Is Land Rover about to ditch the Defender? That’s certainly one of the options being considered by the brand’s bosses, as it decides the fate of its iconic mud-plugger.
In an exclusive interview with Auto Express, Land Rover UK’s MD Colin Green explained that coming up with a plan for the 4x4 was a huge challenge. “If we get it wrong we are messing up one of the industry’s biggest icons, and in that sense it’s a tremendous responsibility.”
Other options include fitting cleaner engines to extend the life of the Defender yet again, or a complete redesign, according to Green.
On sale since 1947 and meeting Euro V emissions regulations until 2016, Defender is popular with farmers, rescue services and utility companies. But Green said the issue was how to keep its legendary capability, but expand its appeal to attract new customers seeking a less functional vehicle.
One proposal would see a new version built on the same platform as Discovery and Range Rover Sport, but that chassis is expensive compared to the current one.
“Another option is to carry on the current model using Euro VI engines. A third is that we abandon that section of the market. It’s our least preferred choice because we have serviced that customer base for a long time, but there’s no point in servicing the customer and not the business. We have to make money and all three options are on the table,” said Green.
What do you think the future of the Defender should be? Leave a comment below.
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When you forget where you came from you eventually loose your way and people become confused about who you are and what you stand for. The Defender anchors Range Rover's image and brand identity to a past worth remembering and valued by a hard core group of consumers. It projects adventure, go anywhere attitude,
adventurenot afraid to get dirty attitude that in the eyes of buyers is the soul of the more expensive models in the line. Loose your soul and eventually you will loose your customers !
I have always toyed with the idea of getting a 'proper' 4x4, and the LR Defender is the archetypal 4x4 vehicle - it's image as a no nonsense tough offroader does not need further mention.
However, what has always put softies like me off owning one is the perceived unreliability and high running costs of owning one. Now, some LR owners will no doubt question this but I am sure I am not alone in mentally picturing myself spending many hours repairing driveshaft/transmission/electrical/fuel faults on the hard shoulder of some godforsaken byeway, many miles from civilisation.
If Landrover could just go back to the drawing board and come back with a more fuel efficient oil burner coupled to a reliable drivetrain (matched to a nice extended warranty), I for one would still consider the Defender above all other proper 4x4s.
I also agree with Pugproud, lose the Defender and what is LandRover left with as it's spiritual icon?
I have owned Defenders for years and they fufill the job I need to do admirably. And I can find nothing that replaces it in the marketplace. The serious off road market where the Defender resides , such as emergency services, aid agencies, farmers etc. where the go anywhere, rugged nature and simplicity of repair is vital, and style is of secondary concern need a tool that does the job. The Defender fills this and should not be confused with the premium brands of Range Rover and Discovery which are in essence luxury cars and rarely see of road duty even though they are capable. I live in a rural community and the Defender is still prevalent, if it goes I doubt very much that the farming community with look at the other Landrover offerings with the same eagerness. However, if the company no longer has a viable market in these sectors then common business sense will leave them little alternative which will probably be a relief to their competitors!
The Defender is a hard act to follow and a much loved icon so I can understand the pressure Land Rover is under re replacement. A further update with cleaner engines is one thing but this does address its main failing which for me at least is the lack of safety features and modern levels of crash ability. I suspect that's not possible with the current model or they would have. Until that happens I could not with a clear conscience put my family in one against for example a Discovery. Much as I’d love to being an ex Series 3 owner. So I hope Land Rover go for a replacement that retains the Iconic looks and ability and adds modern safety features and clean engines. There is a market and Land Rover needs to be there not just at the top end with Range Rover.
The Defender is to good to stop production, the main problem I see is the fuel choice. Have them run on LPG from the factory making them so much cheaper to fill and cleaner to boot with simple and easily added parts. Its a low cost solution that would attract green and/or price concsious drivers. Then have plenty of body options including campervan available.
The Defender must be kept going, even if in it's current or similar form and built in India or wherever is cheaper! Land Rover are making a mistake by only producing expensive luxury vehicles. The Defender & Discovery should always be available in commercial and passenger formats and both should be offered in Crew Cab 5 seat variants like they are about to be in Ireland. It should be possible to supply these at a maximum price of £30K for the HSE spec in the UK, by transferring production to cheaper countries....
