An update.

[DiscoMick]

All-new 2018 Land Rover Defender: everything we know so far - (http://anonymousmags.com/new-2018-land-rover-defender-everything-know-far/)

[disco gazza]

Cant wait to see some pics of the new deefer.

Might even trade in the rangie for one just before I retire.

cheers

[Fluids]

If it looks like the one in the link ... I want one !! [thumbsupbig]

[Pickles2]

C'Mon Disco,...."Update"?..You are a naughty boy for getting me all enthused, ..... but there's nothing new at all in that article!!
Pickles.

[DiscoMick]

Was the bit about both the chassis and body being aluminum new? Also, it said 2018 release, but I had previously read 2019.
Anyway, it let's us keep talking...

[cripesamighty]

That back end (with spare wheel holder) reminds me of a later-model, short-wheelbase Pajero.

[Pickles2]

Was the bit about both the chassis and body being aluminum new? Also, it said 2018 release, but I had previously read 2019.
Anyway, it let's us keep talking...
The "aluminium" bit is not new, & the release date is all speculation,..JLR have not said anything specific about the new Defender, but a multitude of so called people "ïn the know" have spoken endlessly about "generalities".
All "Myth & Hearsay" IMHO,....but mate, I am REALLY hanging out for the first FACTUAL release from jLR.
Pickles.

[ramblingboy42]

g'day Pickles, you got it right.

I still just dust my hands of these articles.

They are....dare I say it.....false news.

Lets keep false news out of Aulro.

Disco Mick.....>>>shame!

[AndyG]

I look forward to the dilemma of having to choose between a disco 5 and a new Defender as my retirement tow vehicle

[DiscoMick]

2019 Land Rover Defender ute (https://www.4x4australia.com.au/news/1703/2019-land-rover-defender-ute)

[JDNSW]

Pure speculation, albeit with at least a line of reasoning!

[QRS40]

Does anyone know if the current speculation also includes whether there will be an auto/semiauto option?

Also does 'SVO' mean that they will shoehorn the Jaguar F Pace Diesel 6 (220KW) in? (and is it only me that wishes they would put it in a disco sport...?

[RobA]

Does anyone know if the current speculation also includes whether there will be an auto/semiauto option?

Also does 'SVO' mean that they will shoehorn the Jaguar F Pace Diesel 6 (220KW) in? (and is it only me that wishes they would put it in a disco sport...?

You can almost bet on an auto option as it is the only way to get terrain response and HDC et al to work completely. I will not be surprised if it comes as an auto only actually

Rob

[DiscoMick]

New Land Rover Defender will be brand’s most high-tech car yet | (http://anonymousmags.com/new-land-rover-defender-will-be-brands-most-high-tech-car-yet/)

[RobA]

New Land Rover Defender will be brand’s most high-tech car yet | (http://anonymousmags.com/new-land-rover-defender-will-be-brands-most-high-tech-car-yet/)

The LR comment on declining sales is fascinating. In a global market for heavy duty 4WD utes, mining, agriculture etc. there have really only been the old Nissan, Toyota's 70 series and Defender. Once Nissan left the field sales of Defenders in Oz actually increased slightly as curious users experimented and sadly found the ergonomics and service and support left a lot to be desired outside of any CBD. Clearly a reflection of LR's view of the product at the time. As well the lack of a heavy duty dual cab option has seen increasing growth in ISUZU and others with their excellent light 4WD trucks which are expensive, sort of, to purchase but their duty cycle and cost of ownership are darned good.

