One question...

Perhaps time to remind everyone that "Defender" is just a rather late arrival name for what previously was simply a "Land Rover", after the company had trashed the name "Rover" and wanted to use the well respected "Land Rover" name as a company name with the introduction of a new lower price Rangerover aimed at the original Rangerover market, since the Rangerover had moved way up market. They did not want to dilute the Rangerover name, and "Land Rover" was about the only other name available that was still respected.

Good point John. Actually it should simply be called - Land Rover Series VII.

Series I
Series II
Series III
Series IV (200/300Tdi)
Series V (Td5)
Series VI (Puma)
Series VII (Hybrid/EV) ??

Hi,
re G wagons eventually being available to us private buyers I believe from earlier posts that they are all leased and at the end of lease will go back to Merc and not be sold on-- that means our Defs may be the last tuff trucks for us. Personally I think the new Def as a wagon may surprise us but agree no news on a ute version, or something able to be customised as many of us do with the Def models. I still think the new Jeep Gladiator with a 3 ltr auto and similar shape to a 130 CC might be of interest. Still don't see why Tata have not fed one of their utes into the discussion either.[bigsad]

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Originally Posted by Jenx

I also wouldn’t underestimate the effect that headlines like this one had on JLR’s thinking about the military market. SAS commander quits in Snatch Land Rover row | UK news | The Guardian

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Is Snatch Vixen still a LR?

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Originally Posted by alan48

Hi,
re G wagons eventually being available to us private buyers I believe from earlier posts that they are all leased and at the end of lease will go back to Merc and not be sold on-- that means our Defs may be the last tuff trucks for us. Personally I think the new Def as a wagon may surprise us but agree no news on a ute version, or something able to be customised as many of us do with the Def models. I still think the new Jeep Gladiator with a 3 ltr auto and similar shape to a 130 CC might be of interest. Still don't see why Tata have not fed one of their utes into the discussion either.[bigsad]

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That is very interesting. I wonder what the terms of the lease are …. as in, do the vehicles get replaced every X amount of years until the life of the contract.

Merc might take them back at the end of each lease.... but you'd think they need to sell them on to recoup money or do they re-lease or sell them to some third world country?

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Originally Posted by blackrangie

Is Snatch Vixen still a LR?

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The Gulf Wars and Afghanistan should have been a huge wake up call to the Brits. The reports of the under resourcing of their troops in both volume and type of equipment are astounding. Lack of ammunition, lack of weapons and unsound/unrealistic/antiquated doctrine are just a few of the issues.

Some of the IED have blown 30T Amtracs off the ground and wheels/tracks off M1s so it takes something special to survive that. However, a lightly armoured LR shouldn't even have left the UK let alone been put in that theatre. Some of the stuff the UK brass did was criminal negligence IMO.

The yanks also had issues with their more bespoke Hummers with troops finding that they were ill equipped to handle some of the pain that got sent their way. I used to work with guys who served in both places and they said it was a heartbreaking/sobering sight to see US troops attaching extra metal (read - like BBQ Plates) onto their Hummers in an attempt to get more ballistic protection.

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Originally Posted by blackrangie

Is Snatch Vixen still a LR?

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Anyone?

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Originally Posted by blackrangie

Anyone?

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Looks like the Snatch was a Land Rover factory produced vehicle. The Vixen variant has upgraded chassis and drivetrain to cope with the additional armour/GVM. You'd have to assume that was also done at the factory.

You can see the the info at wikipedia:
Snatch Land Rover - Wikipedia

Interesting how it got the name "Snatch".

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Originally Posted by SBD4

Looks like the Snatch was a Land Rover factory produced vehicle. The Vixen variant has upgraded chassis and drivetrain to cope with the additional armour/GVM. You'd have to assume that was also done at the factory.

You can see the the info at wikipedia:
Snatch Land Rover - Wikipedia

Interesting how it got the name "Snatch".

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In terms of the negative PR all that really mattered was that the press, and therefore the general public, called it a Land Rover. Was quite a big thing in the UK at the time.