RE: Order books open for all-new Defender 90

[Fetchez la vache]

Osinjak said:

lowdrag said:

The staple use of a Land Rover is,well, just what the name says. About as basic as a 2CV, needing few tools to repair on the farm. And that is the point; a Defender was designed for off-road use, not the Kings Road. I can just see a farmer, his boots covered in slurry, climbing aboard this new version - and then hosing it out in the farm yard later on. Not. So once again I guess that Toyota and others will be rubbing their hands and looking forward to a boost in orders.

Snore.

I've been holidaying in the Highlands and Islands (I even went to Pembrokeshire once) for the last ten years and cannot recall ever once seeing a Defender being used on a farm, all I've ever seen are Japanese 4x4s with the odd Ford thrown in. Around where I live there's a huge shooting community who mostly haul their gundogs around in Discoverys.

Your misty-eyed recollections are somewhat out of date.

Not entirely. As a sheep farmer in Pembrokeshire there are a few of us with defenders (mostly drive Japanese - don't know any with a Ford), though in all honesty all I know have doublecab pick-ups, which aren't even spoken of yet. It's fair to say farmers are not the main target audience for these, no matter what the marketing says. Maybe we'll be catered for at some point, but my guess is they'll sell like hot cakes so won't care.
These new Defenders on the whole look fantastic looking things (bar that odd hatch thing!), but I can't say I'm rushing to get one. Very much in the mindset where I don't care if people think I'm in a ratty old 4x4 (I am) so long as it doesn't let me down. It doesn't make sense to base your business on people with buying habits like me do not buy / lease a new one every couple of years to keep up with the Joneses. Maybe bowler-hatted farmers (to use a local term) in the home counties see things differently (generalisation alert). Farming isn't a one-size fits all thing after all, and why should it be?
But yes, Disco's & FFRR's are popular with the shooting & well-heeled horsey lot

[Mackofthejungle]

It'll sell well. To be honest it's the most desirable SUV on sale - if you forget for a moment that it's called a Defender, why on earth would you choose anything Audi or BMW or Mercedes are making? I mean, obviously the Defender will open its boot at motorway speeds, will eat its own ventilation fan and won't start from time to time, but apart from that..... Seriously. Pick one of the various German horrid blobs or get something that looks so much cooler?

Looks are everything, and this looks like something rather than the nothings coming out of every other showroom.

[Ray_Aber]

Rawwr said:

That's one way of getting people into the showroom, I suppose.

Do you mind not doing that when I'm drinking my tea by my laptop? I've just managed to clean up the screen...

[Cold]

FWIW, there are plans for a smaller, cheaper version of this due for production once these have settled into their delivery schedules.

[IanJ9375]

I'm not likely to be a future customer but I do like the product, the configurator made it look mightily impressive, the different seat layouts, the jump seat etc will all be popular. I'd also be tempted to think the commercial versions will be a big hit if priced correctly, looks so cool imho

[devnull]

I think it looks great. Balances modern utility needs with the posing factor that a lot of people will buy these for.

[Trusty Steed]

Its a Defender in name only!

[asci.white]

First car I ever drove was a 110 on my uncles farm (I was 14). Spent months running around the lanes and fields in that beast.

All five of the local farmers in the area (Oxfordshire) all drove a range of 90 & 110 versions. One of them still has his, although they look rather beaten up now.

[ballans]

Fetchez la vache said:

Not entirely. As a sheep farmer in Pembrokeshire there are a few of us with defenders (mostly drive Japanese - don't know any with a Ford), though in all honesty all I know have doublecab pick-ups, which aren't even spoken of yet. It's fair to say farmers are not the main target audience for these, no matter what the marketing says. Maybe we'll be catered for at some point, but my guess is they'll sell like hot cakes so won't care.
These new Defenders on the whole look fantastic looking things (bar that odd hatch thing!), but I can't say I'm rushing to get one. Very much in the mindset where I don't care if people think I'm in a ratty old 4x4 (I am) so long as it doesn't let me down. It doesn't make sense to base your business on people with buying habits like me do not buy / lease a new one every couple of years to keep up with the Joneses. Maybe bowler-hatted farmers (to use a local term) in the home counties see things differently (generalisation alert). Farming isn't a one-size fits all thing after all, and why should it be?
But yes, Disco's & FFRR's are popular with the shooting & well-heeled horsey lot

I live on the Somerset/ Devon borders in the middle of nowhere and there are still quite a few defenders being used but they are older pick ups and VERY well used.
The majority of farmers round here tend to use “whatever works” and is available at the time. Doesn’t even need to be 4wd. For example, my nearest neighbour will only drive old Nissan Micras and when that one breaks he goes “down market” and buys another. He now has a barn full. If he needs to go off road he uses a tractor or quad bike.
The horsey types are similar in that they don’t really care what they drive as long as it will tow a horse box through a muddy field. They care much more about their horses than the badge on their vehicles. This includes my wife who drives an 8 year old Freelander on multi terrain tyres. To be fair it’s been brilliant and makes a great family bus.
The land owners and gentry farmers are the only ones who have modern stuff and that does tend to Range Rover.

