RBBailey said:
I would think LR would do well with the segment it has, but to allow for the Defender to imported with the Tdi, and for a segment to be dedicated to the off-road-out-of-the-box concepts.
I really think that not a lot needs to change at LR, but that they need to realize that their base is no longer going to be thier base when this current line-up of vehicles reaches the used market for people who buy nothing buy LR and off-road in nothing but LR. I mean, how many of us here actually drive new LR's? At the most we either buy used Discos from the dealer, or our second vehicle for the soccer mom is a new one. That is the direction LR is continuing to go, which by definition, really has no future!
Why is it that Jeep is doing so well keeping the same body in the Wrangler that they have had for decades? Because it works!
There is a difference. The wrangler is much cheaper than the Defender. So, the defender needs to be cheaper to compete. In order for that to happen, two other things need to happen.
First, the production needs to be streamlined a bit, but they were planning on that anyway. They can still keep the off road character of the vehicle, but production really does need to be re-evaluated.
Second, they need to sell more normal vehicles to justify re-entering a niche market.
They are at a point where they have to make a choice. Sell out, or throw down the gauntlet.
Here is how I would do it:
Market the vehicles as I said in the last post. They really need good marketing at the moment. Get the advertisements in magazines people actually READ, and the newspapers. It wouldn't hurt to pay a few guys to drive Rovers around and advertise in local papers, as well as showing up at various public functions with a booth and a test course. Advertise on television on a variety of channels, and maby a few infomercials. That's lots of airtime for less money, and people do watch them. Test the vehicles against the competition on film. Piss off the other guy, this generates publicity. Free publicity.
Use the interweb. Host video contests to win cars, whatever interweb people like. People look at this damn thing. I'm typing on it right now.
Develope a sedan and wagon based on the former Freelander platform, and a shrunken Range Rover platform. These are both great frames in many ways, and would survive the translation well. Jump straight for Subaru's throat from the getgo, and market directly to the safety conscious driver and the performance crowd with the freelander based cars, go after the higher end Japanese sector. Target Audi, BMW and Mercedes with the Range Rover based cars. If you can build a luxurious SUV, you can build a luxurious car. Since Rover doesn't know how to build a car, hire someone who does.
Flat out buy hybrid technology from another manufacturer, if there is a parent company, it will probably be available for little cost beyond integration. This will give the company a greener image, which looks like it will be en vogue for a while. Make sure all the vehicles in the lineup are at least competitive on the emissions side of things.
These things will allow the company to pay for the Defender.
The Defender is the odd man out. Remember when the Range Rover was treated as a seperate brand? That's what needs to happen. Focus primarily on industrial customers and advertising, fleet vehicles, and the off road segment. Offer an off the shelf diesel motor that has the balls to compete in the markets where it will be sold. Get it from the parts bin of another company if you have to. Make sure everyone knows you are building the toughest work truck out there. Voluntarily pit it up against the competition regularly, make a big fuss over it, piss off the other guy, like I said before.
This will neccessitate a re-design of the defender. It's being re-designed anyway. Leaf springs in the rear, with vestigal coil perches for an off road package that can be added upon ordering. a beefed up frame, possibly hydroformed will be in order. The defender would be offered in 130" pickup configurations with a tilt bed, 110" configurations as a double cab extended bed, or a single cab extended bed, and 90 inch as a coil sprung wrangler/hummer competitor. The frame can be manufactured in three pieces, like trucks, with various center sections being installed to produce the various wheelbases. It will also need to be a few inches wider. Same car, simply produced more effeciently, with more off the shelf parts, and bigger and badder.
Pair up with dealers across the country initially, to get the vehicles in as many towns as possible. This is where a parent company helps.
If the british unions bitch, build them in America.
Oh, yeah. Here is the best way in the world for Land Rover to gain publicity. You won't like it... So stop reading if you are sensitive.
If Porsche can build an SUV, than Land Rover can build a sports car.
opcorn:
Cheers,
Kennith
