New Defender - Have your say

[islu51]

Farmers weekly UK, is looking for comments on what people would like to see in the new defender...on behalf on Land Rover...

New Land Rover Defender (http://www.farmersguardian.com/home/machinery/machinery-news/new-land-rover-defender-%E2%80%93-have-your-say/41527.article)

[Chucaro]

Yuppie car :(

http://pictures.topspeed.com/IMG/crop/201109/land-rover-defender-_800x0w.jpg

[deffender]

what a piece o crapola:o hope it doesnt acutally come out like that

[4wheeler]

Just received the October edition of Land Rover Monthly magazine from the U.K. The news article on page 10 mentions that Land Rover might ditch the Defender or extend the life of the current one (again, again, again) with more efficient engines even past the new 2.2 (I presume). It says the 2.2 will meet emissions regs until 2016.

Extending the life again does not worry me but ditching the model completely - OMG!!!! Other options include a Defender based on the expensive Discovery and Range Rover Sport chassis apparently. I think that the longer Land Rover dithers around with this and does not commit the more likely the Defender will go, sad to say. I hope LRO magazine has better news.

[Hay Ewe]

I dont understand why the current 2.4L or 2.2L engine is only good till 2016 when the land cruisers are getting around with 4.5L V8?

:confused:

Hay Ewe

[PAT303]

They don't sell 4.5ltr cruisers in Europe or any other country that has the latest pollution laws,LR have fitted 2.5ltr engines as in many countries the road tax is based on engine size or what comes out of the pipe,the reason the defender has got the 2.2 now. Pat

[rar110]

IMO land rover don't need a completely new shape as the existing one is quite functional. They should look at improvements done to the Jeep wrangler and Benz G wagon. The following is a list of changes I would make to improve the Defender or its production cost:
• zinc roof
• single piece zinc firewall, passenger floor, b-pillar (made so welds can be drilled out to replace each of these as required)
• retain alloy tub and have dropside tray as dual cab option
• side storage like Army 110 with high fuel filler point (reduce likelihood of water entering and easy to fill from jerry) lots of other storage compartments inside
• LSD front and rear as standard to strengthen both diffs
• rack & pinion steering
• better placement of ECU to reduce risk of water/dust inundation
• auto as an option
• two spring specs - high capacity for commercial/touring and lower/softer for mix city/occ offroad.

[harro]

They don't sell 4.5ltr cruisers in Europe or any other country that has the latest pollution laws,LR have fitted 2.5ltr engines as in many countries the road tax is based on engine size or what comes out of the pipe,the reason the defender has got the 2.2 now. Pat

All good points Pat!
But I don't understand why the 2.7 TD from the D3 couldn't have been an option.
More expensive? Yes more than likely and maybe some engineering to make it fit but I certainly would have been willing to pay the extra $$.
I am quite happy with my tweaked TD5 but out on the highway towing anything of size the 2.7 would have done it for me;).

[dominicbeirne]

Take a look at this link
Convertible Land Rover Defender (http://smh.drive.com.au/photogallery/convertible-land-rover-defender-20110913-1k6o4.html'selectedImage=0)

[PAT303]

All good points Pat!
But I don't understand why the 2.7 TD from the D3 couldn't have been an option.
More expensive? Yes more than likely and maybe some engineering to make it fit but I certainly would have been willing to pay the extra $$.
I am quite happy with my tweaked TD5 but out on the highway towing anything of size the 2.7 would have done it for me;).

