RE: 2020 Land Rover Defender | The long review
Discussion
craigwright_uk said:
That was a great read, and also the sort of experience you couldn’t easily book at the travel agents.
It would be pretty cool (albeit a bit pretentious) turning up to a campsite and popping up the tent on the roof
I’d be more interested in a simpler specced SWB after a bit of depreciation.
Not sure that it would be that difficult to book, the wife and I did a Namibia tour for our honey moon, flew into Windhoek and pick up a 70 series Land Cruiser with rooftop tent etc (cost I think 1500 GBP for 2 weeks),we didn't traverse the Van Zyl pass, but we did the Etosha national park, north to the Kunene river trail from Ruacana to Epupa (and ofcourse Skeleton coast was off limits for us), Swakopmund and then Sossusvlei. the country is amazing. If you don't want to camp then there are plenty of Lodges in all of the tourist areas.It would be pretty cool (albeit a bit pretentious) turning up to a campsite and popping up the tent on the roof
I’d be more interested in a simpler specced SWB after a bit of depreciation.
I would be very interested in the new Defender, however the starting price in Denmark looks to be £115K, which is a bit rich for me, I might wait until the commercial version (lower taxes) arrives, 3 seats in the front could be just enough for my little family.
Lester H said:
Defender tested in Namibia this week in Autocar. Favourable and interesting report. However with a few bells and whistles it cost £66000 and,without these, would be £49800. Yes there are people out there who will pay that but a this price I doubt if it will be a good steady seller after the novelty wears off.
Nomdujour, above, is right that 50k is not seen as silly money when masked by PCP. However,the traditional Defender market, and it was worldwide, will not stand for this. No wonder this demographic is flocking to pick-ups and basic Land Cruisers. I've owned 6 Landcruiser's and am a massive fan and really like the idea of the new Defender .
What I can't understand is why JLR haven't made it slightly more basic from the beginning , not because Welsh sheep farmers or utility company's would be queuing up at every LR dealers door , but because they already have a massive range that already fill the high end 4x4 market .
You can already but a RR / RRS / Velar / Evoque / Discovery / Discovery Sport that cover and overlap this segment massively .
Why add the Defender brand and history , why not try a slightly different market approach .
I'm sure they will sell but a visit to a LR dealership is already quite a strange experience , 7 different model ranges , all filling a very similar brief wearing a very slightly different frock .
What I can't understand is why JLR haven't made it slightly more basic from the beginning , not because Welsh sheep farmers or utility company's would be queuing up at every LR dealers door , but because they already have a massive range that already fill the high end 4x4 market .
You can already but a RR / RRS / Velar / Evoque / Discovery / Discovery Sport that cover and overlap this segment massively .
Why add the Defender brand and history , why not try a slightly different market approach .
I'm sure they will sell but a visit to a LR dealership is already quite a strange experience , 7 different model ranges , all filling a very similar brief wearing a very slightly different frock .
Manwomanfree said:
This review greatly sums up why the Defender is going to sell well. Especially to wealthy people. It exudes such comfort, calm and joy while traversing through challenging terrain that its competition can't do. The author just spent 3 days in the Namibian outbacks without crying about feeling pain. This Defender perfectly shows us why people fly first class and private. Doing something taxing on the body with as much comfort and less hassle as possible.
Indeed they do. However, they are in a tiny minority. Lester H said:
...However,the traditional Defender market, and it was worldwide, will not stand for this. ....
The defender hasn't been around for 4 years. There is no 'traditional Defender' market; it has already moved on.It would be interesting to know how many Defenders were sold in the past 20 years. Would it be anywhere near a year's worth of Hilux sales?
Simoncelli58 said:
I've owned 6 Landcruiser's and am a massive fan and really like the idea of the new Defender .
What I can't understand is why JLR haven't made it slightly more basic from the beginning , not because Welsh sheep farmers or utility company's would be queuing up at every LR dealers door , but because they already have a massive range that already fill the high end 4x4 market .