IMHO if LR get their pricing and the product right for the commercial market they have an open field of opportunity given the age of the 70 series and where it fits in OHS&W requirements current and future. If they know and understand the fleet market, not convinced as it has never been their core business or even and adjunct to it, then with a great product they have the opportunity to make a very large dent in Toyota's fleet sales globally. Now that may seem a big call but if you are chasing >50,000 sales and you want to be a player in the 4WD fleet market you sharpen your pencil, setup fleet deals and chase hard

Only time will tell but having spend time with the new Discovery and it is a wonderful thing, I can't see myself taking it to all the places we take the D4. So I am seriously hoping LR will and has taken the time to not only design and develop a brilliant replacement for Defender but that it is priced and optioned for not only recreational users but the light commercials as well

Rob

[JDNSW]

........ If they know and understand the fleet market, not convinced as it has never been their core business or even and adjunct to it,......

Rob

On the contrary, I suggest that it was their core business at least from 1949 to 1967 (Leyland merger), and possibly into the seventies.

[Tins]

On the contrary, I suggest that it was their core business at least from 1949 to 1967 (Leyland merger), and possibly into the seventies.

Les Thiess showed LR what core business really meant, at least in Australia, by his promotion of LandCruisers on the Snowy Scheme, 1958. LR's market share complacency cost them big time in the long run. They have a lot to claw back.

[RobA]

Les Thiess showed LR what core business really meant, at least in Australia, by his promotion of LandCruisers on the Snowy Scheme, 1958. LR's market share complacency cost them big time in the long run. They have a lot to claw back.

Agreed and hence my comments.

I have been in the fleet industry for a while and have had a number of clients "evaluate" Defender when Nissan pulled the ute and whilst Defender strength was good ergonomics, service and support were non existent. All of which Toyota do very well. There is a gap in the market and the ageing 70 series is still, sadly by the look of it, a ways of a replacement. So the opportunity is there if they have a well priced, capable and specified product. Which if it comes to pass should be a great thing for many of us looking for a capable 4WD and excellent touring machine capable of towing our off road camper. I am thinking GLander but at a more affordable price. I just love the triple diff-locks and capability of those things just not affordable

Rob

[JDNSW]

Theiss's importing of Toyotas was a direct result of the simple fact that he could not buy Landrovers. The reason for this was that Rover was unable to meet the demand, up until 1967 because, as a small company with limited resources, they were unable to find the capital needed to increase production. Post 1967, because Leyland was using the company's profits to fuel further acquisitions, initially, later to prop up loss making ventures. Supply of Landrovers did not meet demand until the mid seventies, and I don't think this was because of any great increase in capacity, but rather the market started to shrink, perhaps mainly because lack of capital from Leyland meant the design was stagnant, but also because the whole organisation had operated in a seller's market for over twenty years.

This resulted in rationing of supplies to each market, and in 1958, with the Australian Army planning to replace their Jeeps with Landrovers, most of the available Australian ones were earmarked for this sale, leading to delivery times of many months for other buyers. Those fleet owners already customers, such as SMHEA and government departments would have been aware of the situation and ordered well in advance. Theiss, with a rapidly expanding business, even if he was aware of the situation, could not have placed orders far enough ahead.

[Homestar]

All-new 2018 Land Rover Defender: everything we know so far - (http://anonymousmags.com/new-2018-land-rover-defender-everything-know-far/)

Wow, a high tech Slovakian Defender- what could possibly go wrong...

[DiscoMick]

Where something is made is not so important nowdays when companies insist on uniform standards worldwide. For example, so many of our Japanese vehicles are actually made in Thailand, but the quality is good.
Slovakia could be a good base when the UK exits the EU and there is a 10 per cent import duty of products from the UK into Europe. Lower costs could produce big benefits. JLR also has plants in Brazil and China now.
I agree with those who say the commercial 4WD market is wide open to a new vehicle if it is competent, as the 70 series gets pensioned off. JLR could produce a whole range of tough vehicles and dominate the mining, NGO, commercial and tough recreational markets if they are smart.

[Tins]

Theiss's importing of Toyotas was a direct result of the simple fact that he could not buy Landrovers.

