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Carter Simcoe (Carter)
| | Posted on Sunday, December 08, 2002 - 12:19 pm: | 
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Do they really need more proof that there is still a market for the defender over here???????
http://www.crosslander4x4.com/
They actually have a dealer listed in Little Rock, I'm gonna go by next time I get a chance and see if they have any trucks on the lot yet. |
Alan Yim (Alan)
| | Posted on Sunday, December 08, 2002 - 12:37 pm: |
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That thing looks pretty nice! |
Carter Simcoe (Carter)
| | Posted on Sunday, December 08, 2002 - 01:02 pm: |
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yeah but you've got to wonder why they only give it a 3 year/ 36,000 mile warranty. Still if they actually succeed at selling them under $20,000 it might not be all that bad, definitly better looking than an Exploder or 4runner. |
Max Thomason (Lrmax)
| | Posted on Sunday, December 08, 2002 - 01:07 pm: |
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That rig kinda looks like an older toyota Land Cruiser. I'd be very suprised if they sell that for under 20,000.
Still, it would be something different. I don't know if its good or bad....yet
Max T. |
Carter Simcoe (Carter)
| | Posted on Sunday, December 08, 2002 - 01:14 pm: |
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yeah I will be kind of surprised if it gets out for under 20K to, though it is a pretty small truck actually their pics just make it look big, still when you look at how much used defenders go for these days I think the market is just to good and they will get greedy when they realize how much people will pay to look cool. I just hope it does well and provides Bill Ford with a well deserved bitch-slap that makes him realize the Defender needs to come back.
Oh, heres a link that skips that intro stuff: http://www.crosslander4x4.com/toc/ |
Pugsly (Pugsly)
| | Posted on Sunday, December 08, 2002 - 01:36 pm: |
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It will be interesting to see if they are able to overcome all the regulatory hurdles to bring this vehicle into the US.
It is made in Manaos, Brazil, and is based on a Romanian vehicle that is in turn based on the old Soviet GAZ 69. ARO S.A., in Romania, is supplying component kits that are integrated with locally sourced components, an International diesel engine, and an Eaton transmission, in Brazil.
Interestingly, the owner of Cross Lander is also the second largest shareholder of KIA Motors Brazil.
The Cross Lander is slated to be sold by Lacaro Auto Distributors in the US.
It will probably be a pretty neat little vehicle, but I have to admit that I will be pretty surprised if it meets all of the US safety standards and they can bring it to market here. |
Rupert J (Tehamarx)
| | Posted on Sunday, December 08, 2002 - 02:02 pm: |
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Sure it's not a Yugo SUV???  hehehe |
Matt La Frenz (Doc175)
| | Posted on Sunday, December 08, 2002 - 02:38 pm: |
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The web site says there is a dealer here in Savannah, GA. I will check it out and give my $00.02 |
GregH
| | Posted on Sunday, December 08, 2002 - 02:48 pm: |
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No dealers in California (not surprising). It looks like the front might be IFS with coil springs from the pics (too bad). I wonder if the rear is leafs or coils. Anyone who goes to see it let us know.
Anyways, I'm in favor of anything that pushes LR to bring defender back (not emasculated either)! |
Carter Simcoe (Carter)
| | Posted on Sunday, December 08, 2002 - 02:51 pm: |
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I looked at some of those videos on the site and there are definitly leafs in the rear and the front looks to be IFS with coils |
Al Oliveira (Offroaddisco)
| | Posted on Sunday, December 08, 2002 - 04:02 pm: |
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Yes... I posted about these a few months ago here. I got some information on them. Looks like they're targeting the off road and agricultural market here in the US. This is the second attempt at bringing these stateside. The diesel engine sounds very nice but they're offering it with leaf sprung rear and IFS up front. Disk brakes up front with drums in the rear. But that said it sounds like a better SUV than 90% of what we're getting in the US these days and at $20k it's going to be a bargain. I don't remember anything about the axles or if I was able to get any information. I think it's a PT 4wd but I don't remember for sure. |
GregH
| | Posted on Sunday, December 08, 2002 - 04:37 pm: |
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It appears the front has locking hubs so PT 4wd. |
Snowman
| | Posted on Sunday, December 08, 2002 - 05:08 pm: |
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Soviet and Romanian heritage scares me a bit, well actually it scare me alot! But I sure like the looks of it over what GM and others offer us. If Kia is involved I bet it will land in the under 25k area after all the intial fanfare. I am not a big Kia fan but you get what you pay for. I just hope it does not go the way of the Miata, anyone remember what people were paying for those? |
Max Thomason (Lrmax)
| | Posted on Sunday, December 08, 2002 - 06:41 pm: |
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I like kinda like the snorkel and how it molds to the roof. Of course, if its got lockers out da ying yang, then I wouldn't mind it .