Land Rover must accept that the Toyota Land Cruiser completely dominates this market and get rid of the old unreliable piece of junk that is the Defender. It has been out of its depth for the past 20 years. I have worked in the Sahara desert where the Land Cruiser in its many forms is king as your life depends on a tough reliable car. Only a crazy man would think of venturing out in a Land Rover, though I have never come across one in the Sahara probably because they are all parked under a sand dune where they broke down.
Look at what nissan,mitsubishi,ford ,vw and toyota have don with the utility 4x4 market, lots of farmers buy these vehicles so landrover should bring the defender into the 21st century instead of worrying about all the old timer turning in there graves
Defender. Who gave it that name? Ask them if you should destroy what they made! DEFENSE, DEFEND? what does it mean, "To survive". I would think very deeply about how many customers Land Rover will give away to the competition,by discontinuing such a great vehicle. Take a long look through the history books,at the photo's and see what one single LR model has done for the worlds population. I just bought an 86' Range v8, but I WILL NOT buy a new one.Because will teach me nothing. Thankyou.
There's really only one 'Defender' over here in the U.S. and that's the jeep. Having owned both vehicles I know that the Defender is as good or better. Landrover should never have abandoned this market. It was foolish to not make every effort to return here after they pulled out. If Landrover can sell their other vehicles here then there was no good reason that they could not have modified the Defender to be sold here also. After all, this is where a lot of money is.
With management making that kind of decision we should have all guessed long ago that they couldn't run the company, certainly not well enough to protect this icon of a motor vehicle.
Same old same old for the British management and British car companies. Landrover is set to be just another Leyland. Fire the lot of 'em and sell to someone who knows cars and the market.
Keep Defender alive!
There's really only one 'Defender' over here in the U.S. and that's the jeep. Having owned both vehicles I know that the Defender is as good or better. Landrover should never have abandoned this market. It was foolish to not make every effort to return here after they pulled out. If Landrover can sell their other vehicles here then there was no good reason that they could not have modified the Defender to be sold here also. After all, this is where a lot of money is.
With management making that kind of decision we should have all guessed long ago that they couldn't run the company, certainly not well enough to protect this icon of a motor vehicle.
Same old same old for the British management and British car companies. Landrover is set to be just another Leyland. Fire the lot of 'em and sell to someone who knows cars and the market.
Keep Defender alive!
Hopefully Land Rover will listen to the voice of the customers on this site because they have certainly begun a stir of emotions over the possibility of ending an era of one of the greatest vehicle ever made.
Does it need updating? Sure it does! Bring it into this century as another person has written. Why have they waited so long? Heck, if Ford can make a come back, then certainly the Defender can make it!
A Defender has been my dream motor. I'm a 40 something year old female who has dreamed of owning this beauty. I can't afford it, however...... I can afford a Jeep over here in Florida. Bring the Defender to the States and compete against Jeep!
In my humble opinion, there isn't a vehicle in this class that can compete with the looks of the Defender. I agree with "Jeep Man" when he says, "Keep Defender Alive".
Come on Land Rover.......get your marketing teams together. Kiss Ass. Fix the problems and get Jeremy Clarkson and the Top Gear staff all over this. YOU CAN DO IT.
Oopsie... meant to write "Kick ass" not "Kiss" above. Then again, if that is what needs to be done...........
Oopsie... meant to write "Kick ass" not "Kiss" above. Then again, if that is what needs to be done...........
Oopsie... meant to write "Kick ass" not "Kiss" above. Then again, if that is what needs to be done...........
My wife drives a Jeep Liberty. It's okay but I far prefer my Disco II. My fourth Landy. But it may be the last since they are now over priced luxo barges. The current RR and LR4(!) are boring "feature rich" appliances with waaay too much bling.
Can we please get a real Land Rover here in America. Reduce the costs (and prices) by eliminating the bling and rarely used and largely unneeded features. Rubber mats, cloth seats, steel wheels with a clean turbo diesel. Dump the gas guzzling V8s!
How about a de-contented Disco to replace the Defender? Reduce the weight by chucking out stuff! No sun roofs for example. They add weight where it's not needed and can leak. We don't need fat road roller wheels either. They won't be lapping Laguna Seca (except to pull out spectators cars from the mud). How about replacing the skins with "tupperware". I also drive a smart fourtwo and love how easy it is to install and replace cheap plastic panels. Come on land Rover. Let your engineers have some freedom to build a low cost, light weight diesel replacement for the Defender based upon the Disco platform.
