Defender's future

Cliffy last news I heard online was a freelander was going to be built in india for locals only.

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Originally Posted by Didge

If it looks like this I'm glad they're stopping it; this had been hit with the ugly stick - hard! I'd rather my old Def or at worst walk. It looks more like a Lada Niva on a double caff, decaf, with soy milk and a twist of lemon or whatever that crap is that the yuppies with carrots up their $%#!& like to order for their morning "tea or at best watered dowon steroids.

If they do decide to stop the Defender I reckon that'd be a good time for those of us who love them to get together and start our own marque. Let's follow the Harley Davidson lead, although with a slightly different twist. I've said this before on this forum, we could all throw in some dough (I'd have to borrow all of it :( ) and start building our own Defenders ( I mean it's not like its out of our technological reach is it; most of us have backyards and sheds/garages and some basic tools so we already outperform our mates at Solihull (cos it rains there most of the time). We could produce a world class vehicle that is is quiet, DOESN'T leak, is galvanised, has all the underbody protection, bullbars, spare wheel carriers, rear storage, diff lockers, etc as standard and surely we could do it cheaper than the Poms are already doing. From what I've read the Yanks love the Defender, we'd just have to incorporate airbags and we'd have a huge market. I've got some ideas what would reduce weight, exceed pollution problems, traction control and underbody clearance issues. Heck, we could even get Richard Branson to sponsor us to save the "British" brand from extinction; whadya think?????? Am I mad???

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Geez, that's hideous....

Looks like they crossed an FJ Cruiser (new one) and a G Wagon, then stuck a D4 front on it.......yuck!!!

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Originally Posted by Didge

If they do decide to stop the Defender I reckon that'd be a good time for those of us who love them to get together and start our own marque. ..... whadya think?????? Am I mad???

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No. Landrovers were assembled in Australia back in the day weren't they?

I have a conspiracy theory that they threaten to discontinue the Defender to sell more of the current model. It worked on me.....

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There's a hot rumour from within Land Rover circles that the next Defender, or a show vehicle close to it, will be unveiled at the Frankfurt International Motor Show, Sept 13-25. Given that the LRX show car that became the Range Rover Evoque was introduced three years ago and given that the boss of Land Rover has told 4wdNewz to expect the next Defender around 2014, the rumour could well be true. Start saving up, Land Rover enthusiasts …

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Phil Hanson

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Originally Posted by Beckford

No. Landrovers were assembled in Australia back in the day weren't they?
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Landrovers were assembled in Australia, unless I am mistaken, up to the introduction of the Disco and Defender (in the UK) in 1989. Assembly started about 1950 and by the late eighties there was a substantial local content and some models were unique to Australia. Models assembled included Series 1,2,2a,3 and 110.

John

We need to get off this "Defender" sentimentality. The Defender models have only been around since the late 1980's and the basic bodies were designed for the Series II first built in 1958, well before there were welding robots.

The Defender body has too litle shoulder space for the front seat drivers and insufficient leg room and head room for people much over 5'8".

I guess the best we can hope for is a Defender replacement, designed and engineered in the UK with some production happening in either India or China for price competitiveness. Not discounting the poor quality of the Tata in Timor Leste, but quality control is something that can be improved something that the 53 year old design deficient Defender body can not.

The sales rep I bought my car from was telling me recently after a 3 day LR junket, that Land Rover have as much a pondery with what to do as we do. They like the shape, customers like the shape, and it's iconic. Though it's sales are not great they feel the Defender is what LR is all about.

IMO I guess it could be improved, but that would take it from where it is. Jump in any new car and they can all be improved as well, so it goes around in circles.
I for one would not really want to see Defender become this rounded softened attempt to capture past sales, like the VW Beatle or FJ cruiser. I cope enough stick for having a puma, and that's basically an engine change.

I think in the name of safety and pollution will see what we ultimately end up with, and so far it ain't pretty.

#1 The "ugly stick" concept has been discussed before: it's a Ford concept design that someone stuck LR badges on and it then somehow morphed into "the next defender." Clearly nothing like. There are better concept designs around.

#2 Land Rover has become a luxo-marque. The Disco sits at the top of the recreational 4wd pile, making even 10 year old Range Rovers look spartan. The same is true of all the other models except the Defender, which is arguably the most basic vehicle in its class. A luxo-Defender is a lifestyle vehicle akin to the Jeep Wrangler Unlimited, and should sell well but probably not to anyone who bought a Defender in the last 20 years. A redesigned utility Defender would need to be built in India to be economical and would probably not make many sales in the Western world.

My best guess: They'll go the lifestyle option. It will be very similar to the Jeep Wrangler but look Defender-ish (just as the Wrangler is CJ-ish).

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Originally Posted by Lotz-A-Landies

The Defender body has too litle shoulder space for the front seat drivers and insufficient leg room and head room for people much over 5'8".

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And the problem with this is what? :D Suits me perfectly (being of "normal" stature)

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Originally Posted by numpty

And the problem with this is what? :D Suits me perfectly (being of "normal" stature)

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Numpty

Nothing is wrong with being the average height for males in the 18th century, the problem is that at least half the male population are taller then the average height and so Land Rover is restricting sales to only about 2/3 to 3/4 of the population.

Personally I love the Defender shape, but what would be the problem of adding about 4" in the cabin (& bonnet) width to improve the shoulder room and reduce the wheel arch extensions by 2" each side but keep the appearance and track width.

The water tight/air tight seals could be achieved by a monocoque body shell for strength with the aluminium panels attached to the shell. It could even be designed to have ROPS to make it acceptable to construction/mining sites and win back some of the market share from Land Cruiser/Hilux etc.