You can already but a RR / RRS / Velar / Evoque / Discovery / Discovery Sport that cover and overlap this segment massively .
Why add the Defender brand and history , why not try a slightly different market approach .
I'm sure they will sell but a visit to a LR dealership is already quite a strange experience , 7 different model ranges , all filling a very similar brief wearing a very slightly different frock .
Think about what you're saying. What I can't understand is why JLR haven't made it slightly more basic from the beginning , not because Welsh sheep farmers or utility company's would be queuing up at every LR dealers door , but because they already have a massive range that already fill the high end 4x4 market .
You can already but a RR / RRS / Velar / Evoque / Discovery / Discovery Sport that cover and overlap this segment massively .
Why add the Defender brand and history , why not try a slightly different market approach .
I'm sure they will sell but a visit to a LR dealership is already quite a strange experience , 7 different model ranges , all filling a very similar brief wearing a very slightly different frock .
Its because they all sell well. You're right in that they are similar but they all shift for LR so why change the formula?
The Defender wasnt a huge seller, but this is more what people actually want - the image and tough and tumble but in a luxury way.
It also means larger margins than basic stripped out utility versions that they can't get owners to add loads for options.
It's a market that seemingly works for Porsche - make the same sort of stuff, aim it high and charge through the roof for options.
I took the defender 110 out on one of them extended half day test drives last weekend and I am sorry - but I just don't get it.
Front space is cramped due to harking back to yesteryear and putting in an oversized cubby box between the seats. Which is crap as most of it is empty space that will deposit anything you rest in the shelf on the floor first time you go round a corner.
Back seats were good though.
Rear view mirror/screen is horrendous. Maybe this is just me but when in camera mode it took half a second to focus on the screen! Switched it off and just used the (compromised) mirror instead. Wing mirrors are a half arsed yesteryear thing to and not very good.
Handling was too stiff and yet still managed to wallow round in corners and the petrol engine auto box combo was tragic. Massive pause before it did anything and was outrageously thirsty. I drove it steady and even did an hour's worth at legal speeds on dual carriageway and managed 19.5mpg......
Interior felt tacky in a plastic scratchy 'that will look knackered in 3 years' sort of way.
And finally the list price was £60000!
When I returned it I looked at the new disco at an identical price. Much plusher and bigger interior up front. It felt premium. Boot was bigger (I know, it's bigger than a 110!!!) And uses exactly the same suspension and off-road traction systems as the defender.
So my question is what is this new defender actually for, when it's not as nice to be in, smaller inside and handles worse than a similar priced disco? Yes the breakover angles are better in a deefer, bit really... I mean really?
It's just appearance and badge snobbery that will make this sell. No other reason at all.
Soz
Front space is cramped due to harking back to yesteryear and putting in an oversized cubby box between the seats. Which is crap as most of it is empty space that will deposit anything you rest in the shelf on the floor first time you go round a corner.
Back seats were good though.
Rear view mirror/screen is horrendous. Maybe this is just me but when in camera mode it took half a second to focus on the screen! Switched it off and just used the (compromised) mirror instead. Wing mirrors are a half arsed yesteryear thing to and not very good.
Handling was too stiff and yet still managed to wallow round in corners and the petrol engine auto box combo was tragic. Massive pause before it did anything and was outrageously thirsty. I drove it steady and even did an hour's worth at legal speeds on dual carriageway and managed 19.5mpg......
Interior felt tacky in a plastic scratchy 'that will look knackered in 3 years' sort of way.
And finally the list price was £60000!
When I returned it I looked at the new disco at an identical price. Much plusher and bigger interior up front. It felt premium. Boot was bigger (I know, it's bigger than a 110!!!) And uses exactly the same suspension and off-road traction systems as the defender.
So my question is what is this new defender actually for, when it's not as nice to be in, smaller inside and handles worse than a similar priced disco? Yes the breakover angles are better in a deefer, bit really... I mean really?
It's just appearance and badge snobbery that will make this sell. No other reason at all.
Soz
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