Running out of time for a 2018 Defender launch..

[Summiitt]

Does anyone believe LR will release a new defender in 2018? They are rapidly running out of time..
It makes me laugh that Landrover are big on the 70 years anniversary, showing all of the old clips of defenders and series vehicles, yet offer no new vehicle option for people who need a basic, commercial and reliable vehicle to earn a quid.. waiting but not holding my breath. Im due for a new heavy duty ute, if LR produce a Hilux or ranger copy Ill be going for a Gwagen tray top or an F350.

[Vern]

Does anyone believe LR will release a new defender in 2018? They are rapidly running out of time..
It makes me laugh that Landrover are big on the 70 years anniversary, showing all of the old clips of defenders and series vehicles, yet offer no new vehicle option for people who need a basic, commercial and reliable vehicle to earn a quid.. waiting but not holding my breath. Im due for a new heavy duty ute, if LR produce a Hilux or ranger copy Ill be going for a Gwagen tray top or an F350.

It was due for release in April 2019 from memory.

[Zeros]

The next Land Rover ‘Defender’ is either be the biggest insult to their customers intelligence, or it will be an extraordinary coup.

The 2019 G Wagen looks fantastic, but very expensive and none in Australia yet. Maybe Land Rover have been waiting on this release?

The G Professional ute version only has two seats and is expensive too. The Toyota 70 series dualcab is the only realistic full size work ute available, which is depressing to say the least.

There must be almost no market for heavy duty work vehicles...although in the US, huge super duty F trucks are the most common vehicles on the roads!

What? ...Land Rover wouldn’t use its past practical utilitarian rugged vehicle roots to sell 100% urbancentric luxury vehicles would they? ...Oh yeah, that’s actually all they do now!

[timax]

I have given up.
I have been holding off selling my Td5 Defender for the new one but i think i might jump ship.
The moment has gone for me and i imagine others also.
It had better be an amazing car for LR to win back its fans.

[weeds]

Land Rover will be targeting a new user group....for everybody stuck in the live axle noisy interior, lack of greater comforts than like me best you keep your existing defer....although if a pop top can be fitted I’ll defiantly buy one. I don’t think they will be taking in the beard and saddle river couture brigade.

Heavy duty....I don’t think this will be a focus....plenty of other manufactured utes filling the heavy duty class.....even if there is the odd failure businesses and travelers seem to be getting by without fuss.

[Summiitt]

I have given up.
I have been holding off selling my Td5 Defender for the new one but i think i might jump ship.
The moment has gone for me and i imagine others also.
It had better be an amazing car for LR to win back its fans.

Agreed, It will have to be pretty good to win back and get new commercial customers. Im not too fussed on live axles, but it has to be heavy duty, ie, carry their GVM on and off road constantly. Barring the American Utes, its only the LC single cabs and the G-Proffessional that fit into the category..(Can you still buy a Patrol CC?)
I would have thought there is an enormous market for heavy duty Utes. And no, the Ranger/Hilux/DMax arnt in that category and never will be.. If Ford bring in the super duty F trucks in a base spec, they will clean up big time..I believe the market is open, but I doubt LR will want to engage in it again, but I hope Im wrong..

[Pickles2]

Agreed, It will have to be pretty good to win back and get new commercial customers. Im not too fussed on live axles, but it has to be heavy duty, ie, carry their GVM on and off road constantly. Barring the American Utes, its only the LC single cabs and the G-Proffessional that fit into the category..(Can you still buy a Patrol CC?)
I would have thought there is an enormous market for heavy duty Utes. And no, the Ranger/Hilux/DMax arnt in that category and never will be.. If Ford bring in the super duty F trucks in a base spec, they will clean up big time..I believe the market is open, but I doubt LR will want to engage in it again, but I hope Im wrong..

"Heavy Duty Utes"?
The closest I ever came to such a thing was a1985 Ford Bronco XLT (351 Cleveland),...loved it whilst we owned it.
Whilst we owned the Bronco, we got involved with a few "big ute" owners, & the Ford items (150-350) were certainly quite "big".
Being an HSV owner, we've had an opportunity to see the new HSV manufacturing facility, "Walkinshaw Park", where they are building Colorado Sportscat, Camaro, and,.......the Silverado.
Silverado?...what a monster!!...We've sat in one, had an offer to drive it,....but declined!!...it's massive, although the word is that when ya've driven it for a while, ya get used to it. Beautifully finished inside with all sorts of mod cons. Dealerships have had to install a special H.D. hoist to service them. Very pricey at around $140K I believe, but enquiry has been excellent.
So, in terms of your comment "heavy duty utes", it'll be interesting to see how they go.
Pickles.

[ramblingboy42]

Land Rover never said they were going to launch a new Defender in 2018.

Stop listening to all the pundits.

Land Rover WILL release the information when it is ready to be released.

[cjc_td5]

I have heard from a couple of people in LR now that have seen photos or an actual prototype. Their overriding comments are that it is not a D5 clone, it is the "real deal" and fantastic. Has round headlights and is very functional.

It is very frustrating not knowing when it will be released!

Cheers,

[vnx205]

... .... ...
Has round headlights and is very functional.
.... ..... ..
Cheers,

Round headlights. A great idea.
I remember when I used to be able to buy headlights for my 1959 Toyota Crown at Kmart.
The single filament high beam one was $8 and the double filament high/low beam was $12.
The same headlight probably fitted half the other cars on the road at the time.
Who ever thought it was a good idea to make headlights a funny shape, different shape on different models and at a cost of several hundred dollars each?