Thread: 2016 'Defender'

Hmm yes, it doesn't leave many options does it Summiitt... Dualcab landcruiser (will be phased out too) or F350. Both very thirsty! ...You wouldn't just keep your repaired 130? Maybe the 2018 Defender will be worth the wait and til then you've got the best anyway. ...Interested to hear your thinking on why you'd go to F350...?

There really is a huge gap in the market for a heavy duty no frills vehicle isn't there.
I assume you need the tray, but if you were seriously looking at a G professional, would a D4 with HD suspension work? Or not HD enough?

Can't see myself ever being able to afford a G wagen. I doubt they'll corner the market anyway with such high prices. I really don't understand why all the majors have dropped the ball on developing an updated no frills heavy duty 4x4. It's like they think everyone has moved to the city and no one needs a working vehicle anymore. Very strange I reckon.

The only downside to the F trucks is size,they are a very good machine that have the same situation as Land Rovers,they generally only stop for crank angle sensors or fuel regulators and if you buy direct from the US the parts are very cheap and very easy to get,they use less fuel than the Tojo V8 and don't have any of it's problems,a much better vehicle. Pat

Originally Posted by MrLandy

I really don't understand why all the majors have dropped the ball on developing an updated no frills heavy duty 4x4. It's like they think everyone has moved to the city and no one needs a working vehicle anymore. Very strange I reckon.

I think it may be a bit more than that. Over the last couple of decades, rules round the world for cars have been designed primarily to make them city friendly - emissions, fuel consumption, safety features, especially pedestrian safety. While initially these were not applied to 'working vehicles', they are being applied ever more stringently to these as well, partly because in many markets, at least partly as a reaction to the changes in design, more and more people have been changing to 'working vehicles' to fill the place of an ordinary car (but they don't want the no frills version!).

Add to this the increasing urbanisation round the world, including, and perhaps especially in this country, and the market for this type of vehicle is shrinking as the difficulty in designing them increases. So it is hardly surprising that the number of options is shrinking.

John

Theres no doubt that its little sad the good old defender is nearing its end date.

But Land Rover are there to make money, and the Defender is an old design that needs to move with the times.

If Land Rover have any brains they will market the new one ( if theres one ) to the huge none land rover market/owners, most current owns will winge about how modern it looks et etc etc, but thats not a market land rover want to be in.

They already have a iconic brand with a great history so this is a perfect platform to attract new buyers to a modern defender.

If would also make sense to also have a base version, as not every one will want a $100000+ Defender.

Theres even talk all the jigs will be sent to India, cheap labour there and it can then be exported back to the UK, and other place and everyones still happy.

Interesting story in the latest 4 x 4 Australia about utes bending their chassis. Some of the pics were taken during our Simpson crossing late last year so I saw it first-hand. I can say without a doubt they were grossly overloaded, particularly behind the rear axle. This makes the point that most modern utes, except the 130, are just not up to carrying heavy loads over severe corrugations. Will the next Defender be able to do that?

Well if they were overloaded, that's driver abuse not the vehicle.
I imagine you can break any vehicle with enough weight and a bad enough road.

Q. Do manufacturers normally reduce the GVM for off road? Thinking back vaguely to the army inters. Or is that an Army thing?

Originally Posted by AndyG

Well if they were overloaded, that's driver abuse not the vehicle.
I imagine you can break any vehicle with enough weight and a bad enough road.

Q. Do manufacturers normally reduce the GVM for off road? Thinking back vaguely to the army inters. Or is that an Army thing?

As far as I know, most vehicle manufacturers do not even mention off road. However, Landrover may be an exception -

From Series 2a Owners Manual, maximum approved payload for basic 109; Driver, two passengers and 908kg on normal "roads" and "cross-country" 816kg.

However, my 110 owners manual does not make the distinction, merely using the weasel words "other ratings may be appropriate to particular operating conditions, usage requirements and specification variations"

Part of the problem, however, is that most often damage is not caused by off road, but by driving at high speed on bad roads (something Australians are historically renowned for).

John

Originally Posted by AndyG

Well if they were overloaded, that's driver abuse not the vehicle.
I imagine you can break any vehicle with enough weight and a bad enough road.

Q. Do manufacturers normally reduce the GVM for off road? Thinking back vaguely to the army inters. Or is that an Army thing?

Yup, landrover.
Your/ My defender have a recommended tow limit of 1ton offroad. 3.5 on.