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

Originally Posted by cuppabillytea

He he Yes well, now that I'm comprehensively Stoned, I think that MrLandie and Lotz-A-Landies are on a parallel path to the money in a roundabout sort of way.

Roll one for me mate, so I can see it that way too.

Originally Posted by tact

Roll one for me mate, so I can see it that way too.

OK. But, don't get the giggles, the munchies, or the waffles.

Yup, if a D4 is "...more pleasant to drive before you get "off road" or as most of us do "off highway", doesn't that make it a car? Or at best a soft roader?

Some nice banter there tact, not waffle. You nearly had me with the Marlboro Man. Image before function and all. But ultimately you are simply confirming the genesis of the trend. And then LotzaLandies answered the question definitively (above) ...the era of pragmatic hose out bolt together Defenders is over. Agreed, the Marlboro Man image priority has absolutely taken over.

...I'm not sure who decided that market share was the defining characteristic of anything? Usually it means mainstream averageness. ie: Toyota. A hand-made Defender will outclass any mass produced vehicle, that's partly where the elusive Defender character comes from. It's like the difference between real art and a poster. And it's also better for the environment regardless of emissions, simply because it is rebuildable and not disposable.

We are indeed perhaps more defined than we realise by the vehicles we choose to guide us into the wilderness.

Yes, everyone who has a defender, much like yourself, is a bearded Lord of true adventure and pioneering spirit and shall inherit the earth, while all range rover and discovery drivers are merely soft roading, luxo barge steering toffs who will fall apart with our plastic vehicles.
We get the picture, in fact I'm fairly sure I've seen this show before. Can we change the channel?

Sent from my HTC One using AULRO mobile app

The philosophies behind the end of an icon are not so easily dismissed by many, but by all means grab the remote any time you like. 📱😊

Surely it doesn't matter what's going on under the floor. D4/RRS undercarriage, whatever... Surely a version can be made that can be still hosed out inside.

And the mass market appeal of the version with plastic bumpers and carpets...sold for a fist full of dollars more - well it can subsidies those like me who want that flat metal floor with rubber mats instead

Sheesh my 2013 TDCi doesn't even have those plastic end caps on the front bumper. Some folks have them - but live and let live I say.

Originally Posted by cuppabillytea

OK. But, don't get the giggles, the munchies, or the waffles.

Mmmmmm, waffles. I'm toked... I mean stoked.

Originally Posted by MrLandy

Yup, if a D4 is "...more pleasant to drive before you get "off road" or as most of us do "off highway", doesn't that make it a car? Or at best a soft roader?

....

Firstly and importantly, The D4 is no soft roader. I have gone away with Defender 110 wagons that are slipping and sliding in the rear end as they cross bumps and ruts, on the same hill the D4 makes it almost look like you're still on bitumen. To the extent that several members on the trip started to not take pictures of my Disco because it made the obstacle look easy when compared to their Defenders*.

Now tell me that a D4 is a soft roader!

* I wouldn't be so arrogant to suggest it may have been an element of the liveware behind the wheel picking the correct line.

Originally Posted by tact

Surely it doesn't matter what's going on under the floor. D4/RRS undercarriage, whatever... Surely a version can be made that can be still hosed out inside.

And the mass market appeal of the version with plastic bumpers and carpets...sold for a fist full of dollars more - well it can subsidies those like me who want that flat metal floor with rubber mats instead ...

They already make commercial "Poverty pack" variants of the D4, just they don't sell them in Australia. Maybe it will reduce the premium brand Land Rover have in Australia. Isn't that why the Evoque is badged a Range Rover and not Land Rover?