studmuffin Posted March 13, 2014 Share Posted March 13, 2014 I’m seeing a very different picture of the industry from where I’m sat! I work in an automotive electrical and electronic design consultancy that is going from strength to strength, where a good chunk of work is with foreign automotive OEMS. The balance of trade for vehicles recently went positive for the first time since the 1970s, which is great news- whilst we still import many of our smaller cars, our premium brands are selling exceptionally well worldwide and that includes pretty much the whole JLR range, Aston Martin, Bentley, Mini etc. We have the Nissan plant in Sunderland exporting much of its production to Europe, and the UK designed Qashqai selling phenomenally well. We have some of the most efficient car plants in the world (Toyota, Honda, Nissan) We have consulting houses (Ricardo, Mira, our company etc), successfully selling engineering expertise worldwide. We have foreign OEMS with engineering centres in the UK- SAIC, TATA Motors etc We are building new production lines- (JLR) or expanding existing lines (Nissan). We have investment in modern research facilities being pushed by government in Universities and ‘Catapult’ Centres; (Warwick university, The Manufacturing Technology Centre (Ansty)) The only negative I see is that we have lost a lot of our component supply base to other countries, but even here I am seeing slow changes with a few smaller suppliers we use bringing back work to the UK. Much of this investment is coming from foreign headquartered businesses- they obviously see the benefits. We are a long, long way of the doldrums of the industry in the 70s- Let’s shout about what we are doing well!!! Completely agree. Lots of UK manufacturers like my employer are foreign owned. Unlike many old British owned companies they invest heavily in technology and people, and turn in very good profits. Most of our customers are first and second tier automotive and they have very good forward order books. We still have some great engineers in this country and we should be proud ( after all we keep most of the works race/rally cars going quick) JLR are gearing up for lots of new models but non of the pressworkers we deal with have heard the slightest whisper of new components for a Defender replacement. Either they are concentrating on big numbers, as you would expect, or it aint going to happen(at least not yet) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tacr2man Posted March 13, 2014 Share Posted March 13, 2014 The era of the series/defender is over , so waiting for a "new" one is pointless as the nearest it will be will be a badge to try and trade on the little bit of heritage that is left . The suggestion of Freelander /discovery pick up will most likely be not that far from reality, with "defender/series references " similar to the references of a modern mini to the classic . On the bright side you will probably be able to get an "app" on your phone to diagnose whats gone wrong with it so you can get your nice maindealer man to fix it . Regarding British industry , untill the management gets to a decent standard it wont get anywhere , Ive been watching and experiencing the same dismal performance for years , in both the public and private sector . Its a good job i'm an optimist ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cynic-al Posted March 19, 2014 Share Posted March 19, 2014 Any better? Photo robbed from facebook so I don'y know the source. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Superpants Posted March 19, 2014 Share Posted March 19, 2014 Quick Google search of that image shows plenty of pages back at least as far as 2011.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BogMonster Posted March 20, 2014 Share Posted March 20, 2014 Looks like a Tatamotor! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mmgemini Posted March 20, 2014 Share Posted March 20, 2014 MMmmmmmmmm Having just been on a Land Rover works tour.... The Range Rover body line is, to me, unbelievable, not many workers about apart from those super robots. Now the Defender line is so, so different. A lot of people about. Lots of chassis, axles and other bits about. They have a monsoon area. A building spraying water on the Defender ?? I understand they still leak. Now if the Defender is to come off line next year, where are they going to build it ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snagger Posted March 20, 2014 Share Posted March 20, 2014 Building in India isn't necessarily a death knell - India might not have prowess yet in building high quality cars, but they are a very tech-savvy nation; they build their own aircraft, have their own space programme and their own nuclear programmes, which is more than we do in the UK. They also have a huge, cheap workforce. So, they have the highly skilled and educated staff to manage the continuing design and production of Defender, and the assembly line staff too. They may end up making a mess, but they could just as well make it better than it was ever made in the UK. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eightpot Posted March 21, 2014 Share Posted March 21, 2014 Building in India doesn't seem likely to me, why would they?? When they can't build them here any more, I would say that is the end of it. The rest of the world isn't bothered about Defenders, they'd rather have Toyota, Amarok, nissan or GWM In south Africa you can buy an isuzu based GWM double cab pick up for about 14k new, equivalent defender is double the price. Defenders have been built in asia & Africa for decades, so it certainly wouldn't be a new thing anyway - I have a 200tdi station wagon in South Africa that was built there (and on a galvanised chassis), they don't make them there anymore as theres no demand. Be a shame when it stops, but like the mini, its a classic car that's way past its best, the current models aren't even as relevant as the old timers most of us potter about in as they are no longer simple to maintain go anywhere workhorses - no way I'd take a new one across a desert. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ozyboy Posted March 21, 2014 Share Posted March 21, 2014 JLRare gearing up for lots of new models but non of the pressworkers we deal with have heard the slightest whisper of new components for a Defender replacement. Either they are concentrating on big numbers, as you would expect, or it aint going to happen(at least not yet) I also work in a related industry and service JLR in a number of capacities, more recently in évoque production control. We have had a series of 3 way meetings with JLR and tooling / pressing companies. Since scrapping the DC100 idea, the next defender is very close guarded.... Agree with earlier posts defender production is massively labour hungry and therefore very inefficient compared to ALL other LR lines.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tacr2man Posted March 22, 2014 Share Posted March 22, 2014 "the current models (Defender) aren't even as relevant as the old timers most of us potter about in as they are no longer simple to maintain go anywhere workhorses - no way I'd take a new one across a desert". Got it in one ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nigelw Posted March 22, 2014 Share Posted March 22, 2014 I wonder, is it a propaganda stunt with the global media? I mean, it made the BBC, it is and has been all over the global auto press, but is there really ever going to be a new Defender? How far can they stretch it out I wonder? Reliable, cost effective commercial vehicles are not and have not been part of the Land Rover future plans for 20Yrs, let's face it, when they had the greatest chance back in the 1990s to bring forward a new commercial vehicle they pushed money elsewhere. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
o_teunico Posted March 24, 2014 Author Share Posted March 24, 2014 Found this on the web Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nigelw Posted March 27, 2014 Share Posted March 27, 2014 Like how the DC100 is going to be in the future line up, not as Def replacement but a supplementary product. The possible new Def in those drawings looks just like a Ford Ranger Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GBMUD Posted March 27, 2014 Share Posted March 27, 2014 Found this on the web Must be true then. Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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