You have to remember about vehicle placement.People who pay 80K for a D4 don't want a 50K defender to have the same motor/gearbox,same as a person who spends 150K on a RR doesn't want a D4 owner having the TDV8.It sounds silly but thats the way it works.Being a Puma owner I really like the 2.4,it punches well above it's weight but I also don't tow a van or boat so can't comment on that. Pat

[tempestv8]

Here's more news about the 2015 Defender:

Land Rover 2015 Defender Sport - Frankfurt show: Land Rover's surprise DC100 Sport | GoAuto (http://www.goauto.com.au/mellor/mellor.nsf/story2/A3E8306D28295969CA25790B0006FFBD)

[frantic]

You have to remember about vehicle placement.People who pay 80K for a D4 don't want a 50K defender to have the same motor/gearbox,same as a person who spends 150K on a RR doesn't want a D4 owner having the TDV8.It sounds silly but thats the way it works.Being a Puma owner I really like the 2.4,it punches well above it's weight but I also don't tow a van or boat so can't comment on that. Pat
Unfortunately that theory does not hold water in the real world. For a perfect example look to the toymota mob. 75-120k cruiser gxl -sahara with a 4.4 tdv8 or a 58k 70 series with a de-tuned 4.4tdv8. Which is outselling both the disco and the defender at around 10 to one. Drop a 2.7tdv6 or even better a detuned 3.6/4.2 tdv8 into the defenders as a 5-10k option and see the result.

[austastar]

Here's more news about the 2015 Defender:

Land Rover 2015 Defender Sport - Frankfurt show: Land Rover's surprise DC100 Sport | GoAuto (http://www.goauto.com.au/mellor/mellor.nsf/story2/A3E8306D28295969CA25790B0006FFBD)

Dear Mr Land Rover builder man,
I'm very happy with my Puma Ute, and that I was able to buy it new and before the design was changed.

I bought it because I want a working truck, not a penis extension.
sincerly
yours etc

[Loubrey]

The main issue with the Defender and bigger engines is the available space in the engine bay. Now the first thing people will say is that that Stage 1's had V8 engines and they fit in a Defender engine bay, not to mention the 50th Anniversary 90. All good and well, but all the additional bits to make a TDV8 or TDV6 function just makes the lump way too big. How much space is left in a Puma engine bay with the 2.4 in there?

Those of you that read Land Rover Owners magazine might recall the 6 week editorial on the guys who put a TDV8 out of a wrecked RR Sport into an ex-Td5 110 SW. The new engines are just physically too big to fit in a Defender and they had to move the main bulkhead back, manufacture a new tunnel and the entire front end was a tubular arrangement with competition standard plastic panels. The end result was an awsome vehicle as a one off, but the modifications required to shoe-horn the engine in required a ground up redesign that would be completely cost prohibative. Allowing for the Defender's shortfalls in terms of safety in the 21st century, there is very little else to do than bemoan what could have been.

The final production version of the DC100 concept, regardless of what it's going to look like is suppose to have a TDV6 (or whatever is in production in 4 years time). It will meet EU and Happy Greenie (is there such a thing?) requirements, something Tyota and Nissan are unable to claim as none of their family sized 4x4 are currently able to comply with EU and growing world standards unless they are hybrid version in some sort of way.

I've been and will remain a massive fan of the current Defender, but in a changing world we're set to become a decreasing minority...

[PAT303]

Thats right,the cruiser V8 needs alot,and I mean alot of hours in labour to repair the simpliest things all because of lack of room.Unfortunatly in todays vehicles the motor is nothing more than something there just to hang crap off. Pat

[rangietragic]

the new defender has to be readily identified AS a defender.same as they did with rr and disco.surely designers can come up with something that has the same styling cues but is more modern and safe.also engine options for non eu markets.that other thing just looks like a freelander.i like freelanders,but i dont want a defender to look like one.:mad:

[oneten85]

It looks like a Freelander on steroids.

[oneten85]

Freefender?

[newhue]

They could just widen and lengthen the current defender shape. The have done in the past with to 80 to 86, or a 107 to 109. I'm not sure how a 90 and 110 came about, but to fit a more attractive EU5 Dico donk in surely is possible. It would also give it just that little more interior room needed between the driver and peddals, f and r seat, and shoulders to the doors.