I'm starting to look enviously at Land Cruisers. Don't make me. Please.
Concentrate on getting off the bottom of the reliability league rather than building "icons"
Considering VW make a loss on every Bugatti Veyron built but do this for the publicity, the Land Rover Defender is a cheap alternative to keep a company image. All Land Rover need to do is modernise the Defender, modern interiors/Car Like, and update the chassis and aerodynamics and efficient engines. Make sure they keep the over-hangs as is for off-road ability, simple:)
My 2p.
Don't scrap it but bring it into line with modern offerings. The Land Cruiser rules because it's got air-con etc and a better ride.
I live on a farm and i'd love a Defender but they are just so thirsty I couldn't in all conscience drive one. And this is from someone who has a Cayenne diesel (which returns me 34mpg combined!!)
Read this once "Use a Landrover if you want to go into the 'outback; use a Landcruiser if you want to come back" :-)
LR indeed seems to be focussing on the executive end of the market, forgetting it's roots, and (finally?) improving QC so that it can be taken seriously against German/Japanese/Korean 4x4 rivals (from an Isuzu / Subaru / Kia former/current owner). LR really need a workhorse of somesort - can't really see (m)any RR owners trying out their multi-fangled 'terrain repsonse' settings out where they might muddy their 22" alloys, can you...?
Land Rover lost its way in many third world countries where a ruggedised 4x4 like the Defender excels -- that market now belongs to the Toyota Landcruiser, which is bigger, wider and much more comfortable but equals the Defender in difficult terrain.
Huge mistake if Tata ditch the Defender. It has been an icon and an asset but is now so obsolete that it is also a liability. Emissions is trivial matter - re-engine relatively easy. Safety and occupant space is far more difficult to re-engineer in however. Roll over resistance is low and roll over/side impact protection very poor - their lawyers must be asleep or very brave - if I was Mr Tata I would not let them leave the line without a fitted roll cage (as per the US market model). Frontal crash safety weakness is just not solvable as is so radical improvement required. Tata need a new Defender if they are to compete in the high volume low tech markets of India/Indonesia/SEA etc - affluent markets like China are well catered for with RR and Disco models. Small mature specialist markets such as UK Emergency Services can easily be met by a stripped down Disco.The Tata product line and brand are nowhere near as internationally marketable as Landrover badge so vast opportunity if they can solve two basic engineering/production problems. Firstly, can the existing seperate chassis/ali body structure be widened and strengthened to solve space and safety failings? Secondly can such an updated vehicle be economically produced in and sold to those key world markets. Production must devolve away from Solihull if they are to have any chance. If they can't re-work the basic structural concept then it is a scrapper and start afresh. I think a Disco platform is too heavy and complex for these markets.
Good luck to them, I hope they are up to the challenge.
Robin
The next Defender already exists and will be further improved with safety equipment at least as effective as the Toyota or Jeep. Add to that more pedestrian-friendly bumpers (without losing the iconic image), carbon-fibre panels and an interior to Range Rover standards (if required). Supercharged petrol or bi-turbo V6 Jag engines. They're out there already! Who makes 'em? JE Engineering, of course. Check 'em out.
Keep it...its a worldwide icon and just needs some updating in terms of modernisation. Retain the basic design and mechanical nature of what makes it great, but get ride of some of the failings like increase the driver space...improve heating and ventilation, but don't make it a luxury 4x4...its needs to retain basic engineering for use in the many inhospitable places it had to travel. It needs to be maintained at a basic level so avoid masses of ecu's etc..
The Merc G Wagen is a good template to emulate! There is nothing like the dender and with improvements there never will be!
I am surprised if tinkering around with the fuel/air mix is the only problem stopping the Defender plugging on until the next millenium.
I thought that a much bigger problem was the safety of the body design. The bluff front of the Landie is not very pedestrian friendly, and its headlamps face straight onto the people as they career towards it, unlike modern cars which have to put their lamps in huge perspex lozenges on top of the bonnet. There's no nice soft cushioning zone at the front that will play soothing music to people whilst it decelerates them safely and leaves unharmed and takes them to the next bus stop.
