New Defender

jymmiejamz

Well-known member
Dec 5, 2004
6,008
361
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Los Angeles, Ca
The people that I know that have seen prototypes of the new Defender said it is very recognisable as a Defender. The most noticeable difference being the slanted windscreen.
 

ccollins

Well-known member
Jan 21, 2008
351
1
Well after seeing the new discovery I guess that is good news, is there any word about bringing the pickup version to North America?
 

kennith

Well-known member
Apr 22, 2004
10,891
172
North Carolina
All that article says is that it's partially aluminum (wooooooow... because that's new for the manufacturer) and it looks different than anything else in the range. Useless; and this sentence along is enough to flush that writer down the toilet:

"While owners loved the archaic, boxy body, which oozed utilitarian brawn, the march of time rendered it obsolete in the eyes of regulators."

Really? People only bought them because they were square? "Regulators" are soooo over squares these days?

Cheers,

Kennith
 

mgreenspan

Well-known member
Feb 28, 2005
4,723
130
Briggs's Back Yard
The people that I know that have seen prototypes of the new Defender said it is very recognisable as a Defender. The most noticeable difference being the slanted windscreen.

Recognizable as a Defender can mean it has a white roof and horizontal grill. It'll be an overpriced piece of auto garbage.
 

mgreenspan

Well-known member
Feb 28, 2005
4,723
130
Briggs's Back Yard
I don't know jimmie. I think the FJ isn't too bad having spent some time in one. There are certainly things I would have done differently like the back quarter windows, but overall they nailed it since those sell like hotcakes and hold their value very well. The trouble with the Rover is its coming to the game a day late and a dollar too much.
 

jymmiejamz

Well-known member
Dec 5, 2004
6,008
361
35
Los Angeles, Ca
I don't know jimmie. I think the FJ isn't too bad having spent some time in one. There are certainly things I would have done differently like the back quarter windows, but overall they nailed it since those sell like hotcakes and hold their value very well. The trouble with the Rover is its coming to the game a day late and a dollar too much.

Have you ever looked at an FJ cruiser? Its like the SUV version of the Ford Thunderbird. The fact that something sells like hotcakes means nothing to mean since the majority of things are made for people who don't give a shit about that thing. If this wasn't the case, there would be no Nickelback.
 

MM3846

Well-known member
Feb 18, 2014
1,221
161
LI, NY
Yea, the FJ is a little quirky but it still a body-on-frame, solid rear axle truck that was available with a manual trans, rear selectable locker, front ELSD and other actual off road options.
 

mgreenspan

Well-known member
Feb 28, 2005
4,723
130
Briggs's Back Yard
Let me rephrase that. I didn't mean to impy that sales equals success. They kept most of the features of an offroad vehicle like mentioned above but made a modern design that paid homage to the original FJ serie(ses). It looks a bit weird from certain angles but at least they built something that a lot of people like and want over loaded with unnecessary tech that drives the price up and is useless.

These new defenders won't be able to hold their own on real trails. It's going to suck.
 

jim-00-4.6

Well-known member
Sep 30, 2005
2,037
6
61
Genesee, CO USA
land-rover-dc100-and-dc100-sport-ready-for-los-angeles-photo-gallery_3-610x407.jpg

Defender: $60,000?
3-2015-jeep-renegade-models.jpg

Renegade: $25,000

Look pretty much the same.
 

Howski

Well-known member
Oct 19, 2009
1,483
209
Alabama
Except the Renegade has the underpinnings of a Fiat Panda. I'll be shocked if the new Defender is anything other than an IRS/IFS 'boxy' version of the new Disco complete with electronic gizmos. I'd almost consider the rendering above and others like it a best case scenario
 

stu454

Well-known member
Dec 15, 2004
5,407
61
Atlanta, GA
Maybe we'll be pleasantly surprised. (I was just channeling my mother's positive nature. It will probably suck.)
 

Tugela

Well-known member
May 21, 2007
4,754
562
Seattle
The DC100 (Defender Concept) pictured above received enough negative feedback when introduced that LR designers, in subsequent interviews published in the auto press, said that the production model was not going to look anything like it. When every new update/model comes out a certain segment of the fan base dislikes it by default. Remember in 1984 putting coil springs on the 90/110 was considered a step too far.

I am withholding judgment until I see the new Defender in person and drive it. If it can do the same things for which I use my D1 and comes with an Ingenium diesel then I will consider buying one. Most of the people commenting on the new Defender - including those here - will never actually buy one. Or at least not until prices of used models reach cheapfuck territory. Only on rare occasion do I drive my Rover like I'm competing in the Camel Trophy so I don't use most of its capabilities most of the time. When I do, I end up damaging it. So if the new Defender can get me up and down the trails I like to drive, is more reliable than my GEMS and Lucas trucks, is field serviceable, can carry all the crap I bring, and looks halfway decent, then it meets my personal criteria for what I need out of a truck. Everyone is going to have their own criteria based on their needs and wants.

I have so far hesitated to embrace the adoption of newer technology. I like to be able to fix stuff myself. But I think that this can still be done with the newer vehicles to some extent. You need fancier tools and more expensive parts, but you can learn to do it. Having to remove the body for certain jobs to access the engine in the 5.0 RRS? Things like that are ridiculous.
 

MM3846

Well-known member
Feb 18, 2014
1,221
161
LI, NY
I'm in the market for a new truck in 2-3 years at the longest. If it's under $50k and I can get a diesel quad cab pickup sign me up. I am too, also hesitant about new tech, in any car. But I can't see myself toting around kids in a 20+ year old daily driver... even if it is as reliable as can be.