Thread: The Defender Name

Certainly the Defender name was pounced upon by LRs marketing department, but it was thought up by company representatives from the UK & America during a drinking session in a bar in Boston. I have never read of a date but it must have been some time after the launch of Discovery (September 1989) and the introduction of Defender (September 1990). After the success of the Land Rover Discovery there was concern at the lack of a strong name for what many people simply called "a Land Rover". One Ten, Ninety & 127 were all separate names of the one model.

One suggestion during talks over a Budweiser or three was Land Rover "Attacker", though was rejected as being too agressive, intimidating. "Defender" was shouted, it was seen as being strong yet non-threatening, heroic even. It's undoubtedly linked to the strong military ties of Land Rover ever since pre-pro L29 and R30 were sent to the Ministry of Supply on 24 June 1948 as well as mil-specific models (101, Lightweight, Perentie 6x6 etc).

The confusion over One Ten/110 probably relates to how Land Rover actually badged the vehicle and the names of earlier models (Series 1, 2, 3 even though it was written Series I, II, III by the factory) as opposed to how it marketed the car. Advertising, owners manuals, work shop manuals & parts manuals always referred to One Ten (or Ninety) which contrasted with the decal on the front that said "Land Rover 110"! Also some Australian brochures and advertising stated 110 including 110 Heavy Duty 6x6 or 110 Heavy Duty (even though we all know it's a 120"!)

For the One Tens final year of sale (1990) the front decal simply read "110" (or "90" as the case may be) perhaps in readiness for the "new" Defender which was announced on 11 Sep 1990 & introduced to the public on 22 Sep at the Birmingham Motor Show as a 1991 model. Apparently LR copped a lot of criticism in the UK over the name. It was considered too military-like and had bad connotations linked to the Troubles in Northern Ireland where heavily armoured LRs featured prominently. The usual whingers wrote letters to the Ed and phoned talk-back radio but the brouhaha was short lived.

With Land Rover sales gradually slowing in the late 1980's as Australia headed to a recession (with the demise of JRA (Jaguar Rover Aus) there were no Land Rovers for sale during 1991 (the first year ever since it introduction), it was up to Range Rover to fly the Green Oval. Land Rover Australia emerged around this time launching the Defender in 1992 only as a 110 Cab Chassis with locally fitted tray. Soon after with this successful introduction the Defender 110 Station Wagon was arrived. These early Defenders despite the name change were reminiscent of the last One Tens still possessing, amongst other things the large CV's, the large windscreen hinge, long, square front repeater (indicator) as well as rear drum brakes.

Rob W

Sources: LR since 1983 by J Taylor
You & Your LR Ninety, One & Defender by M Hodder
LR The Early Years by T Hutchings
LRM Oct 1999
Various LR resources

Thanks, John.
Pardon my ignorance, but where does 'County' fit into the scheme of things?
Was it coined for an upmarket 110, or was it a transitional naming of the whole line (at the time) ?

I believe county unlike here was a name for the top sepc model of the defender in the uk......hence defender countywhich is how some in the uk refer to there cars

Originally Posted by DiscoDavo

Thanks, John.
Pardon my ignorance, but where does 'County' fit into the scheme of things?
Was it coined for an upmarket 110, or was it a transitional naming of the whole line (at the time) ?

As I understand it, the term 'County' effectively refers to the trim level, it's like saying Ford Cortina L, GL, GXL, etc. It's still a 110 Station wagon, but in County trim level. I don't think any other type of 110 station wagon was sold here in Australia.

Originally Posted by DiscoDavo

Thanks, John.
Pardon my ignorance, but where does 'County' fit into the scheme of things?
Was it coined for an upmarket 110, or was it a transitional naming of the whole line (at the time) ?

As D3Jon says, County refers to the level of trim. The term was used from Series 3 onwards in both Landrovers and Rangerovers. I think he was also right in that only County level trim was sold here in the 110 wagon - and was prominently emblazoned on the doors, which is why the name was popularised; when it says "County" in six inch high letters and "One Ten" in one inch high letters, it is easy to see how that came about. Perhaps less easy to see how the name came to be transferred to other body styles. But I am not certain that lower levels of trim were not sold at least to some corporate customers.

However, to put it in perspective, it is unlikely that these County wagons constituted a majority of the 110s sold - unlike the present time, in the 1980s it was quite common for Landrovers to be used for working purposes, and particularly if you include the 110s supplied to the armed forces, the proportion of wagons would have been fairly low.

John

Originally Posted by D3Jon

As I understand it, the term 'County' effectively refers to the trim level, it's like saying Ford Cortina L, GL, GXL, etc. It's still a 110 Station wagon, but in County trim level. I don't think any other type of 110 station wagon was sold here in Australia.

oh so I was right by spec I mean trim

The term "County" in reference to LR stretches 27 years next month. The "County" trim package was available as an option on all Series III models from April 1982 in the UK, spearheaded by two new variants, the 88" County Station Wagon and 109" V8 CSW (Stage One). The main benefits were adjustable cloth seats with head restraints, inertia reel front seat belts & radial tyres, but also included new trim materials on the roof and side panels, tinted windows, driving lights, side repeaters in the front guards, rear mud flaps, spare wheel cover and an ash tray amongst others. A lockable cubby box replacing the front middle seat was an option on the swb only. Complementing the Masai Red or Russet Brown paint work for the first time were simple, horizontal full length side stripes with the word "County" at the rear. This was LRs answer to the influence of better equipped Japanese competitors.

While the Series III models never made it to Australia, we did see the benefits when the One Ten was launched locally in Nov 1984 in V8 & 3.9D County Station Wagon versions. Here we got fully carpeted interiors, power steering, Boge self-levelling rear suspension, Pioneer AM/FM stereo radio cassette (remember those?) plus some features carried over from the Series III version as well as new style side stripes. Ever since LR has used the County term, usually to market a top of the range model, at times dropping it and bringing it back again on everything from Defenders, Japanese market Discovery's as well as in the USA where what we call a RR LSE was a County lwb. Here the term is frequently used to describe any pre-Defender Land Rover.

Rob W

Originally Posted by isuzubob

The term "County" in reference to LR stretches 27 years next month. ... ... ... ..
... ...
...... ...
While the Series III models never made it to Australia, we did see the benefits when the One Ten was launched locally in Nov 1984 in V8 & 3.9D County Station Wagon versions. Here we got fully carpeted interiors, power steering, Boge self-levelling rear suspension, Pioneer AM/FM stereo radio cassette (remember those?) plus some features carried over from the Series III version as well as new style side stripes. Ever since LR has used the County term, usually to market a top of the range model, at times dropping it and bringing it back again on everything from Defenders, Japanese market Discovery's as well as in the USA where what we call a RR LSE was a County lwb. Here the term is frequently used to describe any pre-Defender Land Rover.

Rob W

It all makes interesting reading and reminds me a bit of the stories of how the name "FX" came to be almost universally accepted as the name of the first Holden.

Some might see a contradiction in the two bits I highlighted in your last paragraph.