Cynic-al Posted June 10, 2016 Share Posted June 10, 2016 I think jlr have diluted their market quite a bit recently, I mean what is the difference between a discovery sport evoque rr sport and jag 4x4 thing really? The defender freelander discovery and range rover used to be strong and individual brands but now they're all sort of wishy washy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Davo Posted June 11, 2016 Share Posted June 11, 2016 I think jlr have diluted their market quite a bit recently, I mean what is the difference between a discovery sport evoque rr sport and jag 4x4 thing really? The defender freelander discovery and range rover used to be strong and individual brands but now they're all sort of wishy washy. http://www.worldwidesalonmarketing.com/how-to-turn-disaster-into-triumph-a-lesson-in-customer-relations http://gibbadventure.blogspot.com.au/2014/07/a-range-rover-in-kimberley.html This story above, (same story, different versions), sums up what has always bothered me about the company's emphasis on the champagne crowd. They're making money, so great, but not with proper 4WDs any more. I don't think I've ever seen a new Disco up here that wasn't towing a caravan. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mickeyw Posted June 11, 2016 Share Posted June 11, 2016 Round my way Ridgeway Land Rover and Ridgeway Jaguar are moving the two dealerships into one HUGE new one at Milton Park, near Didcot on the A34. They can't be doing badly to be investing that much! The same thing is in progress at Harwoods in Crawley. What they're building looks huge and has greatly improved visibility being on a traffic lighted corner of a major road. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cynic-al Posted June 11, 2016 Share Posted June 11, 2016 The manufacturer's often tell the dealers if they don't provide top notch showrooms they will lose the franchise. That's why they've all gone to these useless big chains rather than the old family run garages. You know, the ones that gave great service, knew every little fault and trick and generally lived and breathed the cars they sold. Now we have posh showrooms full of 'the computer says' technicians and sales people who when asked a question stare at a brochure like someone who doesn't know how to read. Still you can watch homes under the hammer in HD and drink a mokka chokka whilst you wait the 6 hours for a laptop to service your car and an oik to measure your tyre tread so I guess it's not all bad. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
qwakers Posted June 11, 2016 Share Posted June 11, 2016 imho the perfect defender replacement would be based on the disco 4 platform, nice and roomy, good offroad and wouldnt be too hard to make a pickup version. ok so it wouldnt be modifiable in the same way as the old defender but it would work, be stylish and if they did a row version with all the toys taken off itd be affordable too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mo Murphy Posted June 11, 2016 Share Posted June 11, 2016 A Rights Of Way version perhaps ? ? Mo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
qwakers Posted June 11, 2016 Share Posted June 11, 2016 rest of world, keep up ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mo Murphy Posted June 11, 2016 Share Posted June 11, 2016 It was tongue in cheek qwakers old boy ? Mo ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
qwakers Posted June 12, 2016 Share Posted June 12, 2016 so was my reply Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mo Murphy Posted June 12, 2016 Share Posted June 12, 2016 Anyway, there may be a niche for a rights of way version, I don't need the rest of world version ? Mo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tacr2man Posted June 12, 2016 Share Posted June 12, 2016 Do they want a real commercial style defender , fleet buyers , dont want to pay top dollar, same as military , so profit margin is slashed plus they dont buy over priced add ons , unlike the public . The old defender/ series needed all those type customers to try and give it economy of scale , it needed run out to try and get some life into the market . The new one needs to be built as a commercial not a compromise , to be a true defender replacement ,as Davo says a 2litre with a car style gearbox aint gonna crack it . JMHO Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Exmoor Beast Posted June 16, 2016 Share Posted June 16, 2016 A mate of mine who worked on the Defender line says they were told Autocars rendering was very close to New Defender. I'm pretty happy with that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bowie69 Posted June 16, 2016 Share Posted June 16, 2016 That'd do alright I reckon... Wonder if it will be modular at all... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mo Murphy Posted June 16, 2016 Share Posted June 16, 2016 Well, could be worse I suppose. Anyone else need a pitchfork and a flaming torch ? Mo ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
miketomcat Posted June 16, 2016 Share Posted June 16, 2016 I must say I quite like that though I'm unlikely to buy one. Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
