RIP Defender....

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Davo

As usual with online articles, the comments are more entertaining than the copy:

"Ever heard of a Land Cruiser? As a work vehicle, as a rugged all terrain go anywhere vehicle, as a four wheel drive, it defecates from a great height on anything Land Rover produces. That is why nobody who NEEDS an off-road vehicle buys a Land Rover.

Sent from a mine site in the middle of the Australian desert!"

Ahh, mining people, so erudite. Weren't Toyota dropping the LandCruiser anyway?

---

Hi Davo

Yes I have heard of Land Cruiser, I will long remember drilling out the rivits on the suspension so that we could replace them with HT bolts so the spring mounts didn't fall off. I also know of the V8 200 series that you can't afford to drive past a service station for fear of running out of fuel. I have also heard that the only make model that comes anywhere near meeting current mine site accreditation is the Isuzu/Holden Colarado.

So why bother with Toyota/Nissan or Land Rover.

And the Amarok...

Current Ford Ranger

Triton

Prado

And my Discovery 4 :)

It's mine spec so I can take it to work!
(Magnetic markings etc)

Interesting that Land Rover appear to be running up the white flag on the Defender whilst Mercedes-Benz are expanding the market of their G-Professional (due here in August if on-line chatter can be believed). And that doesn't even have a logical price-point.

oh dear, compete with Toyota, something is going to change.

I posted this earlier, Bob
Defender to be built in Sri Lanka
From Land Rover Monthly, June 2013;

" Although the veteran Defenders days are numbered in the UK, it is about to get a new lease of life in Sri Lanka, where a local company has announced plans to build a plant to assemble the vehicles

They will be built by SML Frontier Automotive, a subsidiary of Sathosa Motors. Sri Lanka's Daily news reported that production is expected to commence late this year. The company will be investing US $1 million to build the plant on land near Hambantota Port, into which the completely knocked- down [ CKD] parts would arrive from the UK. Sansosa Motors, the Parent firm, already has the agency for Japan's Isuzu brand.

Although the current Defender is due to be phased out in 2015 in Europe & North America to meet stringent emissions & safety laws, the new move raises the question of whether the 30 year old workhorse will continue being produced in the third World for years to come. " Bob

Honestly people... Move on!

Focker Friendships, Model T Fords, Phones with coiled wires and winders, Cameras that took film, Carrier Pigeons, Conventional Ovens (No microwaves), Hills hoists, Furniture CRT TVs under 34cm, Betamax...

All iconic, all great - all outdated

The Defender has had it's run.

Discovery etc will go all the same places, just as Prado, Land Cruiser and Patrol have for years...

There's a big difference between rugged by necessity and rugged by choice/image.

When people recognise its often wants rather than needs... Then people may recognise that the market supports that - its called business.

Would I take my D4 everywhere I took the Defender? Absolutely...

Can it go there? Absolutely.. In fact at times it's done tracks I've driven before easier (and a damn measure more comfort)

You are talking about Australian market share

Toyota are nothing in Europe. Where as defenders are everywhere. All building sites work places farms and pretty much anyone that has a horse.

It is the total oppersite to here in Aus

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Reads90

You are talking about Australian market share

Toyota are nothing in Europe. Where as defenders are everywhere. All building sites work places farms and pretty much anyone that has a horse.

It is the total oppersite to here in Aus

---

I'd hardly ever seen a Land Cruiser before I moved to Oz, apart from on the TV, and then they all had UN markings on the side!

So Toyota have really found a niche here, and exploited it well.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Tombie

Honestly people... Move on!

<snip>

Would I take my D4 everywhere I took the Defender? Absolutely...

Can it go there? Absolutely.. In fact at times it's done tracks I've driven before easier (and a damn measure more comfort)

---

X 2

The D4 in stock configuration is a much more capable vehicle than the Defender in stock. The D4 is more comfortable, has more space and walks over obstacles that a Defender rocks, rolls and side slips over. Been there done that. The down side of the D4 is the limited carrying capacity.

With an alloy subframe and body shell there will be more comfort and load capacity, we just have to open our minds and move forward. After all jumbo jets and armoured vehicles have been made in aluminium alloy for 50 years.

jeez guys, I thought we were talking Land Rover here.....why does it always swing to Toyota bashing?