New 2018 Defender to share D5's Aluminium monocoque body.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Tombie

Very few on here are serious off-roaders.

To claim an alloy frame isn't up to the task is laughable - plenty of Jeep and Pajero out there doing some serious stuff without a problem on monocoque bodies.

As long as the design is solid there won't be a problem.

And perhaps, just perhaps we may need to modify some behaviours - like when synthetic rope became the norm (most 4wd associations Training still hasn't caught up).

Way too much "Chicken Little" syndrome in here at the moment.

---

Yep, how many here have had a factory alloy wheel break through normal use (ie actually with air in it). Probably none.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Slunnie

Yep, how many here have had a factory alloy wheel break through normal use (ie actually with air in it). Probably none.

---

you are saying "factory" alloy wheel...

do you mean OEM?

I've had 2 leading brand supposed off-road alloy wheels break

Just for comparison, talking of wheels, a few years back my son had all five steel wheels fail due to fatigue cracking (not a Landrover, but a well known brand of family car from Korea).

And many years ago my wife had a flat on the County that turned out to be the result of a crack a foot long along the bottom of the well on a standard steel wheel.

John

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by frantic

Here's the new Merc dual cab designed to take on the amarok and top line Japanese utes( all Thai built) due in showrooms about 6-12 months before defender.
https://pickup.mercedes-benz.com/con...ighlights.html

---

Its a Nissan Navara tarted up.
The 5 link rear coil suspension is already available on the upper end Navaras.I wonder if they have rear discs??? All the japer dual cabs run rear drums for some stupid idea.
You should try and stop a Holden Colarado with a full 400lt diesel tank on the back on a gravel or muddy road.The ABS is abysmal,they run seperate channels for the front discs and 1 channel for the rear drums,the fronts do all the work,ABS cuts in with little pedal effort,BLOODY DANGEROUS!!!!
Andrew

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by LandyAndy

..... All the japer dual cabs run rear drums for some stupid idea.
......

---

Rear drums have persisted mainly because they make it a lot easier to fit a handbrake, a problem that is solved differently with the Defender.

Although interestingly, the first family car to have discs (1955 Citroen) had drum rear brakes - and the handbrake operated on the inboard front discs! (Discs were very new at the time, and drums were considered adequate at the rear considering how little weight was on the rear wheels - front wheel drive and the rear wheels almost touch the bumper.)

John

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by ramblingboy42

you are saying "factory" alloy wheel...

do you mean OEM?

I've had 2 leading brand supposed off-road alloy wheels break

---

Yep, factory meaning it has a LandRover part number.

The engineering in factory wheels are better than I've seen in any other non-race wheel, theyre not going to break. LR know how to engineer and work in Aluminium with these things and for offroading, the chassis will be fine.

We live in interesting times, if they get it right, will it be the knock out punch for the Toyota troopie

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by AndyG

We live in interesting times, if they get it right, will it be the knock out punch for the Toyota troopie

---

Well, I guess the Car business is all about sales, & if ya look at JLR's sales records for ALL of their recently introduced models, ya'd have to say, they "got it right".
So, in terms of the "New" Defender, I'm VERY confident that they will get it right, particularly in terms of sales & acceptance.
Now whether that vehicle will be accepted by "traditional" Defender owners, who at last count were purchasing only 15,000 per year world wide, is quite another matter. I suggest that whilst JLR do care about us, & our thoughts on Defender, they will (they will have to be) be looking to a far wider market than that.
Like others, I know NOTHING about the "New" Defender.
"Troopie"?.....for sure, but jeez there's massive competition in the market isn't there, from all sorts of brands & vehicles. Where will Defender fit in?....I wouldn't have a clue!!
Pickles.

Troopies are minimal in Oz, both due to safety and the alternative choices, but when you look at the global market for NGO, U.N , Military, and Mining/Agriculture for a 5 * safety solid as brick **** house solution there is a huge market held by antiquated Patrols and Troopies.

Where i am we have 150 troopies in 3rd world poverty pack, they get a pounding and get maintained by barely competent mechanics. And survive. Apart from everything else lets hope they remember the KISS principal.

A modern safe, rugged, functional vehicle should walk all over that market.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by AndyG

Troopies are minimal in Oz, both due to safety and the alternative choices, but when you look at the global market for NGO, U.N , Military, and Mining/Agriculture for a 5 * safety solid as brick **** house solution there is a huge market held by antiquated Patrols and Troopies.

Where i am we have 150 troopies in 3rd world poverty pack, they get a pounding and get maintained by barely competent mechanics. And survive. Apart from everything else lets hope they remember the KISS principal.

A modern safe, rugged, functional vehicle should walk all over that market.

---

Toyota's latest MY2017 70 Series pick up now has airbags & with other modifications achieved a 5 star ANCAP, but it is only the pick up, the troopie & wagon for some reason did not achieve the 5 star rating. I'm sure Land Rover could have done similar with the Defender! They will have lost a lot of business in the 2 year gap until the new Defender is available.