspension straight away to handle the loads I carry. As it turns out my 2013 130 has a market value of $46k.. So it looks like I will be getting a chassis swap rather than a write off, suits me as I can sit and wait for the new defender and see if it's going to be fit for purpose.. I hope they keep a commercial, agricultural market in mind..

Hey hope that's good news Summiitt? Not sure what happened but sounds like it must be a pain. I've been tempted by landcruisers in the past, but I drove them for work up north for years and I always come back to the supportive seating position, the ride and handling and outright ability of the Defender. Not to mention fuel economy and character... All the best

Hey Summitt, I just found your 'broke my defender' thread... Geez glad you came out if it unscathed!! Very interesting that you could drive away.

It's great that they can transfer vehicle to a new chassis. Hope that's good news for you. ... Insurance wouldn't write it off and give you a new one?

...I guess insurance replacement could become a problem for anyone who has an accident, with end of production looming and no news about the new model! Something I hadn't thought of... Reckon this will make me extra careful.

Cheers all.

Hey all, I've just been reading some more about Discovery Sport. It sounds pretty extraordinary. But more so in terms of its market placement. If the LR engineers are this smart with the redesign of 'icon' they will know that market placement has everything to do with the new 90/110/130 replacement. The market is crying out for a real-deal heavy duty 4wd that fills the gap between road comfort and epic durability. If they take it down the Hilux/Amarok route they are doomed to light duty genericism. But if they embrace the fact that most large continents in the world remain majority unsealed roads...and have designed with this in mind, they will blow everything else out of the water. Toyota is clearly waiting to see what LR produce before revealing anything of new landcruiser, but resting on its hilux laurels. Maybe the character of Defender will be missing, but perhaps a new character will emerge. Discovery Sport already fills the space of generality, though not dual cab and this is the danger zone for 'icon'. ...to shrink to the mainstream over-crowded mass market, or to stand tall as the heavy duty leader. ...large dual cab AND large wagon? HD not urban. Hmm lets hope.

...to rove is not to follow.

MrLandy

Icon will be the Defenders replacement,not a Hilux's. Pat

Quote:

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Originally Posted by PAT303

Icon will be the Defenders replacement,not a Hilux's. Pat

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Hope so Pat!

Have faith,Land Rover have been making all the right noises about Icon and they learnt from the Freo1 experience in how much a bad vehicle can cost the company. Pat