Very true, but you overlook the extraordinary efforts both he and Toyota put in to make the LandCruiser suitable for the conditions, something LR did not do. Every broken part was investigated, and improved. It's what built Toyota's reputation as makers of tough 4x4s, and, as I understand it, why Toyotas are the go to choice for most industries that require reliable off road vehicles. It is a reputation that I think is largely undeserved in more recent times, as I have seen plenty of broken Toyotas, but it persists nonetheless.

[Tombie]

It's definitely starting to lose ground on sites and workers car parks [emoji6]

[JDNSW]

Very true, but you overlook the extraordinary efforts both he and Toyota put in to make the LandCruiser suitable for the conditions, something LR did not do. Every broken part was investigated, and improved. It's what built Toyota's reputation as makers of tough 4x4s, and, as I understand it, why Toyotas are the go to choice for most industries that require reliable off road vehicles. It is a reputation that I think is largely undeserved in more recent times, as I have seen plenty of broken Toyotas, but it persists nonetheless.

I suggest you find some of the descriptions of the early days of the Landrover - Rover actually had some of their engineers stationed in Cooma to ensure rapid response to problems. And there were many changes made in the period 1948-53, where Toyota made was in a similar position a decade later.

And the company I worked for re-equipped with Landcruisers in the mid sixties, and I can assure you that the Landcruisers of that period had plenty of shortcomings in quality and design. Certainly they continued to improve, at least until the end of the eighties, where Landrover remained virtually unchanged from 1958-1983, leaving a big gap to catch up.

[Tins]

I suggest you find some of the descriptions of the early days of the Landrover - Rover actually had some of their engineers stationed in Cooma to ensure rapid response to problems. And there were many changes made in the period 1948-53, where Toyota made was in a similar position a decade later.



Fair enough. I didn't know that. However, the IIAs that we had in the military would still break axles at the drop of a hat. We all used to carry a lung length of steel rod, with a slot cut in one end to get around the planetary gear shaft, so we could drive out the broken off end from the centre. Weaknesses like that held LR back for decades.

[loanrangie]

On the contrary, I suggest that it was their core business at least from 1949 to 1967 (Leyland merger), and possibly into the seventies.
I'd suggest that was mainly luck and not brand strategy.

[JDNSW]

Fair enough. I didn't know that. However, the IIAs that we had in the military would still break axles at the drop of a hat. We all used to carry a lung length of steel rod, with a slot cut in one end to get around the planetary gear shaft, so we could drive out the broken off end from the centre. Weaknesses like that held LR back for decades.

That particular one was fixed by the introduction of the Salisbury axle in the last of the 2as - probably would have been better if it had happened earlier, but in fact, they did not break very often in my experience - in the last 55 years, I have driven 2as for nearly forty of those years, often with heavy loads in very rough country - and, perhaps surprisingly, have never broken an axle. A diff yes, but not an axle. Actually, I strongly suspect that axle quality was a bit of a lottery, especially after the Leyland merger, and I may have been lucky.

Some of the issues I remember with Toyotas in the sixties - a steering relay that within a couple of thousand miles from new added about fifteen degrees of slack to the steering; dangerous fuel tank setup with the tank inside the body, so any leaks were inside - lost one due to a smoker from this; seat frames that collapsed on corrugated roads with a typical Aussie on it; upholstery that fell to bits with six months of sunshine; broken wheel studs - we carried spare studs in the glovebox - at least they had a good tool kit, and I could replace one in about fifteen minutes by the roadside; only vehicle I have ever had break a spring right through all leaves; bodywork just fell to bits; very temperamental carburettor.

As for quality control - one incident that sticks in my mind is the time a mechanic an a new cylinder head were flown from Brisbane to the Mt Isa area - can you imagine his feelings when he found after unpacking the new head, that one of the spark plug holes had not been threaded! As one of my crew commented in 1966 "They said 'War last 100 years' - and they meant it!"