The Soviet influence does concern me a bit, but hey, now bad guys in action movies can drive something more colorful, like this rig . Then we can blow it up .
Of course, it will have to past.....THE TEST!!!!!! Then we will find out if its a Yugo SUV. Bluegill, I'll let you try to jump the old bridge with it.
Max T.
What that test is, I don't know |
Carter Simcoe (Carter)
| | Posted on Sunday, December 08, 2002 - 06:54 pm: |
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I highly doubt it will be a very capable truck especially given the IFS and part time 4x4 system, It is probably going to be in the same "capability-league" as the Xterra (although the diesel engine would be nice). I am just hoping that if it does get sold over here its rugged looks will appeal to enough poseurs (hmmmmmm, could my first comparison fit here as well???? ) that someone decides they should bring the real-deal back. |
Ron
| | Posted on Sunday, December 08, 2002 - 07:10 pm: |
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The diesel is a version of the 300TDi.
I wonder if the one in hampton is up and running. I wonder what trade price on a diesel complete engine is? |
Al Oliveira (Offroaddisco)
| | Posted on Monday, December 09, 2002 - 12:13 pm: |
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From some of the stuff I read on some Brazilian message boards it's not too bad off road. But then again my Portuguese is VERY rusty. From what I've been able to gather it is like an Xterra but with more rugged components and much better angles and shorter wheel base. The wheel base is about that of the D90 (I think). So it's not a replacement for a solid full floating axle with four coils on each corner but then it also costs much less. I'm glad it's here in the US and I hope they sell lots of them.
As for the 300TDi engine comment from Ron I thought this engine in the Crosslander was an International. |
Pugsly (Pugsly)
| | Posted on Monday, December 09, 2002 - 12:55 pm: |
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Al - International supplies the 300TDi to Land Rover.
They have a plant in Brazil that I imagine they will be using to build the engine for the Cross Lander. |
Al Oliveira (Offroaddisco)
| | Posted on Monday, December 09, 2002 - 01:19 pm: |
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ah... good to know. |
Jason Johnson (Discomojo)
| | Posted on Saturday, December 14, 2002 - 01:21 pm: |
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Interesting update. Got word from the Crosslander dealer in Hampton VA today- surprisingly enough it is a Mercedes dealer (think poor man's Gwagon). He said that the Crosslanders are due into the country in February in their initial 244 model. They will only be available in manuals at the present time. Here's the kicker- they are still committing to under $20k. Now this is what I've noticed in Dweb about this vehicle- a lot of unecessary flaming. It would appear that the same people bitching about the Disco's becoming too suburbanized are also bitching about this vehicle for being less than perfect in it's initial offering. I say give it a chance. It is purpose built for agricultural and offroad and so what if it has drum rears and IFS. This vehicle's sales are being driven by offroad consumers- if they want a solid axle then they can impress that upon the company- they are still a small presence and will no doubt PAY ATTENTION. As for the 3 year warranty, that's all the LRNA offers (albeit Freelanders get 100,000miles now). Although I would love a d90 or 110 I refuse to pay more than the vehicle sold for brand new. At 20k (less than an exterra or Liberty)if this vehicle performs even half as well as a LR it will be embarrassing to most SUV manufacturers despite the fact that it is stripped down. I hope this little truck leaves LRNA scratching their asses saying "duh....do you really think there is a market for a stripped off roader in the US?" The dealer said there is a lot of interest so far and I intend to invite them along to a LR event to really see it's ability in action. |
Carter Simcoe (Carter)
| | Posted on Saturday, December 14, 2002 - 01:52 pm: |
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I hope it does well to but I highly doubt it's sales will be driven by offroad consumers simply because over here no vehicles sales are driven by offroad consumers not even the best offroad vehicles (read: rovers, jeeps, and G-wagens) still I wish it all the best and hope it forces the reintroduction of the defender and more striped down G-wagens. It might be a fun car to have, especially if they really do sell it for under 20K.
