Defender production in Brazil to be binned

[Neil Marshall]

I gather that in yesterday's Brazilain financial papers was a report that Land Rover will close its Brazil Defender production line this December and will import vehicles direct from the UK instead, as Land Rover considers that local production volumes are too low. About 800 Defenders a year are assembled by Karmann-Ghia Brazil. In the summer we heard that Defender production would be binned in South Africa for similar reasons.

These numbers are very low indeed so the volume argument might make sense. You wonder though whether any cost savings would be wiped out by import duties....and whether the rumours of an all-new Defender are true. I note that no Defender will compete in the 2006 G4 Challenge.

Neil

[landi41]

I'd like to see them move that production line up to Canada.....only way we could ever get a new Defender............ unless the new, new Defenders will be sent to NA

Then again i'd have to win the Loto to afford one

[LR90]

I'd like to see them move that production line up to Canada.....only way we could ever get a new Defender............ unless the new, new Defenders will be sent to NA

Then again i'd have to win the Loto to afford one

Or move all production to Brazil and just leave them alone to keep making Defender for the next 20 odd years (remember the Beetle) while Ford get on with producing the new fangled Defender.

[Neil Marshall]

Or move all production to Brazil and just leave them alone to keep making Defender for the next 20 odd years (remember the Beetle) while Ford get on with producing the new fangled Defender.

Trev

That's a perfect role model! International 2.8 engine? Strengthened suspension?

Neil

[LR90]

Trev

That's a perfect role model! International 2.8 engine? Strengthened suspension?

Neil

Yeh, I bought a copy of LRW this month cos the front page caughtme eye (well so did Max Power but that's for another reason). Santana's always rather interrested me but from the article it somehow seemed to have gone off the track a bit. Maybe Brazil could do better. The IH 2.8 would be a nice feature.

Nice to stumble across the Stringer's Tomb Raider in LRW as well. Looked very nice Mand, well done

[GBMUD]

I'd like to see them move that production line up to Canada.....only way we could ever get a new Defender............ unless the new, new Defenders will be sent to NA

It is my understanding that the new Defender (I heard that production of the old one was to continue until 2012?) will be available in US markets (And Canada too I guess). The old one will cease to meet EU regs in 2012(?) and will HAVE to be redesigned. At a guess the new one will meet US regs too - LR only stopped selling it there as there was no arbags, plastic bumpers etc. to meet regs. and since that is what the new EU regs will require there should be no problems. The US is also a HUGE potential market!

Chris

[Neil Marshall]

It is my understanding that the new Defender (I heard that production of the old one was to continue until 2012?) will be available in US markets (And Canada too I guess). The old one will cease to meet EU regs in 2012(?) and will HAVE to be redesigned. At a guess the new one will meet US regs too - LR only stopped selling it there as there was no arbags, plastic bumpers etc. to meet regs. and since that is what the new EU regs will require there should be no problems. The US is also a HUGE potential market!

Chris

Well it's positive to know that there will be a new Defender

Neil

[SteveG]

I know it's not the British thing to say , but maybe the new Defenders and the rest of the range should be built in the US too. I'm sure that Land Rover can't be making much money on each vehicle sold in the US market, going by the prices they have to sell them at. This means that every other market has to subsidise the US division.

If companies struggle to make a profit overall, then it makes sense to make some radical changes so that they can sell cars in the US market at a profit and survive. The likes of BMW and the Japanese realised this a long tiime ago and set up local manufacturing plants.

As for the new Defender, you'd think that with modern materials and techniques they can continue to keep it simple, easy to fix, adapt etc at the right price point. The hardest thing to achieve will be making it look good. Hopefully they don't try and go for a corporate look and they update it like BMW did with the mini. As long as they don't give it the same rear end as the Discovery, otherwise it will be ****ed for sales

Steve

[Neil Marshall]

I know it's not the British thing to say , but maybe the new Defenders and the rest of the range should be built in the US too. Steve

Bit of a mixed bag manufacturing in the US. Mercedes has had a disastrous experience making the M class in Alabama - quality level down on the floor and serious damage to the brand's reputation. Over here, the car was placed last out of 142 cars in last year's Top Gear Motoring Survey. Current US rating [also from J D Power] places it at 2 out of 5, well below average quality.

US SUV market under severe pressure, particularly at the bigger end - not sure whether that would be good or bad for the Defender....you have to guess that there will be some general down-sizing.

Neil