On the other hand, one real advantage the Toyotas had over Landrover was higher carrying capacity - they were just a bit larger, and particularly the swb, the larger engine gave better on - road performance, although offroad this was hampered by the three speed gearbox. But this was offset by higher, often much higher, fuel consumption, emphasising the fact that Toyota came to diesels about fifteen years after Rover did.

[Homestar]

Where something is made is not so important nowdays when companies insist on uniform standards worldwide. For example, so many of our Japanese vehicles are actually made in Thailand, but the quality is good.
Slovakia could be a good base when the UK exits the EU and there is a 10 per cent import duty of products from the UK into Europe. Lower costs could produce big benefits. JLR also has plants in Brazil and China now.
I agree with those who say the commercial 4WD market is wide open to a new vehicle if it is competent, as the 70 series gets pensioned off. JLR could produce a whole range of tough vehicles and dominate the mining, NGO, commercial and tough recreational markets if they are smart.

While I'm sure they could, the question is will they IMO.

When we first started to see manufacturing on mass out of China, or Thailand quality wasn't great but has developed well.

I still wouldn't be running out to buy the first model off the production line that's for sure.

[Tins]

That particular one was fixed by the introduction of the Salisbury axle in the last of the 2as - probably would have been better if it had happened earlier, but in fact, they did not break very often in my experience - in the last 55 years, I have driven 2as for nearly forty of those years, often with heavy loads in very rough country - and, perhaps surprisingly, have never broken an axle. A diff yes, but not an axle. Actually, I strongly suspect that axle quality was a bit of a lottery, especially after the Leyland merger, and I may have been lucky.



You may have been lucky, or it may have been your driving, John. Soldiers come from all walks of life, but it always seemed that the drivers came from families of stock car racers. Broken axles were common.

Don't think I'm anti Land Rover, 'cos I aint, and I believe that they have a reputation they don't deserve, but British Leyland helped nobody with reputations. Jaguar, for example. I also believe Toyota have a reputation they don't deserve. Calling Toyotas unbreakable is like calling MacDonalds food. People will believe anything, it seems. I do, however, believe LR could have been far more proactive in sorting out the problems than they were.

[JDNSW]

I agree there were lots of things that started with the Series 1, and were still there at the end of Series 3 production. One that comes to mind - broken gear levers - I've never broken any acxles, but I think either I, or someone else, has broken the gearlever on almost every Series Landrover I've ever driven! And, the gearlever broke on my 110! And the less said about Lucas electrics the better! (Although to be charitable, if you were building a car in Britain you had little choice.)

Another example I can think of in the way of product improvement - in 1966 I broke the bottom arm on the steering relay of my Series 2 - the replacement was markedly heftier. That was a chang made some time between 1958 and 1966.

[Tins]

I agree there were lots of things that started with the Series 1, and were still there at the end of Series 3 production. One that comes to mind - broken gear levers - I've never broken any acxles, but I think either I, or someone else, has broken the gearlever on almost every Series Landrover I've ever driven! And, the gearlever broke on my 110! And the less said about Lucas electrics the better! (Although to be charitable, if you were building a car in Britain you had little choice.)

Another example I can think of in the way of product improvement - in 1966 I broke the bottom arm on the steering relay of my Series 2 - the replacement was markedly heftier. That was a chang made some time between 1958 and 1966.

See? Experience differs. I have never seen a broken gear lever, even in LRs that I had to recover from ridiculous accidents, often upside down.

Lucas Electrics? Well, my first real experience of auto electrics was with Lucas, and I believe it scarred me for life.... Although I can beat it. I once had the (mis)fortune to have to work on a Hillman Minx, with a Smith's EasyDrive automatic gearbox. I doubt the Russians could have come up with something as diabolical as that stroke of genius. Sometimes I think we'd have been better off if Hitler had won. Robert Bosch at least had lecktricity beat.

[JDNSW]

See? Experience differs. I have never seen a broken gear lever, even in LRs that I had to recover from ridiculous accidents, often upside down.