FWIW, LRNA gives a 4 year/50K warranty (and 6 year corrosion warranty) |
Ken
| | Posted on Saturday, December 14, 2002 - 10:19 pm: |
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According to an interview with Geoff Upex (rovers design director)in LRO's December issue, the defender will probably only be in production for another eight years. The good news is they have no intension of ever changing it's ability and as he said "no-nonsense rugged reputaion". He also said "the company would rather see it disapear than compramised.
It sounded like he really did love the defender but described the manufacturing technology to build it 40 years out of date. For it to be rintroduced to the states would mean major changes in the design and posbly the manufacturing techniques witch is costly.
If I remember right the Defender was never an economical 4X4 here in the states and priced it self out of the same market that supports it over seas.
I wouldn't hold your breath on anything with the defender badge on it. I kinda doubt they would invest that kind of money into something that they as ending in eight years, but I could be wrong I have been once or twice.
Hey AL,
In your original post there was someone in jax FL that said they had a 98 gasoline crosslander. He could probably give us some info on build quality.
Ken
P.S. The power stroke Td that comes with it has been in use worldwide (including by ford) for a while now. I heard it is very similar to the one they sell to rover only a little bigger.
Ken |
Ron
| | Posted on Saturday, December 14, 2002 - 10:48 pm: |
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I am definately seriously considering getting one. Either just the engine or the whole truck.
The "powerstoke 2.8" is a 300TDi with a varible vein turbo and some other mods which give it 300+ ft/lbs or torque (more than a 4.6 disco!)
Hopefully I can talk the parts department into selling me a complete engine for a decent price, if the whole truck is 20k the engine can't be that much. Or maybe weight for a wreck. 110 needs an engine
Ron |
Erik Olson (Jon)
| | Posted on Sunday, December 15, 2002 - 12:27 pm: |
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I think the leaf-sprung / IFS thing is the biggest reservation I've heard about the truck. For $20k it sounds like a lot of SUV. I really like the CaseIH motor.
e |
Ken
| | Posted on Monday, December 16, 2002 - 09:12 am: |
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Waiting for a wreck to buy from an insurance company is what I was thinking Then I would probably drop it into a IIA. |
Michael Noe (Noee)
| | Posted on Monday, December 16, 2002 - 05:13 pm: |
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Jason:
I tried calling the Hampton, VA number from their website today, no answer. What number did you use?
-Mike |
EricV (Bender2033)
| | Posted on Tuesday, December 17, 2002 - 09:24 am: |
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Hiya Michael Noe,
I called Tysinger in Hampton last week for info about the crosslander. The number listed on the crosslander page is correct (757-865-8000).
On a side note Michael, I'm in Richmond too! I have a group of Jeep and Xterra guys that I regularly wheel with (shoe creek, sherando, etc) if you're ever interested.
-eric |
Michael Noe (Noee)
| | Posted on Tuesday, December 17, 2002 - 12:11 pm: |
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Guys:
I just talked with a great guy down in Reidsville, NC, Pete Stokes. He's in charge of the Crosslander program there and is very excited about this vehicle. He's ordered 10 vehicles and figures he might have a few around Feb. He's put me on the "info" list and will do the same for you if you're interested (800-255-4595). He's got an offroad-oriented tech group that will service these trucks.
BTW, he says they can't keep Rubicons on the lot... |
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