My guess is LR would want to keep the existing, but past sales would cause them so much doubt they are struggling to justify a Defender.
The way I see it before pumping money into a new model, they need to work on dealerships as they have the service sorted mostly.
Jap owners are like hood winked sheep, but there is an element of sanity buying a jap vehicle if you live outside the capital cities, or even with in one. Look at Brisbane and surounds. You have a distributer in the city, on on the gold coast, one on the sunshine coast. Toyota has about a dozen in the same area. Purely out of convenience it makes looking to buy at a Jap vehicle so easy. As for a Defender, even after they worked through all the mis information regarding the vehicle, they have to make a day trip to look and touch one. Or pay for parking at the very least.
There is no doubt many many people assimilate a Defender to being a great 4x4, but getting them past the quirks and LR from top down is there biggest problem for a Defender.

[oneten85]

Offender?

[klappers]

Offender?



:lol2::lol2:[FishSlap]

[camel_landy]

Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear... [Shakes head]

From what I see, most of you are 'judging a book by its cover'. You know bugger all about the spec of the car and are making assumptions based on looks alone!

FWIW - I like the look. :)

As for the current Defender, the 2.4 is a cracking engine. I think what a lot of you forget is that the Defender has a very specific target market. As such, it is NOT a hwy cruiser so I think comparing with the Toyota is unfair.

If you want to make comparisons at that level, I think you should be comparing the Disco.

M

[Nero]

I've had a bit of a think about this as the concept vehicle has caused a bit of fuss and bother. I think the problem is they are very carefully designing a new vehicle to pay homage to the old but seemed to have missed the mark they are probably scratching thier heads wondering how it all went so wrong. The problem i believe is the Landrover Defender 110 and series variants have never really ever been designed. They have always been a form follows function rather than the other way around like most modern vehicles.

What they should do IMO is build a practical functional 4WD the best 4WD they can build (if they can do a heavy duty 3 tonne truck motor one as an option all the better :D ). Worry about what it looks like latter this vehicle even if it looks quiet a bit different to the Defender will be a true Defender replacement trying to use style over substance will never really cut it with defender buyers.

[wrinklearthur]

Hi All

I think that the rounded nose is functional, it's got to be better than that brick wall shape of the current Defender, that you use to push all that air about.

I don't like the tyres on those prototype DC100's, they won't last at all, doing off road work in stony country.

I do like the idea of composite materials to keep weight down as long as it is stronger than the current Defender, just check out the mess of the bodywork when a current model Defender rolls over.

They really need a ROPS built into them and keeping the centre of gravity as low as possible, if not lower than the current models.

Lighter body weight and driven by smaller more efficient motor = more distance per dollar's fuel.

So looks aren't everything, it's what is underneath that counts.

Cheers Arthur

[wally]

Hi All


So looks aren't everything, it's what is underneath that counts.

Cheers Arthur

No, looks aren't everything but it does look pretty bloody awful.

[Lorryman100]

Personally speaking I don't think you guys will see that many of the new defender in whatever guise it finally goes into production with. My thinking is that here in the UK the current defender is far too expensive due to the labour costs as they are hand built and the UK market is not the sole point of sale, and it is getting harder for LR to produce the defender due to costs and EU legislation. Now this is where the new defender comes in for sales in the EU and more importantly the US. And this is where I see the ROW sales getting a lifeline........... I can see TATA moving current spec defender production to India where labour costs are much lower than Europe as the current spec defender is in demand in the ROW. Upsides to this could be a cheaper unit, better choice of engines and more importantly the continuation of a Legend.

Just my Two pence worth :angel:

[eksjay]

the concept car looks hideous...

LR Defender is a 60+ yo legend. The concept could date overnite.

LR should look across the Atlantic to Jeep Wrangler. When the highly successful TJ was rumored to go, everyone thought ... oh no... and Chrysler came up with the JK. The update is brilliant.

This is what LR needs to do. It needs to make some subtle changes to the skin, but rework the interior, particularly in relation to safety.