Cynic-al Posted June 9, 2016 Share Posted June 9, 2016 I think they ought to aim it at the current pickup buyers, ie farmers, builders, utilities companies and a few tarty people who don't need one but remember the cool pickup from back to the future. However, that would mean offering vehicles in the £15 - 30k + vat price band which I just don't think land rover are interested in anymore. The badge can get them much more profit per car in other ways. I think it'll be more of a small SUV with enough hints of the defender for people to coo over whilst driving what will basically be a freelander... but that's all just guess work. What I think we can be sure of is that it will have the newly developed modular land rover 500cc per cylinder engine as why wouldn't they when they've put all that work & money in? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FridgeFreezer Posted June 9, 2016 Share Posted June 9, 2016 I'm only going by their track record . . . Do you mean the miserable failure that is the new-shape RR, RR Sport, the Disco 3/4, the Evoque... you know, the products that have led to them going from almost bankrupt to having a backlog of orders for high-end cars made in England, running out of factory space, having to stack vehicles nose-to-tail around the factory and exporting vast numbers of vehicles to China etc.? Yeah, they clearly have no idea what they're doing Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
landroversforever Posted June 9, 2016 Share Posted June 9, 2016 Do you mean the miserable failure that is the new-shape RR, RR Sport, the Disco 3/4, the Evoque... you know, the products that have led to them going from almost bankrupt to having a backlog of orders for high-end cars made in England, running out of factory space, having to stack vehicles nose-to-tail around the factory and exporting vast numbers of vehicles to China etc.? Yeah, they clearly have no idea what they're doing Yeah exactly! It was ridiculous there! When the we did the factory tour earlier in the year... if it wasn't a road or building entrance it was filled with cars, and they were all orders none were being built for stock! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Davo Posted June 9, 2016 Share Posted June 9, 2016 Do you mean the miserable failure that is the new-shape RR, RR Sport, the Disco 3/4, the Evoque... you know, the products that have led to them going from almost bankrupt to having a backlog of orders for high-end cars made in England, running out of factory space, having to stack vehicles nose-to-tail around the factory and exporting vast numbers of vehicles to China etc.? Yeah, they clearly have no idea what they're doing OMG sarcastic LOLs. Er, did I mention the word "utility"? I had a vague idea this thread was about the Defender replacement, not the leather-wrapped Asian tycoon segment of the market. We all know about their wonderful success in that unstable market called China, it would just be nice to see them tackling the other end of the market where the Defender used to be - sort of - available. With, you know, a replacement for the Defender. Which, given their caviar-level success, I don't see them bothering with. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UdderlyOffroad Posted June 9, 2016 Share Posted June 9, 2016 Someone I may know might have friends at the factory, and probably got drunk with them at the weekend, and there was a good chance they let out that there is a new Defender, planned for production in an east european plant. That does at least tally with the aritcle posted above, which talks about a plant in Slovenia. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FridgeFreezer Posted June 9, 2016 Share Posted June 9, 2016 OMG sarcastic LOLs. Er, did I mention the word "utility"? Look at what "utility" users are buying - vans and jap pickups which are both more car-like and less off-road than the Defender. I've seen plenty of D3/4 and even RR towing plant trailers etc. round. Police, ambulance, highways all use Discos not Defenders. If LR made the replacement to suit the mass market of people who would actually buy it, all the purists would be up in arms. If they made it a homage like the beetle or mini I'm sure the purists would hate that too, even if it was successful. If they made what the purists want, no other bugger would buy one. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simonr Posted June 9, 2016 Share Posted June 9, 2016 Last year, I was working with a couple of techy's from JLR on a project related to what I was working on (some of you may know what I'm talking about). RRS Electric tailgate struts might have been used in something quite cool. I obviously tried to grill them on the new Defender - but they hardly said a word, other than it was in delvelopment and I'd like it! I asked whether I'd like it if I was wearing my RRS hat, or my 110 hat - he said my 110 hat - definitely! This guy drives a 300Tdi 90 - and loves them! I don't think he could have been brainwashed into thinking they were going to be good if they were not. I asked "If I were hoping for full indi suspension based on something like a D3 platform, would I be dissappointed?" - he said "Yes, you would". I assume therefore it must have beam axles, at least one of them anyway. From everyone I've spoken to, they love the Defenders as much as any of us - and want to make it as good as it can be. Obviously it has to sell and be cost effective to produce but I don't think that means it will be useless. My personal feeling is they are leaving a gap between production of the current one ending and launch of the new one so people will judge it on what it is rather than what a defender was. If it looked like the above - I'd be in the queue! I'll probably be in the queue either way though. Si Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cynic-al Posted June 9, 2016 Share Posted June 9, 2016 If they did a double cab pickup version for around £25k +vat and it was made in the UK I would get one, if it didn't meet those criteria then it would be judged against the others on it's merits rather than bought based on emotion. I must admit I do like this which I'm sure a fair few of you hate, I believe it's happening though Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bowie69 Posted June 9, 2016 Share Posted June 9, 2016 No I like that a lot! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mo Murphy Posted June 9, 2016 Share Posted June 9, 2016 I like it too ? Mo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
