2020 Defender

jymmiejamz

Well-known member
Dec 5, 2004
6,008
361
35
Los Angeles, Ca
2020-land-rover-defender-spy-photos.jpg

I thought the other images that we have seen of the suspension showed steel components instead of the aluminum ones like the RRS/RR/D5 have. I'll have to look at another car tomorrow, but those axles look more like Evoque/Disco Sport shafts. The Range Rover ones are huge and those look pretty small.
 

Howski

Well-known member
Oct 19, 2009
1,483
209
Alabama
Probably as good as a coil sprung D3/4. I can’t see how it could fully replicate the cross axle articulation with loss of air springs. Still don’t know why people do it on D3/4 but that’s another argument...
 

kennith

Well-known member
Apr 22, 2004
10,891
172
North Carolina
Slovakia paint booth leak

64326708_904327316578918_559345576856140372_n.jpg

Shit, they may actually have left room for a nearly full-size bar. Check out those panel gaps. A lot of that looks like it could be removed, if they were able to leave enough room in there. Remove the grille, that panel under the headlamps, that under-grille fascia, and the black corner pieces, and there's potential. It's not like the other models with the gap halfwhay up the wheel arch.

What I see there aesthetically is fine. The Defender could never truly look like the old one again. It simply would not sell as a tin can.

Cheers,

Kennith
 

kennith

Well-known member
Apr 22, 2004
10,891
172
North Carolina
Specs leaked

I don't understand some of those charts. They appear to be advance intel for market prep, but damned if they didn't find a confusing way to arrange it.

So, the 90 is really a 100. Fine by me. I prefer a 100" wheelbase, depending upon track; it's an outstanding sweet spot for everything. Moving to the 110 (which appears to be a 120) model could give a damned decent amount of cargo space without making you feel like you're dragging the rear wheels around everywhere.

Given the proportions, the 130 may end up being a "Land Rover Flex".... But without that feeling that the rear end is going to pass you on the inside of a parking lot corner. The Flex is a great vehicle, but damned if it doesn't feel like driving a bus. Again, that's not a big deal. Make a big one for families, so they'll leave the fun stuff alone. Why not give it a shot? They'll still have a platform long enough to build a pickup if they want, and I really want them to.

Even so... The numbers don't add up. The 130 is listed at the same wheelbase as the 110, but the profile image clearly shows it stretched. The body is listed as 10" longer, but that isn't at all illustrated. Indeed, they're a bit ambiguous around those rear wheels.

So, if the numbers are to be believed, the 110 is "like" a D1, and the 130 is the DII ghetto booty. If the pictures are to be believed, the 130 has a wheelbase between 135" and 140". That comes down to all that testing they did and the platform design. Land Rover doesn't fuck up handling, so they'll have made a good decision there.

Three wheelbases is fucking ambitious for that company nowadays. They clearly mean to push the Defender brand, and with the previous announcement of the Defender Sport being released in a few years... That may well genuinely be a 90 and priced for fun.

The question is, will the US get all the platforms. I sure hope so. This is looking more and more like a great around town cruiser, hauler, tower, and wheeler.

It may not be "Sahara ready", but neither is a fucking Wrangler, Tacoma, or 4Runner.

Cheers,

Kennith
 

kennith

Well-known member
Apr 22, 2004
10,891
172
North Carolina
Trail rated or mall rated? That is what we are all waiting to be answered?

Not really...

I think the issues are pretty much related to personalization, longer term concerns, actual utility, and annoyances. Essentially, every factor aside from performance.

After all, nobody can say a modern Land Rover isn't an amazing machine off-pavement and actually mean it. This time it's sized to requirements, and has better angles and maneuverability. That much is almost certain. They'd have to deliberately and in a premeditated manner murder the design in order to fuck that up.

The vehicles we drive would not be able to compete with this thing in stock form if Land Rover throws their full book at it. It wouldn't even be a contest; it would be a slaughter.

There's more to it, though. And the Defender specifically is much, much more than that.

Cheers,

Kennith
 

Lake_Bueller

Well-known member
Aug 11, 2004
2,105
59
56
Beloit, WI
I'm liking the dimensions of the 90 and 110 (especially the latter). I'm still driving my D2 as a daily driver. It's definitely long in the tooth. And there isn't a day that I don't miss the slightly small DI. It was just an overall better vehicle (IMHO).

The Jeep Gladiator Rubicon looks great. But with a price tag climbing close to $75K, it's silly priced. I don't see the value compared to the "fit & finish".

I'm cautiously optimistic that the Defender will fall in a price point between the Discovery Sport & D5. That would mean $45k-$55k.
 

kennith

Well-known member
Apr 22, 2004
10,891
172
North Carolina
I'm liking the dimensions of the 90 and 110 (especially the latter). I'm still driving my D2 as a daily driver. It's definitely long in the tooth. And there isn't a day that I don't miss the slightly small DI. It was just an overall better vehicle (IMHO).

The Jeep Gladiator Rubicon looks great. But with a price tag climbing close to $75K, it's silly priced. I don't see the value compared to the "fit & finish".

