Thread: The philosophical 2018 Land Rover Series VI / Defender / 'Icon'...

...if to Rove is to wander and find, what is it to 'cruise'?...

To quote Berque once more... "the Four-Wheel Drive Toyota Land Cruiser parked in front of the Cottage proclaims in bold letters on the cover of its prominent spare wheel (the emblem of wilderness), INTO THE NATURE!"

"The fastest growing category of vehicles in rich countries [such as Australia] is the SUV (Sport and Utility Vehicle), that is the big 4WD which one uses for shopping at the mall. For any self-respecting 'Cyborg', the SUV is today an indispensable attribute of the [urban] Cottage... Indeed, the SUV enables Cyborg to assuage [his/her] structural need of desert...[it's] Cyborg's eucharistic rite, celebrating its consubstantiality with the Machine, the Market and the Desert)".

Responsibility rests with us all, whether we 'rove' or 'cruise' depends on our personal approach, and perhaps the brand and the type of vehicle we own says more about our approach in the world than we care to admit... 'each to their own' comes with it certain responsibilities regardless of how reliable or otherwise a vehicle of knowledge or conveyance might be, and also regardless of whether one identifies with - the perhaps not so mythical - Cyborg of which Berque writes.

The current trend for less capable, less robust, but more luxurious SUV's would seem to underline the idea of 'disurbanity', whereby the driver is seeking the 'look of nature' and the 'image of adventure' as more important than the actual capability to rove as an integral part of nature itself beyond urbanity.

We occupy an intriguing time, whereby the 'look of nature' seems to be becoming more important than nature itself...

Has there ever been a time in history, or any human endeavor, in which at least some participants have not valued "the appearance" more than the actuality?

Heroic swashbuckling adventurers in powdered wigs, sitting on thrones as patrons of seagoing explorers.

"Peel me another grape", Caesars bravely ordering empire extending sieges from their grand resorts.

MacArthur in his knife edge creases gallantly romping in after the sun fell from the flag saying "I'll be Bach..." Oh wait - that was Arnie.

Of course there is no attempt at historic accuracy in the above. Your imagination will be better than mine so you will have gotten the point.

I.e. It's hardly an intriguing time now, nor a new concept regards any human endeavor - but let me cite a witness for the "nature" case specifically: well before the SUV phenomenon existed, may I call the "Marlboro Man" to the stand.

The wilderness, mountains, on horseback full of machismo. You don't need the horse, nor the mustache, nor the campfire, nor an SUV dare I say. You just need to smoke Marlboro.

Signing off to the words of Mick Jagger in the song Satisfaction (I can't get no), "...he can't be a man because he doesn't smoke, the same cigarettes as me." (About advertising and image and "...how white my shirts can be")

I was enjoying that rove until the devils advocate showed up.

Please allow me to introduce myself
I'm a man of wealth and taste

Pleased to meet you.
Hope you guess my name

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Do Doooooo Do Doooooo. You love it don't you Neil?

This whole thread is waffle.

It won't be a successor to the utilitarian Land Rover unless it feels right to drill holes into it and fit brackets.

I love the series and coiler (Perentie and Defender) Land Rovers I have in my fleet, but lets make no bones about it, my D4 is more sure footed than any standard 110 and much more pleasant to drive before you get "off road" or as most of us do "off highway".

It won't surprise me if the (L660) next generation utilitarian Land Rover is on a similar platform to the D4 or RRS, but if it is it shouldn't be called Defender.

As for Toyo-issa-eep-bishi-ord, you don't see as many of their old and ancient models still on the road as you do with Land Rover which says everything doesn't it!

Originally Posted by cuppabillytea

Do Doooooo Do Doooooo. You love it don't you Neil?

Love it? Nah. But I like it, like it, yes I do.