landroversforever Posted June 9, 2016 Share Posted June 9, 2016 Oooooo I like that a lot! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cynic-al Posted June 9, 2016 Share Posted June 9, 2016 Especially if they offered it in rubicon trim which comes with front and rear diff locks and a dislocating arb Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bowie69 Posted June 9, 2016 Share Posted June 9, 2016 Indeed! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
landroversforever Posted June 10, 2016 Share Posted June 10, 2016 If LR can do what Jeep have done, they'll be onto a winner. Upgraded and modernised the design but kept the soul of the original. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maverik Posted June 10, 2016 Share Posted June 10, 2016 The green truck is a pretty good rendering, the red one not so much. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Davo Posted June 10, 2016 Share Posted June 10, 2016 Look at what "utility" users are buying - vans and jap pickups which are both more car-like and less off-road than the Defender. I've seen plenty of D3/4 and even RR towing plant trailers etc. round. Police, ambulance, highways all use Discos not Defenders. If LR made the replacement to suit the mass market of people who would actually buy it, all the purists would be up in arms. If they made it a homage like the beetle or mini I'm sure the purists would hate that too, even if it was successful. If they made what the purists want, no other bugger would buy one. Ah, the old "purist" argument, which assumes people arguing on Land Rover forums want leaky bumpy boxes. No, I'm talking about a powerful, not-dinky-engined utility vehicle with a non-explosive gearbox and strong diffs, which even cattle station people would consider over a powerful, big-engined reliable gearboxed and diffed LandCruiser. The market has been there for decades, and Land Rover have barely stopped snoring enough to consider it. I realise what people use in the UK for work, but in many other places like oilfields, fire brigades, mining, farming, tourism, and of course the military there's still a need for something Land Rover could produce. Not that it matters here - I think in the western third of Australia that I live in, there are three or so dealerships! They don't just need a new Defender: they need an entire support network. Good luck to them, though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maverik Posted June 10, 2016 Share Posted June 10, 2016 I just bought an outlander for the missus to use for her vet job, would have gone for a Disco sport but my wallet fell over then got up and ran away when I told it the cost... I love going down to my local stealer they're amazing, so polite and well turned out and there parts department is really quite reasonable!, I'm very pro politeness and good service. the vehicles they've got there are just out of this world, its very clear who they're targeting just now. I just hope that "if" they get around to a new Defender, they just manage to get the price right for your average jo. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
landroversforever Posted June 10, 2016 Share Posted June 10, 2016 They don't just need a new Defender: they need an entire support network. If the Defender becomes a decent proposition in the market then the dealer network will build up with it to meet the demand. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maverik Posted June 10, 2016 Share Posted June 10, 2016 With JLR buying/leasing Silverstone, they're going from strength to strength just now, and all respect to them, they've found a winning formula in a tricky world economy just now. I agree with Ross, if the demand is there then support network will follow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
landroversforever Posted June 10, 2016 Share Posted June 10, 2016 With JLR buying/leasing Silverstone, they're going from strength to strength just now, and all respect to them, they've found a winning formula in a tricky world economy just now. I agree with Ross, if the demand is there then support network will follow. 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! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FridgeFreezer Posted June 10, 2016 Share Posted June 10, 2016 If LR can do what Jeep have done, they'll be onto a winner. Upgraded and modernised the design but kept the soul of the original. That's what I'm hoping for too, Jeep seem to have pulled it off very well (although the rest of their range looks ghastly), I do wonder if those vehicles are viable outside the US with regards to safety regs etc., a lot of their stuff works at home because anything classed as a truck gets a much easier ride through approval compared to passenger cars. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Davo Posted June 10, 2016 Share Posted June 10, 2016 If the Defender becomes a decent proposition in the market then the dealer network will build up with it to meet the demand. I think in the UK that would be simple enough, but because they lost so much of the world market, that would be trickier. I'd love to see them get on with it, though. Outfits like Great Wall and Mahindra have managed to get something of a foothold after starting from nothing, so it is possible. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bowie69 Posted June 10, 2016 Share Posted June 10, 2016 Jeep seem to have pulled it off very well (although the rest of their range looks ghastly), I hope this is where JLR end up too, in a way! Snobby cars and then trucks that work for a living, sold alongside one another -worked with the RRC and SIII/Defender for years... (except the RRC was of course good looking too). Be a shame if JLR narrowed their market for no good reason, and can't see the sales managers thinking it a good idea! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maverik Posted June 10, 2016 Share Posted June 10, 2016 Be a shame if JLR narrowed their market for no good reason, and can't see the sales managers thinking it a good idea! Hmm that depends on whether or not they are interested in continuing the hard core off-road brand or they want to line there pockets... at the end of they day they want a profitable business... that's what its all about I guess. If narrowing there market allows for big sustainable profit then why not? - as much as most of us have had experience of how LR employees are committed to there brand and the "Defender" line-up would you choose an uncertain future for your company and product line up over good sustainable profits - and a guaranteed job to keep up the mortgage payments... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
honitonhobbit Posted June 10, 2016 Share Posted June 10, 2016 Just re-badge the Loadbetter and Safari from the Tata range Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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