New Defender

[Bonefish Blues]

I saw my first one today
It was on the forecourt of Guy Salmon - Wakefield (A61 Barnsley Road) in Sandal

A big beastie, but far too flash

Doubtless it will sell as a lifestyle vehicle, but unless more basic versions will come later, with a partial 'ladder' chassis, LR seem to be kissing goodbye to traditional customers

This one was on 20" wheels, but at least they have a better sidewall than the usual 'rubber-bands' fitted to Range Rovers
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OP response shocker!

Almost inconceivable that they will seek to go back into the original Landy market - they've simply abandoned it for the much higher-margin lifestyle market, leaving others to move in - primarily the producers of pickup-type vehicles, I think.

 

[Gunk]

Do some people really read a JD Power survey to see how reliable a hire car is? I couldn’t give a shite what car I end up with, it’s only usually for a week, and these days nearly all cars are pretty good.

 

[dodgy]

Do some people really read a JD Power survey to see how reliable a hire car is? I couldn’t give a shite what car I end up with, it’s only usually for a week, and these days nearly all cars are pretty good.

Depends how far you're going, especially how far from home you'll be. If I was hiring a van for local use i wouldn't give a 'shite', but if I'm driving 900 miles to the French alps, you bet I'll take reliability into account.

 

[fossyant]

You seem a really nice bloke, I'm not taking the piss honestly.


But I couldn't in all good conscience take a massive SUV onto the roads, there's enough of them already and they're a blight on our roads (in my, and probably many other's opinion). It would make me a massive hypocrite, I don't have many nice things to say about these over-sized vehicles which usually contain just one person. Morzine and Sameons is/are beautiful, they wouldn't' look any more beautiful with a massive panzerwagon parked on their pretty and quiet streets.

You are right. My saloon car can transport 4 blokes and bikes in comfort over many miles. MrsF has a crossover, its about the same size as my car and newer, but shoot for bike transport due to height.

A forum member is the same, the family car is a saloon, carries 4 bikes, but he has an old landy that he uses not often, but when he does it's real off road - not what you'd do with the new frilly pants Defender... pukka trials stuff.

I don't get rolling around in a massive panzer when it never is used as it may be intended.

 

[cougie uk]

Do some people really read a JD Power survey to see how reliable a hire car is? I couldn’t give a shite what car I end up with, it’s only usually for a week, and these days nearly all cars are pretty good.

Not for a hire car as they're often not guaranteed - but before buying ? You bet I do.

 

[GilesM]

You are right. My saloon car can transport 4 blokes and bikes in comfort over many miles. MrsF has a crossover, its about the same size as my car and newer, but shoot for bike transport due to height.

I haven't had more than two people and two bikes in a car since I stopped racing in 1988, so the bikes always go in the back, not on the roof.

A forum member is the same, the family car is a saloon, carries 4 bikes, but he has an old landy that he uses not often, but when he does it's real off road - not what you'd do with the new frilly pants Defender... pukka trials stuff.

I don't get rolling around in a massive panzer when it never is used as it may be intended.

Why not, I hope I get round to doing some proper stuff in it, I will post pictures when I do, the difference with the new defender is it does all of the rough stuff that the old one could, probably a bit better with a few extra bits of tech to help the not so talented like me, the doors seal properly so that deeper water doesn't come in to the cabin, and when it's being used as a normal car it's really nice to drive on all roads, especially at higher speeds for long distances, not something you could say about the original.

 

[fossyant]

I haven't had more than two people and two bikes in a car since I stopped racing in 1988, so the bikes always go in the back, not on the roof.



Why not, I hope I get round to doing some proper stuff in it, I will post pictures when I do, the difference with the new defender is it does all of the rough stuff that the old one could, probably a bit better with a few extra bits of tech to help the not so talented like me, the doors seal properly so that deeper water doesn't come in to the cabin, and when it's being used as a normal car it's really nice to drive on all roads, especially at higher speeds for long distances, not something you could say about the original.

Just be careful you don't rip off the plastic bits, could be expensive, or scratch it - if leased be very careful.

 

[GilesM]

Just be careful you don't rip off the plastic bits, could be expensive, or scratch it - if leased be very careful.

It won't be leased, and all my cars end up with battle scars, most serious was crashing my Lotus on track, significant repairs required. They are bought to be used.

 

[Richard A Thackeray]

This L322 copes very well here (New South Wales)
On road tyres too, it states

TDV8, what a motor!!

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=10wpwcBvnIY

 

[fossyant]

This L322 copes very well here (New South Wales)
On road tyres too, it states

TDV8, what a motor!!

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=10wpwcBvnIY

Tell you what, my MTB is many times faster than that lot. Are you sure these 'car' things will catch on ?

 

[cougie uk]

This L322 copes very well here (New South Wales)
On road tyres too, it states

TDV8, what a motor!!

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=10wpwcBvnIY

Strange hobby. Going out to beautiful places and destroying them with huge tyres.

 

[Cletus Van Damme]

yuk

 

[MrGrumpy]

As a Discovery 4 owner , the new Defender doesn’t do it for me , the old ones are $$$$$ now and my local Indie does conversions and sells these on. You would never take the new Defender off road it’s far too posh . The new Disco 5 is another horror, as well. Different clientele now in that market.

My Disco is 9 1/2 yrs old now, Greta wouldn’t approve but when I bought it , it was a do it all car. 7 seats which allowed us all to go on holiday ( large family ) in one car. 5yrs on and I could probably down size a bit . My boys are up but nothing really out there that can replace it.
Decision will be probably be made next year on the caravan and if I do sell that on then I will be in the market for something else, maybe a bit more eco so Greta and her pals stop sticking pins in their voodoo dolls as I keep getting this stabbing pain

 

[Illaveago]

I liked the old Top Gear programme where they tested 3 4x4 vehicles in South America and discovered that the most reliable vehicle was the most unreliable one !
It is a shame that they have stopped producing the old work horse. It also seems strange now to see a lot more of the old Land Rovers appearing on TV programmes in remote areas .

 

[gbb]

Obviously it would be a bit dumb to rent or buy a car you didn't actually like or want to drive, but until you've tried one, don't knock the on road driving fun, I fully appreciate that they are not to everyone's taste, but if the only reason you wouldn't have one is for fear of breaking down then a rental is the way to sample one, any problems and it's the rental company's problem.

I drove mid 1970s LRs a lot, proper use of the vehicles, off road, etc etc. As said, we did break them sometimes but the one thing they were was immense fun. Sit high, powerful but not performance, rugged, etc etc. Its a marmite thing, you either get it...or you don't.