New Defender

[rmp]

It's a question, not news!

AFAIK the current Defender is not airbag-compatible and therefore needs replacing or retiring in the next 1-2 years. Have heard rumours of replacement on 2005 Discovery chassis.

Anyone anything else?

PS will be off to the LR dealership early in Jan for a Defender anyway, I reckon one of the last live-axles have to be a good bet on the secondhand market when I come to sell.

[lrdef110]

RMP the new Defender is scheduled for replacement in 2006. At this point there is speculation that Land Rover will offer two versions of the vehicle. One basic model with live axles to cater for the military/african market and a version with running gear similar to the 2005 Disco replacement. Although both will possibly be constructed on a the new Disco chassis platform.

The latest stuff I have read indicates the vehicle may not make 2006 and will actually see the light of day some time later.

[Phoenix]

Which means that we keep the current defender untill at least 2006, if not later.

Few, that gives me a chance to save some money up 8)

[rmp]

I'm not sure the current Defender will be kept. If what I've read is correct, then airbags are going to become mandatory in 2005, the current Defender can't be made airbag-compatible and -- my own conclusion -- it would be withdrawn between the time when it is no longer safety compliant and when the new model is available. I don't recall where I read that unfortunately. But I believe the reason the Defender isn't available in the USA is due to airbags/safety.

[Phoenix]

That would be a sad situation style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/sad.gif

Do we know why the defender is not airbag compatible, I wouldn't have thought that it would be that difficult, or is it ?

[rmp]

Why not compatible? Lack of space in the dash.

Given the size of a passenger airbag (seen where it fits on a Patrol without one), I can believe that. But a steering-wheel airbag surely shouldn't be a problem.

Of course, it's not *really* incompatible. What they mean is that it's not cost-effective to design and fit.

[Phoenix]

That makes sense, all the good things always get left out because of Cost Effeciveness.

A bit like christmas, I was going to get a nice neklace for my fiance, but due to the $4000 price tag it just isn't "Cost Effective" style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/laugh.gif

[rmp]

$4000 for a necklace?

I'm sure you realise how far that'd go in 4WD mods!

[Phoenix]

Well, In my mind the missus is more importaint, however I won't tell her that, keep her on her toes :wink:

But seriously folks, Grover could have all the dents knocked out, a fresh coat of paint, new tyres, a new canopy and the army antennaes that i'm chasing for that kinda money :twisted:

Anyway, i'm not rich enough to buy jewelery of that kind of value anyway (although if I could afford it I would style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin.gif )