The Defender body must upset the safety lobby badly and I can't see how a recognisable Land-Rover will climb over that huge hill.
Personally, if I had capital I would invest in a new Landie that went back to its roots. Small, lightweight, 1600cc, and plain. A really practical vehicle for use in hilly and mountainy communities which don't want blacked out windows and styling for the Comprehensive School car park.
For goodness sake, yet another Auto(Sun)Express headline worthy of a News International title. If you read what JLR say this is their least favoured option! - Read any of the proper car magazines and they confirm that JLR are looking at platform sharing options to build a Defender replacement.
Please dont make the mistake of past companies and forget your roots. The defender is what made land rover and you would do well to remember that. Surely as hampson 10 says platform sharing is the most economical way forward and with new more efficient engines possibly methane or lpg should go down well with the farmers as its so cheap. A friend of mine has just bought a defender to tow his 2000kg caravan and says its brilliant so take note land rover.
Currently Defenders are but a small part of the market.
Bloggers here recognise the failings of the iconic model. However the Defender is stillan Icon. other mkpre major manufacturers do not abandon their Icons, (Beetle/FIAT 500?).
Perhaps a new Land Rover (silly name Defender) should have a punt chassis like VW Iltis did and be a lot lighter,could be a thick alloy staming. It should have a Euro 6 diesel and an LPG/Petrol option. Various upper body options should fit on the punt frame and be easily interchangeble even by the customer. It should only have one wheel base of less than 90", try 86".
If b igger payload vehicles are wanted, market stripped out Discovery types. Notwithstanding Eufro pedestrian friendliness it should still echo iconic details.
I am surprised if tinkering around with the fuel/air mix is the only problem stopping the Defender plugging on until the next millenium.
I thought that a much bigger problem was the safety of the body design. The bluff front of the Landie is not very pedestrian friendly, and its headlamps face straight onto the people as they career towards it, unlike modern cars which have to put their lamps in huge perspex lozenges on top of the bonnet. There's no nice soft cushioning zone at the front that will play soothing music to people whilst it decelerates them safely and leaves unharmed and takes them to the next bus stop.
The Defender body must upset the safety lobby badly and I can't see how a recognisable Land-Rover will climb over that huge hill.
Personally, if I had capital I would invest in a new Landie that went back to its roots. Small, lightweight, 1600cc, and plain. A really practical vehicle for use in hilly and mountainy communities which don't want blacked out windows and styling for the Comprehensive School car park.
The Defender is what Land Rover is all about and is the original 4x4 that started it all in 1947. It is loved by farmers, countrymen and townies the world over - Land Rover should be seeking to increase its worldwide sales with a greater range of engines equipping it for production well into the 21st century. How about dropping the name Defender and reverting back to plain Land Rover? Or how about Land Rover Challenger - a vehicle that can challenge almost anything!
The only reason Land Rover will ditch the Defender is they can no longer rip you off with over the top prices for a vehicle that dates back to the stone age of motoring..
I'd hope to see a new Defender - lighter, more fuel-efficient and critically less complex and more reliable than LR's current portfolio. I think a redesign can only succeed if they deliver a rugged, more fundamentally-engineered vehicle that can not only cut it in the rough, but looks great and doesn't need to go back to the dealer afterwards.Perhaps they could take some styling cues from the purism of the Bowler Wildcat, and some reliability inspiration from Japanese off-roaders like the Land Cruiser - ditch the weight, improve the quality of the fundamentals like the electrics, cut out the luxuries and complexities that make the Discovery such an unreliable vehicle, and deliver a reasonably-priced, light, super-tough, reliable platform that would be just as at home moving animal feed around a farm as crossing deserts or parked up at the beach with a surfboard on the roof. Defender doesn't need to be a slightly-tougher Freelander, its essence should be its simplicity, a super-tough platform that can do anything and can clean inside and out with a hose afterwards.
I think this story is just a big red herring. LR are not ditching the Defender or even thinking about it. The new Defender has been under development for some time and based on the Discovery 3 platform.
It's called 'Defender' because the biggest customer is the Army. It's not a silly name at all. This vehicle is helping in the defence of our realm.
