Land Rover doesn't understand Australia - no ute !

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Originally Posted by incisor

light truck ?

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thats what i thought but ive never seen a large volume of light trucks on a mine site. 90% would be ute or /big heavy trucks

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Originally Posted by W&KO

I think plenty would disagree.....

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They would disagree on “looks” alone in many cases.
And that would be the only basis in most cases.

Vans for almost all trades are far more suitable.
Although ‘Stick burners’ usually have LTs (Light Trucks) if they do serious stuff.

The heavy diesel mechs have an LT and a Ute - ironically the Ute has gullwing boxes taking up the entire tray rendering it no longer useful as a tray and more exposed than a van.

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Originally Posted by Eevo

thats what i thought but ive never seen a large volume of light trucks on a mine site. 90% would be ute or /big heavy trucks

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You need to get out more...... [emoji41]

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Originally Posted by Tombie

They would disagree on “looks” alone in many cases.
And that would be the only basis in most cases.

Vans for almost all trades are far more suitable.
Although ‘Stick burners’ usually have LTs (Light Trucks) if they do serious stuff.

The heavy diesel mechs have an LT and a Ute - ironically the Ute has gullwing boxes taking up the entire tray rendering it no longer useful as a tray and more exposed than a van.

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But where a ute does excel is in off road work,such as diesel mechanics that work on earth moving equipment,as an example.
Many utes are also more comfortable on rough country roads,and on long country runs.
And with dual cabs,the kids can be picked up from school,and driven around on the weekends.Now thats important....But a tiny tray,way too small for the average tradie.

Vans have very limited wheel travel,we are talking a few inches at best.Once off the black top they are totally hopeless.

A vans tray height is also a great advantage over a ute,particularly a tray back ute.

So its sort of horses for courses,but as said,its vans for us.

For the rough site access they always bring the Service truck.

You would never put a family in a Diesel Mechs Vehicle. [emoji6]

Each to there own........a van doesn’t suit my needs for work plus I don’t pay for the Ute or fuel or personal running around.

I don’t reckon companies that currently run utes will be lining up to switch there fleet to defenders......vans or light trucks?? ....given it’s Land Rover that made the statement above ‘why would people buy utes’ can only assume they reckon the defender can replace all utes in the market.

Maybe they are thinking the same way? Why buy a Ute.

There’s Light Trucks for work
Wagons for families etc
Vans for those whose work suits.
Commercial Spec Defender May fit for some.
Many just use trailers for bulky gear.

Maybe that’s the thinking, not the suggestion a family spec defender can replace them.

Using an old style Defender for a work vehicle for employees would want a fantastic risk assessment documented. Providing a worker with such could prove expensive if things go bad.

It’s the above reason that Toyota shoved SRS into the 70.... they would lose all the market.

Attachment 155438

The real Defender replacement???


From my personal perspective, I wouldn't consider buying the old defender but the new one is perfect for what I would want in my next vehicle - not that I'm looking to upgrade any time soon.

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Originally Posted by 16PMark

Maybe LR could copy Mercedes' idea, and build a ute on an already existing platform from Japan....coz that's gone well.....[emoji1787][emoji23]

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[bigrolf]

Yeah, rumours that they're going to axe it!

I don't think LR are idiots at all .. been said before .. market too small to spend $s on such a vehicle.

Afterall, why buy a Tata ute for well over $60K, when you can buy the genuine thing for less than $30K!

Who was it that owns LR now?

Wouldn't surprise me if they did do one well into the future with some newer model update to the current Xenon comes along.

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Originally Posted by Tombie

Nah, they did it with Holdens and Fords, it’s not hard to do.

Just the economics. Australia is NOT progressive, we are a backwards society, stuck on old ways and self indulgent arrogance.

Ask any Aussie a while back, an Aussie family vehicle needed to be RWD, big, boofy etc - Not some FWD thing! Yet the Yanks were pumping them out.

We all need a Ute- yet most Tradies O/S use Vans. Tradies buy a Ute fit a canopy, trailer etc. but it was the Aussie thing.

Even if ALL the Primary producers placed an order for a Ute... it wouldn’t even total 0.05% of global sales.



Let’s also take a look at the comments of others along the lines of “Kia etc sell vehicles people want”.
And let’s phrase it correctly - “Kia etc well vehicle’s people see value in aligned to their budget”

Many want the Premium Brands, it’s more a case they are not “brand fans” and will go features/value or economic drivers.

Also, companies like Toyota sell shed loads of vehicles - Corolla, Camry etc making up the principal volumes - let’s leave them off the comparisons as they skew figures and not relevant to (I have this TLA) SUVs or offroad capable vehicles.

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My thoughts exactly, LR could make a Defender Ute, like the swan song Falcon and Commodore utes.

Aussies like value for money, the mid sized cars didn't sell well here, preferring either small cheap cars, or the big roomy

Falcon and Commodore. To match a one of those i.e. roomy, 4 litre, auto, rwd, you'd have to buy a Merc, BMW or Audi.

The reason FWD (front wheel drive) is so popular, is the manufacture of them is so easy (and above all cheap), just drop the engine, gearbox, diff, combo into the engine bay, actually I think they do it the other way round, pop the body over the combo with wheels and suspension attached as well.

Not all tradies O/S (overseas) use vans, true in UK & Europe, as otherwise all the tools & materials get covered in rain, snow, ice. In more pleasant climes such as ours and most of the Americas (North & South) pick ups are very popular, see the Ford F-truck, by some counts, the 2nd most sold vehicle of all time, and most popular pick up, and don't forget it's competitors like the Chevy C/K 10/30 trucks (now GMC) and Dodges, etc.

The Series/Defender pick ups were great for conversions because they had a chassis and to some extent, PTO (power take off) , all sorts of equipment could be attached to them welders, excavators, tippers, ladders, cherry pickers, tow truck, fire fighting appliances, etc.

Cheers,
Randy