need4speed Posted June 16, 2016 Share Posted June 16, 2016 It will definately not be modular. Thats the very reason i wont be buying one no matter what it looks like. Start twatting it off trees while green laning and it will be £eeeek to repair. It wont be a case of simply unbolting a wing panel or a roof panel and replacing... And with that being the case whats the difference to buying latest discovery...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bowie69 Posted June 16, 2016 Share Posted June 16, 2016 Hmm, any reason why it won't be modular in any way? I accept not having a ladder chassis makes it harder, but I'd think JLR could get over that one... maybe if they wanted to Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Davo Posted June 16, 2016 Share Posted June 16, 2016 I thought the old design wasn't, er, "good enough", to hit pedestrians with, so I suppose this will have some sort of a crumple zone? It still needs to be a ute, trayback, single or double cab, etc., etc. I usually see about three new Defenders a year, so it'll be sort of a relief if they ever get this thing finished. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elbekko Posted June 16, 2016 Share Posted June 16, 2016 It will definately not be modular. Thats the very reason i wont be buying one no matter what it looks like. Start twatting it off trees while green laning and it will be £eeeek to repair. It wont be a case of simply unbolting a wing panel or a roof panel and replacing... And with that being the case whats the difference to buying latest discovery...... There's no reason it couldn't have unboltable wings over the unibody structure. The RRC did that just fine (not quite unibody, but the body construction was similar). I suspect the modularity will be all in the factory, different bits being welded in based on what was ordered. I don't see it being likely that you will be able to make a pick-up into a hard-top. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
need4speed Posted June 16, 2016 Share Posted June 16, 2016 I agree totally, theres no reason it COULDNT be modular - i just seriously doubt it will be unfortunately. Mainly due to manufacturing costs. The more bolts/fixings you have, the more man hours it takes to assemble. Also if only the outer front wings are modular why bother? Sods law dictates that if you can easily unbolt/replace the wings you can guarantee they will be the only bits to escape damage lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anderzander Posted June 16, 2016 Share Posted June 16, 2016 Another option to the utility route is that they go the G-Wagen way. They have positioned themselves as a luxury brand, dropping the freelander and so on - so similarly positioned in the market to Mercedes perhaps. At the end of the Defenders life they were at least partially positioning it as the niche 'real / rugged / leather seated 4x4'. They won't be ignorant of the Khan, Urban Truck, Bowler type mods going on at huge prices. So also not unlike the G-Wagen's market position. They seem to be happy to do to low volume hi profit models - the series 1 restorations, the aluminium e-types, the re-invented special vehicles .... So maybe we'll see a mega defender, with top spec powerful engine, clever electronics, on a strong beam axled chassis, with a luxurious interior, limited numbers, waiting lists, and huge prices ? Sold as 'the icon' and priced accordingly? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
need4speed Posted June 17, 2016 Share Posted June 17, 2016 ^^^^ agreed ^^^^ Far more likely than a rugged, fix-in-the-field, cheap to repair modular vehicle. Even though it saddens me to say it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bowie69 Posted June 17, 2016 Share Posted June 17, 2016 With modern methods of fastening, I bet you can make it so that one bolt holds an entire wing in place -front OR rear. I know it is a bolt and not a weld, but funnily enough, robots will do bolts up nowadays too I guess it will only be modular if they think they can do it -LR have been innovative in the past, let's hope they have managed it this time.... With modern materials such as carbon fibre and aluminium tubs, making something that equates to a rigid 'chassis', although not in ladder form is quite easy and lightweight, then you hang all the relevant parts off it. Just look at any of the latest raft of supercars, carbon fibre 'tubs' which is literally the passenger compartment, then bolt everything else to it to make it move, stop and steer. No reason why this *method* couldn't be used for more mainstream vehicles. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dirtyninety Posted June 17, 2016 Share Posted June 17, 2016 I know of at least one person using this forum that has actually seen the new defender, and it has been confirmed that it isn't like any rendering yet posted. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
need4speed Posted June 17, 2016 Share Posted June 17, 2016 With modern methods of fastening, I bet you can make it so that one bolt holds an entire wing in place -front OR rear. I know it is a bolt and not a weld, but funnily enough, robots will do bolts up nowadays too I guess it will only be modular if they think they can do it -LR have been innovative in the past, let's hope they have managed it this time.... With modern materials such as carbon fibre and aluminium tubs, making something that equates to a rigid 'chassis', although not in ladder form is quite easy and lightweight, then you hang all the relevant parts off it. Just look at any of the latest raft of supercars, carbon fibre 'tubs' which is literally the passenger compartment, then bolt everything else to it to make it move, stop and steer. No reason why this *method* couldn't be used for more mainstream vehicles. I hope your right Bowie, i really do. Time will tell i guess.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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