Defender owners have noted from time to time how Land Rover cut corners and used some cheap components. In answer to this Ineos have stated that they would use good quality components and give people a quality vehicle. People have said that they would pay more for a Defender if the components and reliability were better. How much Land Rover would have charged for a Defender with better quality components and better assembly in the factory is anyone's guess. Whether it would be on a par with the Ineos Grenadier price wise is questionable. Land Rover had the vehicle but just needed to up the quality in some areas where as Ineos had to start with a clean sheet and go from there. This entails substantial out lay in capital investment. Land Rover could have killed the Grenadier at it's inception if they had upped their game with the Defender but kept the costs of this improvement at a reasonable level.
Imagine the Defender coming with a galvanised chassis and bulkhead as standard. People would pay for that. Instead of being something Land Rover did not think suited their modern "image" it could have been a true icon for them. Fair enough the majority of people would say "That is a great vehicle. Gives you confidence to go anywhere but at the moment it is not for. I will buy a different Land Rover." The Defender was an advertising department's dream. Readily identifiable so it helped with the brand image. Good, strong, reliable vehicles. So if Ineos gives us the quality we wanted in the Defender it will come at a price. Whether people think it is worth paying for is up to them.
