Another Defender hint?

[catman]

Maybe it is 2020 now???

https://auto.ndtv.com/news/jlr-anno...and-rover-defender-confirmed-for-2020-1873356

 

[to8nbeyond]

My local Land Rover dealer had its annual off-road event this past Saturday. The agenda involves meeting in the service area of the dealership before driving around an hour south to an off-road park.

In the service bay of the dealership was a pretty pristine (and modified) mid-80's gray market D90. The Land Rover service manager told me that the Mercedes service manager had just bought it and had the Land Rover service department throw on a few more modifications. It definitely stood out apart from all the other Land Rover vehicles in the service bay, including a few LR4s.

That said, sitting inside also reminded me why I can never own a D90. I'm 6'5" tall. My left leg was firmly wedged between the steering wheel and the door, my right leg was firmly wedged between the steering wheel and the center dash, and my knees were firmly wedged in my *******. I last sat in a NAS 95 convertible, and I recall it being a lot the same.

Wow, your dealer still does offroad days? Ours stopped a while ago. It’s sad. They had two great pieces of property over the years and held really fun events. Hated to see them go.




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[bbyer]

They just need to recreate the D4 with a choice of diesels & the ZF 8-speed 'box. Then call it
"The all-new Defender". Nobody is buying the current Disco here in Australia & the dealers
are all panicking, offering improved warranty deals & 5 years free servicing.
No serious off-road driver here can even imagine the current Disco crossing The Simpson
Desert. You can't even buy a bull-bar for it & no long range tank manufacturers are being asked
for such an item. I'm almost surprised that Compomotive have now produced an 18" wheel for it.

Yes, just rebadge the LR4 - a no brainer and the development costs were long ago written off, hence the badges would be the only new cost for the new Defender.

While it would always be a limited production vehicle, at least Land Rover would still beable to claim some tie to its past.

It is no surprise that no one is purchasing the "all new Disco" in Oz. The good news is that is all management understands - the marketplace speaks and no bonus to the bosses.

As to here in Alberta Canada, the few Discovery's I have seen appear to be grocery getters.

 

[colorover]

Anybody see this?

https://www.automobilemag.com/news/...8EF9418723F3A9E30488F2FF23568A36071332AB08A0C

 

[catman]

I read earler today that the Defender will be the first vehicle built upon the new MLA platform, but unfortunately, that platform will not launch until 2020, which is indicative of the delays we have been seeing.

https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/industry/every-jaguar-land-rover-be-renewed-2024

 

[ryanjl]

Land Rover has also been burnt by Chinese knockoffs of their vehicles. They revealed images of the Range Rover Evoque long enough before it actually went on sale that the Chinese knockoff beat it to the China market. Since then, Land Rover appears to have changed; now they reveal a vehicle only a few months or less before it goes on sale.

 

[bbyer]

Does it look capable? To me, that is the marketing question. Or at least should be.

My first reaction was to wonder if I was looking at a larger Mini.

If the tyres are smaller than a Wrangler and less tall, I am concerned.

The front end should be more square and upright with some semblance of round headlights - less Ford Edge I suppose I am saying.

 

[hatch]

Just please tell me that whoever is responsible for the entire current generation design philosophy is no longer with the company.

 

[bbyer]

Just please tell me that whoever is responsible for the entire current generation design philosophy is no longer with the company.

I do not think Land Rover / Tata has lost enough money yet.

Currently they are blaming their Chinese operations for not carrying the Company world wide. I gather effectively no one in Australia is buying their new "cars" but the D3/D4 used market remains strong.

I am not kidding that the product has to look capable.

I did one of those Discovery Day drives and the new vehicles are capable but they all look just like the cars in the next door Ford dealership, but with a higher price. I guess we have to wait until LR loses more money.

As I have posted prior, rebadge the LR4 with the Defender name.

It will sell and have no development costs. LR might even keep a bit of the commercial / police / security market as well as past Defender/Discovery drivers. LR lost the UN market to Toyota a few years back; now they are poised to lose all markets unless the Range Rover people can carry them.

 

[catman]

Gerry McGovern is still lead design and they all still claim that once all models are revealed, it will all make sense. I guess we just have to wait and see. There are a lot of new models coming from Land Rover in the next 7 years.

https://www.landrover.com/explore-land-rover/unstoppable-spirit/gerry-mcgovern.html