2020 Defender

kennith

Well-known member
Apr 22, 2004
10,891
172
North Carolina
Reportedly a mockup.


It doesn't exactly look production ready, so I suspect it is.

That said, it's clearly a departure from the rest of the line. That's a much more "Defender" interior than I expected. That also looks like a 3/4 bench seat.

As for the shifter on the dash, it does make room elsewhere. I don't really like column shifters, but I understand why they exist. Slapping it on the dash... I'm not sure if that's better or not. I do know there was some Honda Civic that had one stuck on the dash that was a MASSIVE mistake. It looked like a fucking hard dick sticking out waiting to be grabbed.

As long as it doesn't look like that, I'm fine. If it's dash-mounted, that means they've used the space for something else. What that something it remains to be seen. Honestly, mock up or not, if that's the direction they are going, it could be a lot worse. That's definitely more LR3 than Discovery 5.

Cheers,

Kennith
 

mgreenspan

Well-known member
Feb 28, 2005
4,723
130
Briggs's Back Yard
The 2020 Acadia off-road trim looks good for one of these modern fake tough vehicles. It is just AWD and is no different than the regular street versions of any cross over. I doubt the Defender looks as “tough” as this and this is pretty weak.
 

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ERover82

Well-known member
Nov 26, 2011
3,899
450
Darien Gap
The gentleman driving the new Defender in the off-road photos is Fred Monsees of CT 1990 USSR Team USA, who also happens to be a family friend. He confirmed it was disguised in up to 5" of cladding and no photos of the interior were permitted.
 
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mgreenspan

Well-known member
Feb 28, 2005
4,723
130
Briggs's Back Yard
Is he late 50s-60 years old and what did he have to say about it? I'm guessing the interior was nice and it drove nice. All things that I expect of a new car. Did he get any look at what's underneath the cladding?
 

ERover82

Well-known member
Nov 26, 2011
3,899
450
Darien Gap
Yes, he builds courses and other work for LR now. Did the job and got out. You’ll understand he couldn’t say much more.
 

K-rover

Well-known member
Jan 15, 2010
2,163
62
Raleigh, NC
Here is an interesting take on it.. Andrew St Pierre white has been overlanding all over the world well before overlanding was even a thing. He makes some really good videos.

 
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ukoffroad

Well-known member
Jan 13, 2010
2,125
168
Lynchburg, Va
I saw that video earlier today, and he makes a compelling argument that the mules we are seeing are LR4s and maybe just there to distract us.
 

fishEH

Well-known member
Jan 26, 2009
6,927
201
Lake Villa, IL
Clever. Build up the disappointment so the real thing comes across incredible by comparison. More marketing genius by Land Rover.
I saw that video earlier today, and he makes a compelling argument that the mules we are seeing are LR4s and maybe just there to distract us.
 

XCELLER8

Well-known member
Sep 21, 2009
249
12
his vid makes a lot of sense....throw on a hood with a raised center portion, square up the rear end a little...and who knows
 

Blueboy

Well-known member
Apr 20, 2004
3,205
459
Back in the USA; Rockwood, PA
His points are valid for earlier LR owners. Not so sure the majority of current buyers care about being able to change out springs and owner performed maintenance.

If all LR is testing relates to chassis, suspension, interior layout, etc. the body mule doesn’t really matter.

Time will tell what is the final product. Having owned a NAS D90 and a 110 while in Brasil, I am more partial to my RRC and D1 anyhow.
 

kennith

Well-known member
Apr 22, 2004
10,891
172
North Carolina
Clever. Build up the disappointment so the real thing comes across incredible by comparison. More marketing genius by Land Rover.

They aren't that fucking smart, unless Tata is behind it or they finally contracted someone worth a shit. Even if that was the case, it's still foolish to make people wait this long. They're losing buyers to other manufacturers. Maybe they're timing the launch with the Bronco, but again... They aren't that smart.

Hell, I'd have partnered with another manufacturer for this; perhaps even Ford, to use the Bronco platform.

The one thing they've never had right is marketing. It's their biggest failing. I've seen a short two-door in pictures, and the four-door. I'm still betting on tons of cladding hiding the true shape. That said, they were willing to chop a Range Rover, so maybe they chopped an LR4.

That doesn't explain Erover's friend, though. I'm sure he'd know the difference between an LR4 and a new model, regardless of interior. He also confirmed my own very early suspicions about the cladding. So, the fact that we agree, and have never met, and one of us has actually driven the thing... That's too much for coincidence, in my opinion.

People don't generally lie when an NDA is in the way. They simply dodge the questions; and anyone with that much travel experience is unlikely to falsify information; he should be an expert in beating around the bush. No pun intended.

Cheers,

Kennith
 

kennith

Well-known member
Apr 22, 2004
10,891
172
North Carolina
The late 80’s ad campaign for the Range Rover was pretty nice imho.

I’ve framed the majority of them.

If it was any good, people would have known that Range Rovers were built by Land Rover.

That may be a pretty picture, but it is an absolute marketing failure.

The difference between marketing and advertising is gigantic. Their first and biggest mistake was calling anything "Range Rover".

They may as well be Toyota and Lexus now, because they're making the same mistake all over again.

Cheers,

Kennith