All Land Rover need to do is incorporate the reliability and toughness modifications the military ones have into the civvy vehicles..More than almost any other vehicle, this vehicle defines the breed. Don't forget, before this was called 'Defender' it was simply...A Land Rover. This is the vehicle that Land Rover existed to make... It made just this vehicle, the lightweight version and that weird forward control military thing for the first 22 years. This vehicle IS Land Rover...Everything else is just poncing about...
This antique sgouls have been pensioned of 30 years ago.
It is uncomfortable, the build is in the same style as a ford model "T" and the thing is a pain to work on.
SCRAP IT now and give the poor mechanics who have to work on them something to service that doesn't rip knuckles of all sharp unfinished edges and self tapping screw fixings!!
Fuel guzzlers, like most 4X4 should be issued to farmers only, not to bone idle females posing at the school gates. Nuff SED
Horrible things!!
This antique sgouls have been pensioned of 30 years ago.
It is uncomfortable, the build is in the same style as a ford model "T" and the thing is a pain to work on.
SCRAP IT now and give the poor mechanics who have to work on them something to service that doesn't rip knuckles of all sharp unfinished edges and self tapping screw fixings!!
Fuel guzzlers, like most 4X4 should be issued to farmers only, not to bone idle females posing at the school gates. Nuff SED
Horrible things!!
What LR have is great, lets not ditch this 4x4,lets expand it. OK because of this Euro stuff change the engine to be cleaner. But then expand .....keep what there is, but go up from XS....HSE put in a few more toys.....Sport, different alloys neoprene seats good colours to appeal to younger generation, ...something more some thing different......smaller steering wheel to stop ladies being put off.......cut the noise in the cab.... but most of all dont bin the defender
The Defender was the dominant utility vehicle, however mismanagement back in the 70s opened the doors to the Japanese and especially Toyota, who as usual took a great british vehicle and made it better (the current Land Cruiser 70 series).
These vehicles are the UN favorite for third world applications such as West Africa where 40 years ago the Land Rover would have dominated
So I am afraid unless Land Rover can build a world beating utility vehicle which can seriously compete for sales to the likes of the UN, NGOs in the third world countries where Toyota etc now dominate, they are on to a looser.
A base spec Discovery (along with perhaps a pick up version) would satisfy most of the die hard LR customer base, whilst LR promote the more profitable RR brand
I remember when Porsche tried to drop the 911 for the 928 water cooled. Porsche soon realised that they could not drop it's recognisable classic car and dropped the 928 instead. Sounds a bit similar to The Defender.
It would be a shame to lose the Defender, I have always wanted to own one.
What has put me off is the perception of unreliability, high running costs and lack of refinement and basic equipment.
I'd like to see LR address these issues before I'd consider buying anything from their range, especially the Defender.
Can Razza please explain how on earth he perceives a Defender to be complex. On the Contrary, a defender and series landys can be taken apart with a 13mm, 17mm spanner and a BIG hammer. That is the essence of The Land Rover simple and effective, it also happens to be the best 4x4xfar!
Dich the landy, what, why, ok it's bug ugly, it's to expensive, build quality is rubbish, it's everything a bad car is. But it's the best 4x4 ever made, Look you want to sell more landys, not hard is it.
Bring down the stupid price you charge, improve its ride on road.
Of all the 4x4s out there this is the most expensive and the worst built, in fact its piss poor, do your home work bring the price down, and then you will sell the landy to joe public.
i reckon they are just trying to start a debate on the best way forward for the English built 4X4 legend ? Looking at the evoque Defender could be in for a Birthday?!
Strange even though it has a reputation for unreliability?? I reckon a big chunk of that has to do with it's previous link with Rover now luckily dead... 75% of every landrovers ever sold in the UK is still on the road ...How can such a unreliable brute be so tough? unlike most pointless 4x4's on the road today that never even see a blade of grass Defender is mainly used as a off road tool and for those who really need to go off road ...
Maybe LandRover should make 2 versions one for the commercial and a watered down one more aimed at the Road?
A 4x4 needs the opposite to a road car.. it has to have high ground clearance and long woolly suspension travel, the longer the travel the biger the obstacle it can cope with but that's totally useless for sharp road handling ..