The broken gearlevers have nothing to do with accidents, but rather with the fact that they have a stress concentration at the top of the ball, and movement of the ball tends to get stiff with dust exposure as it outside the gearbox.

Lucas Electrics? Well, my first real experience of auto electrics was with Lucas, and I believe it scarred me for life.... Although I can beat it. I once had the (mis)fortune to have to work on a Hillman Minx, with a Smith's EasyDrive automatic gearbox. I doubt the Russians could have come up with something as diabolical as that stroke of genius. Sometimes I think we'd have been better off if Hitler had won. Robert Bosch at least had lecktricity beat.

One of the books I have, the autobiography of the man who founded a company that designed and built many of the torpedo boats used in WW2. In one passage he recounts an unreal scene where, during the 'phoney war', when Italy was neutral, he was in Milan trying to expedite the delivery of Isotta Fraschini engines for the boat contract he had - the head of the company was on the phone to Bosch urging them to speed up the delivery of magnetoes, which were the holdup on the engines. (After Italy entered the war, they were unable to complete any boats until Packard started supplying marinised Merlins.)

[bsperka]

Marketing has a strong part to play in the success of many products. Toyota is a master.
Japanese quality is also a big factor. Consistent, suited to the market and low cost (of manufacturing). That's why Mazda was better than Ford on building vehicles to the same product specification. In some cases no measurable variations on build.

[JDNSW]

A big part of Toyota's success in Australia has been its dealer network - which is justified not by the sales and support of Landcruisers, but by the sales and support of cars. Landrover used to have a widespread dealer network, but they were never exclusive to the Landrover, and by the 1970s the market for their other brands (usually other brands that ended up as part of the same disastrous Leyland octopus) was rapidly disappearing as Australians turned to Japanese brands, with Toyota in the lead.

[bob10]

It's been admitted , JLR was taking the MICK with the concept models. But Defender will not be along the same lines of the original.

New Land Rover Defender ute 'number one' on local wish list (http://www.msn.com/en-au/motoring/news/new-land-rover-defender-ute-number-one-on-local-wish-list/ar-BBDHBR9?li=AA8ewQ&ocid=spartandhp)

[Drizzle]

New Land Rover Defender ute ‘number one’ on local wish list (http://www.caradvice.com.au/563889/new-land-rover-defender-ute-number-one-on-local-wish-list/)

[scarry]

New Land Rover Defender ute ‘number one’ on local wish list (http://www.caradvice.com.au/563889/new-land-rover-defender-ute-number-one-on-local-wish-list/)

They would be silly not to have one in the range.

But will it be a threat to the Jap offerings,i doubt it.

[Tins]

One of the books I have, the autobiography of the man who founded a company that designed and built many of the torpedo boats used in WW2. In one passage he recounts an unreal scene where, during the 'phoney war', when Italy was neutral, he was in Milan trying to expedite the delivery of Isotta Fraschini engines for the boat contract he had - the head of the company was on the phone to Bosch urging them to speed up the delivery of magnetoes, which were the holdup on the engines. (After Italy entered the war, they were unable to complete any boats until Packard started supplying marinised Merlins.)

John, was that in some way connected with the Fairmile range of boats? Those were the marine equivalent of Geoffrey DeHavilland's Mosquito.

[JDNSW]

John, was that in some way connected with the Fairmile range of boats? Those were the marine equivalent of Geoffrey DeHavilland's Mosquito.

If I could find the book, I would be able to answer that - I know the book is somewhere among the 5-6,000 I have, but they are not all that well organised, and the fact that I can't remember either the name of the author or the name of the book makes a slight problem!

