Some better spy shots at last!

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Originally Posted by Arapiles

LR said at the Paris motor show that this is a pilot build, not a mule. In other words, this is what we're getting. And the photos were taken by LR at LR's front gate, presumably in Solihull.



70 series is heading for the chopping block because most of the current models don't meet the minimum safety standards required by mines. That's why they updated just the one model with airbags - it was the one the mines use. Why not update all of the models? Because there simply isn't a business case for it. At the moment they only sell them in countries where safety standards are lax enough, but I'd guess that they'll be gone entirely within 10 years.

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Guess all you like,thats what many said years ago,that they would be gone sometime soon,one day,maybe.

All models have airbags in Aus,but not all models are 5 star rated.Some mines use more than just the single cab,which is the 5 star rated model,as do hundreds of Govt departments.

If you look at V facts,over the last few years,sales of the 70 series have not declined,in fact the opposite has happened.

There are also numerous vehicles on the market that will be 'gone entirely within 10 yrs'

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Originally Posted by Zeros

Well that says it all about Land Rovers target market.

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The point is that with EAS you can have the ground clearance of a lifted truck running 37 inch tyres - and still get into car parks. Works for me.

My understanding was that airbags are a mature technology and that, for example, a lot of trucks use them. So they shouldn't inherently be less reliable than coils - unless someone knows that to be the case? And putting to one side how LR initially implemented them ....

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Originally Posted by Arapiles

The point is that with EAS you can have the ground clearance of a lifted truck running 37 inch tyres - and still get into car parks. Works for me.

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It really because it doesn’t increase diff clearance like 37s would. ...despite that I’ve never needed to run 37s. So horses for courses I guess.

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Originally Posted by Zeros

It really because it doesn’t increase diff clearance like 37s would. ...despite that I’ve never needed to run 37s. So horses for courses I guess.

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With IFS/IRS it does.

Id love the Airbags on my Defender so thats a plus for me. Im forever digging holes in the sand to level out the car for sleeping. Would be great to have it self level.

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Originally Posted by timax

Id love the Airbags on my Defender so thats a plus for me. Im forever digging holes in the sand to level out the car for sleeping. Would be great to have it self level.

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Yes that would be an advantage if you sleep in your car, as would the other stated reasons. Whether they are enough to outweigh the reliability of coils I’m not so sure.

Air suspension levelling is only with respect to the average ground level, not to the horizon and no different to steel springs. I'd still have air suspension though.

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Originally Posted by timax

Id love the Airbags on my Defender so thats a plus for me. Im forever digging holes in the sand to level out the car for sleeping. Would be great to have it self level.

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Stock late model LR cannot do this,you would need to mod it,or use the GAP tool maybe and fiddle around.

Not easy to do.

I think some other vehicles can do it,as can some camper,and caravans with EAS.

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Originally Posted by Arapiles

My understanding was that airbags are a mature technology and that, for example, a lot of trucks use them. So they shouldn't inherently be less reliable than coils - unless someone knows that to be the case? And putting to one side how LR initially implemented them ....

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Forgetting about the earlier RR,with EAS,which were highly problematic,have a look through the D3/4 section here,and you will find numerous threads about EAS faults.There are also quite a few RR,and RRS threads about EAS faults.

Compared with coil issues on the earlier D1,D2,Defender,there are very few.

The more things there are to go wrong,the more will go wrong,its pretty simple,and the vehicle will more than likely end up on its bump stops,not a great situation in the middle of no where.PArticularly if it is shod with oversize tyres....

Sure the later D4 EAS was much more reliable than the earlier D3,which was very problematic,so they have done improvements,but issues will and do still arise.