Another Defender hint?

[ryanjl]

I for one am excited about the tech in this new defender. I know everyone wants to look all "cool" and "utilitarian", that group that wants to look like james bond walking away from a military vehicle while explosions go off behind you..."THIS IS THE BRAND!!!!!" --- I'm happy for you guys. Really, I am, you guys are beasts. But for me...personally...I want the most capable AND comfortable daily driver out there. Why? Because per my boss (wife) ...I can only have one vehicle (ugh) --- As far as how it looks... meh...kind of matters, but not as much as what I stated prior. Next vehicle will be a G class or the new defender. And I don't care if I dent or scratch it...that's what they are made for. BUT...it better ride good and it better not leave me stranded on a trail. As far as that pic of the jeep above...yeah...ok...have you been in one? Plastic fantastic. Needs to be the full package. But hey...that's just my opinion, not for everyone.

Land Rover already makes several vehicles that meet your criteria, though. You want them to just make another? The Defender has always been for the "beasts," as you call them. That's why they sold relatively less of them than they did the Discovery and the Range Rover back in the 90's. Because the off-road worthiness came with costs.

Those costs can be minimal now, though. A ride in a new Wrangler isn't so much worse than my LR4 that it would make much, if any real difference in my daily commute.

But make no mistake about it, looks are very important if this thing is going to be successful. Looks are why NAS D90s that have never seen a dirt road in their life, and probably never will, are selling for 2 to 3 times as much as they were when they were new.

 

[iSurfvilano]

Land Rover already makes several vehicles that meet your criteria, though. You want them to just make another? The Defender has always been for the "beasts," as you call them. That's why they sold relatively less of them than they did the Discovery and the Range Rover back in the 90's. Because the off-road worthiness came with costs.

Those costs can be minimal now, though. A ride in a new Wrangler isn't so much worse than my LR4 that it would make much, if any real difference in my daily commute.

But make no mistake about it, looks are very important if this thing is going to be successful. Looks are why NAS D90s that have never seen a dirt road in their life, and probably never will, are selling for 2 to 3 times as much as they were when they were new.

Like I said, just my opinion.

To answer your question if I want them to make another? Well my answer is irrelevant...because they are...so who cares? It's happening.

In regards to the "looks" ...that may be a part of the rise in the price, but I think it's an overstatement. Rarity and the customization have a lot to do with it as well. It's a beautiful vehicle, but they don't fetch the same price in markets where they're abundant. Same goes with other vehicles in the same category that are being restored.

The fact is this...You're not getting a new version of the old defender. Just not happening. But ECD will take your money.

 

[catman]

Here's a series of rather dour outlooks/analyses on JLR and its prospects moving forward...

https://www.coventrytelegraph.net/news/coventry-news/jlr-diesel-brexit-16073109

 

[ryanjl]

Like I said, just my opinion.

To answer your question if I want them to make another? Well my answer is irrelevant...because they are...so who cares? It's happening.

In regards to the "looks" ...that may be a part of the rise in the price, but I think it's an overstatement. Rarity and the customization have a lot to do with it as well. It's a beautiful vehicle, but they don't fetch the same price in markets where they're abundant. Same goes with other vehicles in the same category that are being restored.

The fact is this...You're not getting a new version of the old defender. Just not happening. But ECD will take your money.

Well, the fact also is that Land Rover is currently hemorrhaging money, and they're probably sitting around and wondering why they aren't selling more cars, when, after all, they designed every one of them targeting more or less slightly different versions of the same demographic.

So no ****, we're not getting a new Defender. That's the entire point of the ********. Thanks for cluing in on that.

 

[iSurfvilano]

Well, the fact also is that Land Rover is currently hemorrhaging money, and they're probably sitting around and wondering why they aren't selling more cars, when, after all, they designed every one of them targeting more or less slightly different versions of the same demographic.

So no ****, we're not getting a new Defender. That's the entire point of the ********. Thanks for cluing in on that.

I do what I can

 

[ryanjl]

Some spy shots of the underside. Must have been taken when it was at Moab.

The exhaust routing is still a little suspect, but I suppose it can be bashed more than anything else.

 

[avslash]

arrghhh. More exhaust under the suspension.

And I assume those are air springs from the canisters...

I'm not holding out a ton of hope that this thing is going to be a hot seller.

It's like they are methodically ******* off every market segment that supported them with the exception of the Range Rover crowd.

I wish them well, but from what I am seeing, this doesn't look to do anything better than my LR4 already does, excepts sport a somewhat shorter wheelbase.

What I am seeing is another vehicle slanted towards the soccer mom crowd. Defender is to Discover 5 as Ford Escape is to Ford Expedition.

I hope I am proven wrong.

 

[Pfunk951]

I took a look at the article Catman posted, and the industry experts perfectly echo the sentiments of this forum:

"The problems are significant including: competing products which cannibalise sales from within JLR and therefore do not deliver sufficient growth, over emphasis on vehicle styling..."

"If you look at the Discovery 5 you can even say that has been Range Roverised to an extent that previous Discovery owners won’t touch one with a barge pole."

"..get stylists Gerry McGovern and Ian Callum back to their drawing boards.."

Do these idiots know how much money Jeep and Toyota have made catering to the "Outdoor Enthusiast" and "Offroad" genres? Isn't that the heart and soul of what a Land Rover is? Why don't they have a single vehicle that looks like it is made for these activities? To RyanJL's point, every vehicle they make looks like it's a different take at the same idea: to negotiate the valet line at Macy's. Isn't that the demographic Jaguar is supposed to be covering?

It's just frustrating as hell watching this happen.. It's like watching your favorite team throw it away in the final minutes because they forgot how to play..

Sorry to vent, but my wife doesn't want to hear about this ****.


Mike

 

[ryanjl]

"..get stylists Gerry McGovern and Ian Callum back to their drawing boards.."

Getting McGovern back to the drawing board seems like throwing the problem back at the problem to try to fix the problem.

 

[Pfunk951]

Indeed- He is the narcissistic root of this problem. His confidence and guidance in these new art/luxury designs are at the core of the issue. Now that his plan to neuter the sturdy look of all Land Rovers has succeeded, sales have imploded. To say that these aspects are related is the understatement of the year.

When is someone important at JLR going to figure that out?

Mike

BTW have you heard anything about the Off Road event yet?