[Pickles2]

If I could find the book, I would be able to answer that - I know the book is somewhere among the 5-6,000 I have, but they are not all that well organised, and the fact that I can't remember either the name of the author or the name of the book makes a slight problem!
"5-6000" book?!....Wow, respect to you.
I love books, I have my father's 5 row glass fronted book case, with many of the family's old books in there. I also have a few hundred of my own, focusing on fairly "diverse" subjects such as The Third Reich, Steam Engines, U.S. Muscle Cars, Aussie Motorsport, characters like Ned Kelly, James Dean, Steve Mcqueen etc,....like I said ,.."diverse".....Oh, nearly forgot, I've got a several on LandRover too!
Do you have any particular focus?
Pickles.

[JDNSW]

I was lucky a few years ago - one of my neices rang up "One of the women at work is clearing out her father's house, and they have managed to get rid of everything except the Compactus. She was asking $1,000 for it but I think would take any offer". She only had the woman's work number, so I called at 0900 the next morning, and offered $100. Accepted subject to her husband having not already taken it to the tip. Called back ten minutes later with details, then I had to raise a helper and headed into town with the big trailer.

Eight bookcases 900wide, 1800 high. This occupies the centre of my "library, which also has bookshelves the same height along the walls. And there are bookcases throughout the house.

Focus - several of these. Accounts of small boat voyages, maritime history, aviation, especially history, old technology, history of science and technology, history of English, Middle English, Tolkein, Arthur Ransome, motoring history, including Landrover, Science Fiction, anything interesting!

[Pedro_The_Swift]

Compactus's are great for storage,, not much for ambiance-- [smilebigeye]
a good book case beats it hands down,,

[JDNSW]

Compactus's are great for storage,, not much for ambiance-- [smilebigeye]
a good book case beats it hands down,,

Yes, but you can fit a lot more books in the same place with one - and as a bonus, if kept closed, they do not accumulate dust to anything like the same extent, a serious issue with books in open bookcases, particularly inland - and have you seen the cost of glass fronted book cases for any reasonable amount of books?

[DiscoMick]

Books are great. I turn mine over through second hand bookshops which keeps the number down to those I'm likely to want again, raises funds for fresh ones and keeps them circulating.

[Tins]

About 15 years ago, when I was poorer than usual, I sold a large number of books to a second hand book shop. I have regretted it ever since. Just one of those books, "Journeys With Gelignite Jack" hardcover, will these days fetch what the entire collection got for me. Not that I would sell it again.

The internet, Kindle, Audible and all the other substitutes will never replace the feel and experience of holding a book, and being able to just go to it for reference. Hold on to them, guys.

[Dopey]

One of the books I have, the autobiography of the man who founded a company that designed and built many of the torpedo boats used in WW2. In one passage he recounts an unreal scene where, during the 'phoney war', when Italy was neutral, he was in Milan trying to expedite the delivery of Isotta Fraschini engines for the boat contract he had - the head of the company was on the phone to Bosch urging them to speed up the delivery of magnetoes, which were the holdup on the engines. (After Italy entered the war, they were unable to complete any boats until Packard started supplying marinised Merlins.)

g'day JD,

Here is a bit more info about some of the Motor torpedo boats and in the linked article is a bit about machinery for them from Italy...
regards,
Mike.

RN Motor Torpedo Boats: Builders. - World Naval Ships Forums (http://www.worldnavalships.com/forums/showthread.php't=14407)

[Tins]

g'day JD,

Here is a bit more info about some of the Motor torpedo boats and in the linked article is a bit about machinery for them from Italy...
regards,
Mike.

RN Motor Torpedo Boats: Builders. - World Naval Ships Forums (http://www.worldnavalships.com/forums/showthread.php't=14407)

Thanks for that link, Dopey ( gee it's hard to call you that after you found this ). I have long been a fan of the Vosper and Fairmile boats. As I said, these were the marine version of the Mosquito, able to take on pretty much any role asked of them. I'm going to enjoy reading what is on that link.

[JDNSW]

g'day JD,

Here is a bit more info about some of the Motor torpedo boats and in the linked article is a bit about machinery for them from Italy...
regards,
Mike.

RN Motor Torpedo Boats: Builders. - World Naval Ships Forums (http://www.worldnavalships.com/forums/showthread.php't=14407)

Thanks, that twigged my memory - the company involved was Vospers, and the man was Peter Du Cane - but I still haven't found the book!

[Pickles2]

Thanks for that link, Dopey ( gee it's hard to call you that after you found this ). I have long been a fan of the Vosper and Fairmile boats. As I said, these were the marine version of the Mosquito, able to take on pretty much any role asked of them. I'm going to enjoy reading what is on that link.
"Vosper"!!..When as a boy, I lived in England, we seemed to have different interests than boys of the same age today. Model aircraft (mostly control line at our age), balsa wood gliders, Hornby 00 model trains, metal cars/models etc all made in West Germany, and of course train-spotting, many of us wanted to be engine drivers.
But I digress, "Vosper". Whilst living in England, I bought a lovely motorised model of a Vosper RAF rescue boat, it was battery powered, only one motor, but twin screw. It was still in its original box etc when we came to Aussie & I swapped it for something I can't remember! It would probably be worth a bit now!
Pickles.

[Tins]

"Vosper"!!..When as a boy, I lived in England, we seemed to have different interests than boys of the same age today. Model aircraft (mostly control line at our age), balsa wood gliders, Hornby 00 model trains, metal cars/models etc all made in West Germany, and of course train-spotting, many of us wanted to be engine drivers.
But I digress, "Vosper". Whilst living in England, I bought a lovely motorised model of a Vosper RAF rescue boat, it was battery powered, only one motor, but twin screw. It was still in its original box etc when we came to Aussie & I swapped it for something I can't remember! It would probably be worth a bit now!
Pickles.

I guess we're of an age then, as my interests were the same, apart from train spotting of course... Never did understand that pastime, but I guess we didn't have the trains. The Southern Aurora was about the best we could manage.

The Vosper and Fairmile MGB and MTB were absolutely spectacular. It saddens me beyond belief that nearly all of them were scrapped.

[Pickles2]

I guess we're of an age then, as my interests were the same, apart from train spotting of course... Never did understand that pastime, but I guess we didn't have the trains. The Southern Aurora was about the best we could manage.

The Vosper and Fairmile MGB and MTB were absolutely spectacular. It saddens me beyond belief that nearly all of them were scrapped.
A reasonable German equivalent of the time, perhaps somewhat larger, would have been their " Ë Boat", a quite formidable bit of gear.
Pickles.

[Tins]

A reasonable German equivalent of the time, perhaps somewhat larger, would have been their " Ë Boat", a quite formidable bit of gear.
Pickles.

Oh, yes indeed. E Boat was an Allied designation though, or so I believe. Schnellebooten were indeed formidable. Not as fast as the British boats, but better armed. I can't recall if they had the 'silent' engines of the Brits for low speed stuff. Even subs were frightened of E Boats if caught on the surface. I never wanted one, though.

[DiscoMick]

New Land Rover Defender coming in 2020 (https://www.4x4australia.com.au/news/1707/new-land-rover-defender-coming-in-2020)
More on the next Defender from 4 x 4 Australia.

[WhiteD3]

I read this which quoted LR as stating the Defender wouldn't be available until 2020 [bigsad]

New Land Rover Defender coming in 2020 (https://www.4x4australia.com.au/news/1707/new-land-rover-defender-coming-in-2020)

[loanrangie]

Not much of an update when its all still just speculation.

[ramblingboy42]

I dont even think its speculation.

LR have not released a thing about a new Defender .

[Pickles2]

I dont even think its speculation.

LR have not released a thing about a new Defender .
Exactly right,..but there's plenty that listen to all the 3rd 4th 5th hand gossip around, my mate knows a bloke etc etc etc, & then it becomes gospel,...not to me!!....motoring journos are just as bad,.....if it wasn't an official LandRover statement, then I take no notice.
Pickles.