I would like to see the new landRover with massively adjustable suspension that can be significantly lowered and stiffened up for tarmac ...That would mean much more pronounced wheel arches,... with a more stream lined wind shield ,a totally redesigned front end and a big up in fit and finish... it would be one mean working machine
In response to "Geraintjw", you haven't really read what I said properly. In my humble opinion, a potential danger for a Defender replacement would be too much complexity, too much dependence on gadgets and "extras" that's crept into the rest of the Land Rover range. Reliability is not LR's strong point (even on the current Defender - that's why people choose Land Cruisers) and the last thing a next-gen Defender would need would be a load of Evoque-style frippery. Keep it light, keep it simple, build it for reliability.
The Land Cruisers are aimed at the same Market as the Discovery due to it being an 'SUV'. Every single test I've seen has compared the LC to the Discovery, and even then the Disco is a far superior 4x4 on and off the road and for Towing. The truth is you can't get the best off roader and the best on-road 4x4 in the same vehicle. Anyone that buys a Defender for the purpose of driving on the road is crackers. You buy a Defender because its the best off roader OR crucially the Defender is becoming the only few 4x4s left that can tow 3500kg, which is why you don't see more farmers with less abled but comfier jap SUV's.
Interesting perspective GeraintJW, but the "SUV" label is only really relevant to the small range of Land Cruisers sold in the UK. In other markets, different variants exist - for example, in Australia they still have the 70-series, which competes directly with the Defender as a tough utilitarian workhorse for miners and farmers out there, as it does across Africa. For a future Defender to succeed in the global market, it doesn't just need to depend on UK brand loyalty to pick up sales in the comparatively small UK market, it needs to compete in earnest in other markets, and to really succeed, it needs to improve radically in terms of quality and reliability. I think a future Defender can find a niche, but it needs a radical rethink and a commitment to build in quality throughout the design process.
The Defender is iconic and its basic shape should be retained. Suggest widen its wheelbase, radically change rear door design (hinges on top surface with full width door). keep tonka looks but improve materials used to reduce corrosion, make quantum leap in quality (Toyota is the gold standard) but do not lose any of its rugget offroad ability - keep its 3500 kg towing power!!!! One thing - no more bruised elbows please!
I think Land Rover and Autoexpress are messing with us. I thought a new Defender has been on the drawing board for years.
adrenalin pumping 'fight or flight' response!
Having just read the article I feel under attack. Am I overreacting? Probably. But the demise of the defender is unthinkable.
Are we being softened up for a move to India?
There is not question on this - purely not only for civil use in savage no go / no road country and for miltary purposes there should be a Defender.
But it must be now a really modern design under the skin as well and with modern diesel power units and reliable and good transmissions etc!
Up until now both the power units and especially the transmissions have simply not been the best and have been often unreliable compared with others such as the G Wagon and Toyota Land Cruiser etc.
You nonly have to delve into fan magazines to read about this - so get back to the CAD board and work things out again!
Come to think about it the old original 1941 Willys and Ford Jeep that stated all this was really quite a design and not at all bad for a first shot at things to come! Certainly better than any thing GM or Ford could come up with alone!
It would be utter suicide for LR to ditch the Defender as has been mentioned by various people on this page already.
Tata have the scope to redevelop the Defender whilst still being able to keep costs to a minimum.
1: Shift production of the Defender to India
2: A complete redesign incorporating replaceable, cost effective composite plastic bodywork (aka Smart) plus an update of the current vehicles chassis and suspension system.
3: Fit new, efficient and economical diesel engines (forget about petrol) that can be run on Bio-Diesel, and maybe even a Hybrid diesel/electric version in HSE trim only.
4: Most importantly of all, improve reliability and keep the Defender price competitive.
Let's kill off another piece of British Motoring History, let's bury the Landie and leave the lesser Toyota Land cruiser unchallanged as the world off-roading car of choice for all those who need transporting in countries and continents where roads don't exist. If the powers that be think that the 'Defender' is not worth investing in, they are only thinking about finance. The Land Rover is the best 4X4 ever made. In my dream garage, one would sit in the corner never to be replaced, as nothing could replace it. Forget luxury fittings, and safety cells. The Land Rover was chic by being spartan. Run a hose over the inside with vinyl seat covers and rubber mats and you are good to go. For those that need an injection of sense, pick a range of clean diesel engines, update the suspension and gear transfer boxes, Job done! Leave it alone! That, the 2CV6, DS23, the original Mini and Beetle are some of the other cars in my dream garage.
Land Rover cannot axe the production of the defender. They should keep the design as it is and how it pretty much has been since 1947. The major upgrade I think they definately need to do is to re-design the interior so that it is compatible to have airbags. It may lose a bit of interior space but it will be worth it. If they put their heads together and make improvements where they need to, they will be able to continue selling them. (If I could afford one then I would get one, definately after having one off road the other week). Keep it going as I would like to get one in a few years if I am lucky
In all of its history, from the first series to the current defender, nothing else built by any other company has ever come close to doing what these vehicles do. Stop building the freelander instead. The electrics are crap, it claims to be a 4x4 but still needs rescuing in the slightest bit of snow.
Keep building the defender. If you're not selling enough, drop the price.
The Defender has many faults, it's not reliable, not well built and costs a fortune to run and main dealer service can be awful. The latest model is cramped in the cabin and the 'revised' dash isn't nice. BUT, it is a motoring icon, looks superb and is great fun to use. So please LR, eliminate the Defender's faults, give us a decent driving position, reliability and improve further on it's abilities. Keep the drive train simple, improve the wading depth and please keep the looks. Make it simpler and cheaper to build and it will be both a professional and lifestyle choice. If you have to lose a model from the range, make it the Freelander!!
AS A FARMER/FORESTER I LOVE MY SAFARI RIGGED DEFENDER 110 - 2006 AND IF I SHOULD BUY A NEW ONE
MY WISHLIST:
New ALUMINIUM BEARING FRAMESET.
HI BEAM LED LIGHTS
HYBRID TDV6 ENGINE WITH EL KINETIC WHEELS.
- ITS LOTSA SPACE FOR ION BATTERIES IN THIS CAR!!
FULL SAFARI RIG WITH WINCH AND PADDED COW BUMPER.
MY BUDGET IS VOLVO V60 HYBRID 2012 AND KEEPING THE DEF AS A SECOND CAR, ELSWHERE I WAIT FOR A GREEN HYBRID DEFENDER, NO OTHER LR/RR WILL BE CONSIDERED.
Hells bells!! How can there be SO much hot air and ballony written about a fallacious story!! Wont you guys feel stupid, when you finally work out a new Defender is on the way?? Hope so.
Surely all the Defender needs is a new engine to address the fuel cost/pollution and some better quality assurance to improve its reliability reputation? My current "next car" is likely to be a current model Jeep Wrangler (after someone else takes the initial depreciation hit) simply because it seems to address these weaknesses of the Defender while costing much less and offering the same combination of true off road ability & wipe clean practicality which nothing else seems to offer without costing 20k more. Can someone provide a (sensible) explanation for why the Wrangler is rarley considered as the obvious alternative to the Defender (assuming you live near a dealer!)?
I have often wondered why the Land Rover company had never really made the big step to update the Defender model in a big way. Ok they were busy bringing out newer and often more expensive cars, really not much to do with the 'working image' of the original cars. Indeed the only way most people could hope to own a LR badge car was to buy a 'used' one. I have now reached the age where I could buy my dream car, and don't laugh, but it would be one of these babies. The trouble is I don't won't to buy a dirty car, and so I haven't. Create a revolution. Make the Defender greener without going into the expensive car market and you will have customers like me. Trouble is time is passing quickly, depechez vous!!
I think it has been referred to as 'Kamikaze Management' in the past, when the board of a motor manufacturer can't see beyond the nose of the most proboscis endowed director.
The Defender sales may not be as high as the board would prefer but - many RR, Disco and Freelander sales are created on the back of the Land Rover badge. Remove this iconic model from the range at your peril LR because, rest assured, once prospective purchasers can no longer identify with the archetype fourbyfour sales will go to Toyota, Jeep etc.
I fully concur with many of the other correspondents - that the matter of engines, reliability etc. should have been addressed earlier but it is most definitely not too late and this should be the focus for this board now, to bring the proper and only real Land Rover into the 21st century - but please, please keep its original character and appearance.
Sack all the accountants and bring real people onto the board - that's my solution.
What a lot of people are omitting to recognize is that the Defender is not a vehicle for the UK only it has to compete in the world market.
Over the last 20 years I have worked extensively in the Middle East, Asia and Africa and over this period of time the number of new Defenders being seen in these areas has gradually dwindled. Currently I’m based in the Middle East, and the Defender is not even stocked by the main national dealer and can only be obtained by special order and with a waiting time of up to six months.
Besides the old commonwealth countries where the Defender has a foot hold, across the rest of the world the market is carved up by Japanese, Korean, US and increasingly Chinese SUVs and pick-ups
The iconic USP to the leisure enthusiast or farmer in the UK holds little sway in the regions that I have mentioned above. With the need for economies of scales, coverage by dealer and parts networks, and an appeal to a universal customer base TATA is currently struggling to come up with a strategy.
On a world stage the Defender is an expensive vehicle for what it is. Only in its home market and a few far flung corners of the world do people appreciate the value of the product.
I know to some what I am about to say will be heresy, but in order to make the Defender a competitive produce TATA may as one of their options be looking to move production to an area where costs are less, i.e. India. The conundrum for TATA is that in the world market they will be unable to move the price point for a product that does not command a premium price.
Thus a question. By alienating the home market by way of relocating its production somewhere else, could TATA save the Defender?
O’ and by the way, I drive a Defender back in the UK
Clearly this article was just a little publicity stunt to get fans worried. http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/n...
TATA to the Defender, I hope not. This tug does exactly what it was meant to do and really has no peer. Its modular design has evolved to suit a working environment but its butch look also attracts friends of Dorothy that want an alternative to the Wrangler. Those that want a luxury touring tool should look elsewhere. The Fourtrack was immensly popular with farmers and LR benefitted when it was dropped in the UK. None of the pick-ups available are as versatile as a proper Land Rover
The defender is one of, if not the, best car ever produced. They should not drop it, just use a new engine, surely? It's perfect for what it was designed for, it's not meant to be a chelsea tractor, it's a hard working off-road vehicle; simple, and cheap to repair. It's a world icon.
I think it would be pure folly to do away with making the Defender as it is still as popular today as it was years ago....you only have to try and buy a 2nd hand one to see how much they hold their money as they are still in high demand. Personally, I think it would be a big mistake for them. My husband has just bought a ltd edition one and was fully intending to buy another one should they make a new one.
March,25th,2013...The news has been showing endless footage of bad weather in the U.K. ALMOST EVERY report has a piece of film with a Defender in the background,either owned by a utility company or mountain rescue group or some other group that need to rely on a vehicle in extreme conditions.What better advert do you need for nothing? To cease production of this icon would be pandering to the E.U. who would like nothing better than to kill off any remaining traces of British industry and sell us their own brands of Euro-box.The better answer is to do what the rest of Europe does when a directive arrives which they don't like.....Give them a Churchill victory sign and ignore it. Of course,in reality,this doesn't happen .The figures,stats,official data etc.are fiddled to suit.......So there is my answer, carry on selling the Defender wherever you can ,and indeed,promote it.Oh, and perhaps point out that due to the longevity and repairability of the Defender,it is probably far greener than some Eco-box with a life expectancy of six years.If ,after all the E.U. beaurocrats are still not impressed,ask to see a copy of their audited accounts and watch them all run for the hills!!
The defender is not only iconic, it is the last mass production rugged utility vehicle available. What Land Rover have evidently overlooked is the fact that the defender is, and always has been a pure off-roader. While things like the land cruiser have evolved into big ostentatious 4X4s, the defender has always stayed loyal to it's roots as a utility vehicle. Land Rover have already played the "attract new customers seeking a less functional vehicle" card with the Freelander. If the defender goes we will no longer have any vehicles left that are bred purely for their purpose. If Land Rover want to attract this audience, why don't they release this new concept "which frankly looks disgusting" as a new line and keep the defender as it is. What they seem to be forgetting is that the Defender is nothing more than a glorified Series 2 or 3 in it's design, they have begun to see it as another 'product line' categorising it with the Freelander and Discovery, both of which are just another fake 4X4, the defender really is Land Rover's lifeline, and by getting rid if it they may shoot themselves in the foot, or even clean between the eyes.Besides, what would they tell the army, police, utility companies, farmers etc.?
So get a Freelander or Discovery, Land Rover have already released more than enough vehicles that have those things without ruining their iconic classic design as well.