I'm cautiously optimistic that the Defender will fall in a price point between the Discovery Sport & D5. That would mean $45k-$55k.

The Gladiator is just plain going to be so common and driven by so many obnoxious idiots that it'll be damned near impossible to take seriously.

Every one that's been on a lot around here has been fitted with flashy 22" wheels and an after-market lift to attract the appropriate "salt life" enthusiasts, who will probably lower the rear and jack up the front to get that "squat" (that should be illegal) they like so much. The last one I saw tipped well over $60,000.

Add to that the fact that not a hundred feet away from that expensive truck were two damned Lincoln Continentals; both significantly cheaper, and one nearly $20,000 less. That fucking Jeep isn't that expensive to make, and they'll run you up the model line getting the options you want.

So, on one lot, there is a car that's too cheap for what it is, and a truck that's too expensive for what it is...

I didn't go in, so I don't know if they were just jacking the price because it's new. I just looked at the number because I'm not familiar with all the options. Even so, they should be topping out at $55,000, and available around $38,000.

Cheers,

Kennith
 

kennith

Well-known member
Apr 22, 2004
10,891
172
North Carolina
The Gladiator is just plain going to be so common and driven by so many obnoxious idiots that it'll be damned near impossible to take seriously.

Every one that's been on a lot around here has been fitted with flashy 22" wheels and an after-market lift to attract the appropriate "salt life" enthusiasts, who will probably lower the rear and jack up the front to get that "squat" (that should be illegal) they like so much. The last one I saw tipped well over $60,000.

Add to that the fact that not a hundred feet away from that expensive truck were two damned Lincoln Continentals; both significantly cheaper, and one nearly $20,000 less. That fucking Jeep isn't that expensive to make, and they'll run you up the model line getting the options you want.

So, on one lot, there is a car that's too cheap for what it is, and a truck that's too expensive for what it is...

I didn't go in, so I don't know if they were just jacking the price because it's new. I just looked at the number because I'm not familiar with all the options. Even so, they should be topping out at $55,000, and available around $38,000.

Cheers,

Kennith

I'll test drive one, though, just to see if the new platform is better than the old one, though it would be nice to see a stock vehicle for a change.

It's going to be a bit like a bus, and there's no way around it, but it might be a bit more stable. I don't know what they changed. The interior is nicer, anyway.

The possibility of a Defender pickup is looking a bit more interesting now, as it's been mentioned here and there. Of course, that's the one we probably won't get, and it'll be a few years before it can happen; probably launched alongside the Defender Sport if it's launched at all.

Maybe the Gladiator will just be too expensive for the normal market. If so, it could remain an oddity; or at least not be as annoying, common, and "tribal" as what's on the road now in regard to Jeeps.

Obviously the new Defender is nothing like the old one, and filled with personal annoyances, but I do think it looks quite nice, if that photo in the paint booth is of a production-ready vehicle. Honestly, though... It looks a bit too clean to be production. Something that looks like that would normally be a concept car, and I find that firewall a bit on the "perfect" side to be believable.

Maybe it's just a big plastic cover, but the thing is body color. Then again, there's that odd black stripe; making me wonder if the hood going on that one is black, as well. I would imagine that would be covered by pillar trim, but it's odd. I don't see how that would be any easier than just not painting the stripe, as I find it difficult to believe the mirrors are sprayed after installation.

So, why the stripe on the A pillars; especially if it's going to be covered? Is it just easier for them that way? I don't know what the new facilities are like.

That's certainly optional paint, but I never stopped to to wonder (until now) if those satin jobs are sprayed by hand, which would make that stripe absolutely deliberate.

Cheers,

Kennith
 

ERover82

Well-known member
Nov 26, 2011
3,899
450
Darien Gap
I hope that paint booth photo is just an old concept run, because it's fucking stupid looking and will further inflate values of classic Defenders, of which I'm in the market for.
 

kennith

Well-known member
Apr 22, 2004
10,891
172
North Carolina
I hope that paint booth photo is just an old concept run, because it's fucking stupid looking and will further inflate values of classic Defenders, of which I'm in the market for.

That thing honestly doesn't look ready. If anything, it may be a test bed for the electric-only unit, which may have some different styling touches.

It just looks a bit too unreasonable for a production line, but then again... Manufacturers are figuring out new stuff all the time.

I actually like the styling, but then again, I'm no longer looking at it as a "Defender". I'm just considering it as a modern SUV.

Cheers,

Kennith
 

fishEH

Well-known member
Jan 26, 2009
6,927
201
Lake Villa, IL
The Gladiator is a LOCK to hold its value. The new Defender.... doesn't have good odds, especially considering the "it's not that bad" reaction its gotten.

I'm liking the dimensions of the 90 and 110 (especially the latter). I'm still driving my D2 as a daily driver. It's definitely long in the tooth. And there isn't a day that I don't miss the slightly small DI. It was just an overall better vehicle (IMHO).

The Jeep Gladiator Rubicon looks great. But with a price tag climbing close to $75K, it's silly priced. I don't see the value compared to the "fit & finish".

I'm cautiously optimistic that the Defender will fall in a price point between the Discovery Sport & D5. That would mean $45k-$55k.