Having said all that Mrs Ballans saw a new Jag F Pace SVR in that blue colour with a reg plate that spelled her name yesterday. Having never shown an interest in cars she quickly learned that it had a 2400kg towing capacity and they had one in the nearest dealer. She has now gone AWOL with my bank details!

Edited by ballans on Wednesday 26th February 10:35

[Ahonen]

IanJ9375 said:

I'm not likely to be a future customer but I do like the product, the configurator made it look mightily impressive, the different seat layouts, the jump seat etc will all be popular. I'd also be tempted to think the commercial versions will be a big hit if priced correctly, looks so cool imho

Now that one I like very much. The wheels transform it.

[Triumph Man]

Ahonen said:

IanJ9375 said:

I'm not likely to be a future customer but I do like the product, the configurator made it look mightily impressive, the different seat layouts, the jump seat etc will all be popular. I'd also be tempted to think the commercial versions will be a big hit if priced correctly, looks so cool imho

Now that one I like very much. The wheels transform it.

I'm not a great fan of the new Defender in "Chintz" spec, but that one looks quite good.

[Plate spinner]

I don’t need one so I’ll not be buying one.. but nice looking car, hope it does well!

[abzmike]

That 'van' does look cool.
I quite fancy one, and living in the country up a muddly track I can justify it more than most, not that it matters. They will sell as many as they can build, and will probably hold thier list prices better than the competition for a good period of time.

[996TT02]

HorneyMX5 said:

A mate works at a LR dealer and says they're beating people off with a stick.

Bet that stick has its own dedicated ECU.

"The new Defender certainly has plenty of high tech with an amazing 85 ECUs..."

[abzmike]

996TT02 said:

Bet that stick has its own dedicated ECU.

"The new Defender certainly has plenty of high tech with an amazing 85 ECUs..."

... to go wrong...

[framerateuk]

C.MW said:

If I was a diehard off road fan, I'd rather get a Suzuki Jimmny, revered just as much as one of the best off roaders at less than half the price. But, most who buy these would be city dwellers I guess, which wasn't the case with the previous gen model.

Unfortunately the Jimny looks to be taken off sale at the end of this year due to emissions regs.

[Clivey]

For me, the biggest problem is the aerodynamic / pedestrian friendly plastic front end. - It has low-hanging front bodywork with an "underbite" that limits the off road capability (approach angle and clearance to the bumper). I don't understand why the designers had to do that either, as Ford, Jeep, Suzuki etc. sell 4x4s and pickups here that manage to have front ends more suitably-shaped for off-road use. For those of us that would take one off road, the last thing you want with your expensive new 4x4 is it taking unnecessary damage.

The other elephant in the room is the pricing, especially when you spec-up a diesel and then remember it's only a 4-cylinder. I hope they release a larger diesel engine later on. - A while ago, I did see what looked like some leaked training material mentioning a 3.0-litre.

ash73 said:

The steel wheels are great but why are they only available in white? It looks st with nearly every colour option.

Yeah, white just doesn't work with some of the colour schemes (e.g. Gondwana stone with a black roof and trim). Land Rover really should offer the steel wheels in black as well...though that's something that could easily be done post-purchase.

[prand]

Clivey said:

Yeah, white just doesn't work with some of the colour schemes (e.g. Gondwana stone with a black roof and trim). Land Rover really should offer the steel wheels in black as well...though that's something that could easily be done post-purchase.

As you say, I think there's a few things that could be done after-market to make it more serious off road. I'd imagine you'd be able to add a fair few non-factory customisations by then to make it more suited to the environment you want to use it in.

For me, I'd be interested to see how it performs on road (mpg and comfort for long journeys) to take on camping trips in Europs, with a roof box or tent, the sort of useable space (the last few 90's had hopeless twin seats in the back that made the rear space really impractical)

[ChocolateFrog]

I've warmed to the design, which was never going to win immediate acclaim following the original.

It's a shame they couldn't get the cheapest version under the luxury car tax threshold but the idea of a straight six petrol version does appeal, just not in this country.

[tiredoldm3]

Already starting to see a fair few around coventry/warwickshire. My guess is they wont be able to make them quick enough - people love SUVs, people love the LR brand and defenders are deemed to be very cool. Everyone i know who has one of the old model loves it like it was their firstborn.