farewell, Defender?

[haven]

The Detroit Free Press published an article that claims the Defender as we know it wil be gone by 2013. The new vehicle needs to meet more stringent crash test standards and emissions limits to be sold in its major markets. A re-design is in order.

http://www.freep.com/article/200910...good-bye-to-Land-Rover-s-iconic-Defender-SUV-

Land Rover promises that the Defender replacement will improve on the current model's level of off-road capability. Let's hope that turns out to be true.

 

[washington taco]

The curent owner is in India. One would hope they would build a better mouse trap and export it to the U.S. As with every thing from the next finacial super power.

 

[Harald Hansen]

Note that the LR representative is talking about the vehicle's "identity", not "utility". Not a good sign when you're talking about the Defender...

 

[overlander]

These are the exact same concerns expressed when Jeep did away with the CJ in favor of the Wrangler. First ones, not so good, but Jeep cared about their brand image and product niche, and recovered.

After CJ (great)
-YJ (not so great. remember the "Real Jeeps have round headlights" jokes?)
-TJ (good)
-JK (great)
-JK Unlimited (fantastic!)

I have faith. Land Rover has more interest in 3rd world and military markets than Jeep, so that don't have the option to compromise as much to the soccer mom market.

 

[haven]

The military version of the Defender doesn't have meet the rules for clean exhaust and protection of pedestrians in a crash. So I assume a military Defender will continue to be produced, regardless.

 

[michaels]

they at least still have solid axles though.

These are the exact same concerns expressed when Jeep did away with the CJ in favor of the Wrangler. First ones, not so good, but Jeep cared about their brand image and product niche, and recovered.

After CJ (great)
-YJ (not so great. remember the "Real Jeeps have round headlights" jokes?)
-TJ (good)
-JK (great)
-JK Unlimited (fantastic!)

I have faith. Land Rover has more interest in 3rd world and military markets than Jeep, so that don't have the option to compromise as much to the soccer mom market.

 

[Antichrist]

Already a thread about it on the first page here.
http://expeditionportal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=32599

 

[discotdi]

not going away just being redesigned to meet the needs of the 21st century.Things change. The new RR is far better than the 1970 version, I don't think those would sell too well today. Solid axles? really? give it a rest already!
why don't we give LR a chance before we kill it off? I seriously doubt LR will destroy the most widely recognized vehicle in the world. THe Defender is the Icon of the LR brand, lets just see what happens. Do folks on this board really believe that LR engineers and designers with over 60 years of off road heritage and design can't figure out how to make a good new Defender, independent suspension or not? My only real concern is that they give in to the pressure of better fuel economy and less weight and make a 2WD version like Jeep! Now that would be a tragedy. But I will wait and see.:ylsmoke: