Thread: The New Defender in the flesh

Very interesting. Thanks for sharing your impressions.
So the one you saw was fully optioned, not a $70k basic model?

Originally Posted by DiscoMick

Very interesting. Thanks for sharing your impressions.
So the one you saw was fully optioned, not a $70k basic model?

Yep, it was a fully equipped 'First Edition' on display yesterday, which even tops the already generously equipped HSE-choice with even more bells and whistles. Most of which I have no need for, except for some really smart solutions. With the tires and rims fitted to the display vehicle I personally would not dare to venture too far off the road.
At the Frankfurt event there was an utility version (in 'Wilks Brothers'-livery), but I have yet to see one in real. Might be worth waiting for.

Jojo
What Was your impression of the rear load space with 2nd row in use ?

By the numbers it appears smaller than a D2
Only slightly more than a D1 which is actually pretty useless for a full size wagon

BUT Ill be happy if the statistics don’t match the flesh

Steve

This may be relevant

YouTube

Didn't I start a new thread yesterday? Me thinks I did... Now it's gone. Yes, they served complimentary drinks at the ceremony, but I didn't touch any alcoholic beverages as I had to drive home afterwards. So here we go again:

The New Defender
I got invited by Land Rover to attend the national preview event of the New Defender today, after the first presentation at Frankfurt Motor show in September it is the first New Defender coming to our shores. Sorry, I know

I will do my best to rectify the situation and upload some pics asap.

After a short introduction with some references to the Land Rover history and even a picture of HUE166 the cover was pulled off the truck and we were allowed to touch and check out almost everything.
I left the event with mixed feelings. The vehicle they unveiled and had on display was a 110 'First Edition' and looked actually quite good. As we all know and expected, it has nothing in common with the original, except for the name, some clever design clues and the fact that even the new one has four wheels stretching all the way down to terra firma. To be frank, I was slightly shocked by all the bling and electrics around, despite having seen several screen shots and pics of the vehicle before. The electrics are hopefully not of the old 'Lucas-style'-stuff. And then there is a fair bit of plastic around, for the better and the worse. From underneath the body is almost flat, making it easy to slide over obstacles. As long as these are not too hard as the underbody cover is mostly made of plastic sheets as well.

There is no doubt that LR made a very capable vehicle, with an almost 'go anywhere' capability. It is certainly, in stock standard configuration, more capable than our beloved trucks with modifications. I did enjoy the spaciousness, some well thought after details, the -finally- more than generous roof load and the design clues that are carried over from the original. The build quality seems much better than in days of yonder.
On the down side is, of course, the complexity of the vehicle as such. Questionable field serviceability. What will happen 10 years down the road? Will you still get spares? Unfortunately there is no all-electric drivetrain choice, which I personally regard as a pity. If LR is going all the way to design and build a brand new vehicle they should have gone all the way and included such an option.
The charm of the original Defender was, of course, its simplicity and even partly due to the fact that it was an utility vehicle that even could be used for everyday purposes. The New Defender is most definitely not an utility vehicle anymore, but a modern people mover with, albeit extraordinary, offroad capability.

Do I want one? Well, I am impressed by its abilities and capabilities as well as smart solutions, less so by the flashy appeal and plasticky feel and the fact that electric drive is not even an option. If I can have it as a company car, it might be an option, but buying one with my private cash, no way. I am curious to see the proposed commercial version, with hopefully less bling and a more 'down-to-Earth' approach.
My better half commented we should have bought the old 107 we saw at an auction some months ago instead...

Pics of the event. Sorry about the quality, I was using a Land Rover phone...

Thanks for the post. Really look forward to seeing it in the flesh.

Cant wait for the commercial version as we are waiting for the 130 for the farm (or just my personal use).

Your comments about the electronics is something pretty raw for me.

this week I had hoped I could persuade my wife she should have a new Disco. Went for a test drive of a highly specced up Disco (literally over $140k) and the cameras didn’t work! It was enough for my wife to flick to a new Toyota Sahara as this April we go to Dirk Hartog island and in July we go to see my sister on a station in the Woomera Ranges so we need reliability. My wife had also recently heard from two friends how their Discos had stopped in Perth and this killed it for her - especially when the salesman said maybe all it needed was an upload over the net to cure the problem. Trouble is, as my wife said straight away, all we get via satellite NBN on the farm is 60GB a month so how much would go on the new Disco!

anyway I now feel pretty conflicted. Wife is happy for me to look to the 130 but in next 14 days we will have a new Toyota in rye drive wat. LR does need to step up. I saying that I still want the new Defender but will never sell my 110.

Originally Posted by roverrescue

Jojo
What Was your impression of the rear load space with 2nd row in use ?

By the numbers it appears smaller than a D2
Only slightly more than a D1 which is actually pretty useless for a full size wagon

BUT Ill be happy if the statistics don’t match the flesh

Steve

With reservation for the fact I didn't have a measuring tape at hand and didn't pay too much attention I would say the load space with 2nd row seats up is about D1-size, so with all seats occupied only hand bag sized luggage is allowed, unless there are more stowage compartments I have not detected yet (I think there are some) or the roof rack will be put in use.
I did not have that much time for a complete check of the vehicle as there were plenty of people wanting to do much the same, but I have been promised a private and customised 'guided tour' of the New Defender as soon as LR has more demonstrators available, so if anyone of you is having any questions, please post/PM and I will enquire accordingly.