RIP Defender....

Whatever is offered as a replacement for the current Defender, a lot of the features will be there to meet safety requirements and a lot will be there to meet emissions standards or some other regulations. Those changes are obviously not negotiable.

The changes I would not like to see are the frivolous ones that are merely dictated by fashion. For example if the stylish outside shape impacted on the usable interior space, I would consider that a retrograde step.

Most boxes, containers and fridges are basically rectangular. You can fit more of them into a rectangular interior than into a curved one with protruding bumps.

I also see no need for things like electric windows, electric seat adjustment, auto sensing windscreen wipers. If you can't wind up your windows and adjust your seat manually and you can't tell if it is raining, then perhaps you shouldn't be driving.

I can see the sense of changes that make a vehicle safer or more efficient, even in a Defender. I can't see the need for replacing a simple, reliable, effective manual operation with a push button version.

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Originally Posted by vnx205

I also see no need for things like electric windows, electric seat adjustment, auto sensing windscreen wipers. If you can't wind up your windows and adjust your seat manually and you can't tell if it is raining, then perhaps you shouldn't be driving.

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x2!

Did you watch the movie The Gods must be Crazy, did you see how that guy fixed his Landy, well that's how we should be able to work on a go-anywhere vehicle, don't you think.

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Originally Posted by Davie

Did you watch the movie The Gods must be Crazy, did you see how that guy fixed his Landy, well that's how we should be able to work on a go-anywhere vehicle, don't you think.

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hmm, this scene comes to mind :wasntme:

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/im...013/06/957.jpg

Nice photoshop...

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Originally Posted by goingbush

hmm, this scene comes to mind :wasntme:

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Originally Posted by Tombie

Nice photoshop...

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I thought it was a still from "The Gods Must Be Crazy III" or "The Gods Must Be Crazy IV" .
:D:D:D

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Originally Posted by Tombie

An honest and emotive response.

I think you sum it up nicely.

I always enjoyed the Defender, I really love the D4 - often putting 8-10 hours a day in the hot seat.. Not unknown to do round trips to collect something then head straight home...

For my "fix" it's 2 wheels - that's the head clearer.

For long term calm and state of Mind, a trip in either of my LR is the key!!!!

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I agree,as someone who has had seven(i think) range rovers and a disco2 i still love driving my 130 dc.My l322 is beautiful to drive,best ive ever owned,but there is just something about driving the deefer that i cant explain.To me the jap vehicles are akin to appliances.Do the job well,for the most part well made but i dont get the same feeling when i see the fridge(except on a real hot day and i need a beer) or the microwave as i do when i see my deefer.THAT is what land rover need to keep when designing a new defender.Also it should still look like a defender,regardless of what it ends up having,same as they did with range rover,they still bear a strong family resemblence.

Just remember -
When I see old muscle cars i smile and feel warm happy feelings.

My 2 boys don't.

They see import turbo things and lose their minds...

Way back in this thread some journo seemed to argue that if LR adopt an aluminium chassis for the next Defender that will be the end of it. What bollocks! LR is investing big in aluminium technology, so if that enables it to keep the price of the Defender down, then that's a good thing.
They can still hang a workhorse vehicle off an aluminium chassis, no problems.
The new one will have to meet the latest emissions and safety regulations to have a world market and sell in sufficient numbers to be viable. That means electronics.
Electronics can be at least as reliable as mechanical systems, if not more so, if they are done right and planned to be easily repaired when they do fail.
I hope LR takes the time to get it right. If its aim really is to unseat the Hilux and similar vehicles, then that's a good thing.

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Originally Posted by DiscoMick

They can still hang a workhorse vehicle off an aluminium chassis, no problems.

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I'm not against it, light weight aluminum sounds good to me. So long as it can beat the current defender for max towing and payload weight.

But are we talking monocoque/integrated aluminium chassis? Would it really be as strong as a steel ladder chassis? If you break a ladder chassis you can weld repair, but what about monocoque aluminium?

Would it be possible to have a higher payload on a aluminium chassis with independent suspension compared to the same size car on a steel ladder chassis and solid axles?