Making a case for the D5

Ma sister in law just bought one ans when her Labrador jumped into the boot there was almost enough space left for a shopping bag. And no, it is not a big dog. The D5 is a ridiculous car which is neither use nor ornament. The LR marketing boys should be sacked but just wait until they explain why the new Defender is going to be bought by old Defender clients - not..

sceh said:

Ma sister in law just bought one ans when her Labrador jumped into the boot there was almost enough space left for a shopping bag. And no, it is not a big dog....

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You must be talking about with the third row seat up, yes?
If so, pretty much every SUV out there consumes all available space with that stupid 3rd row. They have to put those rarely used seats in to compete against each other in max seating area. Even though most people always keep them folded down. (I know, some of you use them)

Other than being less tall, I thought the interior space was comparable to the LR3/4 design? Little less height, little wider. Other than that, comparable. I have no space behind my third row either, but don't expect there to be. With the third row down, I have plenty of space for my Labrador and more shopping bags than I would ever carry. But then the problem is the dog sticking her nose in the bags...

With third row seat up. I really miss the tailgate, but the floor space is comparable to LR3/LR4;


Seems like plenty of room with the 3rd row folded. And here's another picture of that stupid butt bench and lack of tailgate...

The room back there is.. okay I guess..My 3 year old project manager forgot to carry the 6 when tallying our project weight, and we loaded 1,000 pounds of concrete into the back.. Talk about sluggish..

.... and without a roof rack, things can get dumb fast..

mpinco said:

The D5 is a reflection of government regulation that has forced a very bland model, where all vehicles are headed. From overuse of technology (obsolete by the time it is introduced in a vehicle, not just a JLR issue) to pedestrian frontal impact requirements of the EU to fuel efficiency CAFE to fill-in-the-blank. In addition demographics (aging population) are also driving design.

Instead of spending $80K I will probably go back in time and build a vehicle to my specs.

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Government regulation?

Please.

Government regulation hasn't forced Land Rover to design nearly every vehicle they have to look the same. Government regulation hasn't affected the design of the Jeep Wrangler. it hasn't affected the design of the G-Wagon.

The only thing that's affecting Land Rover's design direction is McGovern and his plan to make a mint by selling to a different kind of people than Land Rover has historically sold to, all the while trying to string along the old target demographic by occasionally touting off-road capability.

Land Rover no longer makes cool vehicles. It was once all they made.

Apparently Ford thinks there is still a market for big square vehicles:

http://st.motortrend.com/uploads/si...interpolation=lanczos-none&fit=around|660:439

New Bronco is what the new Defender should look like but we'll probably get another jellybean shaped disappointment from McGovern. LR could save billions in engineering and development...just bring back the LR4 as the new Defender.

Pfunk951 said:

.... and without a roof rack, things can get dumb fast..

View attachment 7909

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I bought a tree this week and was happy to have the split gate on my LR4 to accommodate the tree height. Kept the window open for the drive home but didn't have to leave the entire ass end hanging up like that. You do what you got to, though.

PaulLR3 said:

Apparently Ford thinks there is still a market for big square vehicles:

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apparently ford is "borrowing" everything they can from their ownership experience:

PaulLR3 said:

just bring back the LR4 as the new Defender.

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Someone stopped me yesterday and asked if my Landmark was a new Defender. He told me he had one in the 90's and loved it but then LR discontinued it and he purchased a pick-up.

ryanjl said:

The only thing that's affecting Land Rover's design direction is McGovern and his plan to make a mint by selling to a different kind of people than Land Rover has historically sold to, all the while trying to string along the old target demographic by occasionally touting off-road capability.

Land Rover no longer makes cool vehicles. It was once all they made.

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And I would have been totally ok, if, in the process, TATA/LR/McGovern were creating better and more functional products.

As a chief and "professional" designer as he likes to call himself, his job is not to sell, his job is actually to design better automobiles. He is not a sales man representing the company, unless of course, he is a company man.

I recently read somewhere that he is "really good at filing the white space in between different models in the lineup". Ha. He needs to first learn how to fill that white space that is on his drawing board. Filling the white spaces in between models is marketing and business development teams' job, not the chief designer'.

Is it just me or is it really that LRNA has been advertising the **** out of D5 on TV?

I mean. I don't ever remember seeing that many TV ads with that much of frequency for any of their models over the past twelve years that I have been with the brand, holiday season or not. And I am assuming that I am in the area/market where LR has never really felt the need of that much convincing and/or brand awareness.

And today I got this email: