Goodbye Defender

[R_Lefebvre]

You saying the line actually stops for 57 seconds at GM Atlanta? I've never seen a line actually stop at a station except for in Graz. And that was similar to what you're saying. The line was much shorter than other's, but it stopped for 2 minutes at every stations. They were assembling Chrysler Grand Caravans, right and LHD, gas and diesel, AWD option, as well as Grand Cherokee, RHD and LHD, Gas and Diesel all on the same line. The number of different tasks the guys did at each station was incredible. Not just on one vehicle, but depending on which vehicle happened to come by. ie: if it was a Jeep, he was installing the fuel tank. If it was a van, he was installing the rear suspension.

And now that I think about it, the Viper line was pretty short as well, but wasn't in operation when I was there.

 

[zimm]

Too bad, I really expected more from Tata.

why? now that they showed the colonial masters whos the new boss..... they gotta run a profitable english car company. kinda an oxymoron. be careful what you wish for, you just may get it. so... the platform has to have more than one use.

 

[Schattenjager]

They should change the name from Land Rover to something else.

This reminds me of what happened to Abercrombie and Fitch.

Dark days these...

 

[jcbrandon]

They should change the name from Land Rover to something else.

This reminds me of what happened to Abercrombie and Fitch.

Dark days these...

off topic: Just a couple of days ago I was trying to explain to a 22-year old that Abercrombie and Fitch used to be where you went to get outfitted for an African safari. And that Eddie Bauer used to be where you went to get outfitted for a trip to Alaska. The conversation didn't go very far.

Sorry. Back on topic. How long before we say that Land Rover used to be where you went to buy a car for your African safari?

 

[R_Lefebvre]

why? now that they showed the colonial masters whos the new boss..... they gotta run a profitable english car company.

Well, I thought maybe it was only the US CEO's of car companies who had no idea what they were doing. Completely lost the plot on how to make a successful car company. Too busy trying to achieve next quarter's bonus to worry about the 4 year plan.

Tata isn't the only one disappointing me. Sergio Marchionne declaring he had no idea how bad things were at Chrysler, that the product pipeline is empty. Seriously? How could you not know? What do you do all day?

 

[4Rescue]

off topic: Just a couple of days ago I was trying to explain to a 22-year old that Abercrombie and Fitch used to be where you went to get outfitted for an African safari. And that Eddie Bauer used to be where you went to get outfitted for a trip to Alaska. The conversation didn't go very far.

Sorry. Back on topic. How long before we say that Land Rover used to be where you went to buy a car for your African safari?

Back Off-topic... yeah I had the same diswcussion with some yuppie kid the other day... Like you say, the concept doesn't really translate... The kid looked at me like I was crazy and was just making this stuff up. Hell I remember when Bnana Republic was just kind of a mid-level outdoor style store. I'm only 30 but things have changed ALOT...

Back OT, It's really sad to see first the Grand Cherokee, then the Patrol, now the Defender... I hate this trend, it leaves me feeling queesy. At least Jeep still makes the Wrangler, but alas in N.America every car company is l;eaning towards drinking the All automatic (as in no manuals... sorry guy's you'll never convince me to run an auto ) electronic everything, and WORST of All Independant suspension ... What kills me even more is that these companies are playing purely off the name of these vehicles. There are plenty of other platforms in EVERY one of their stables to be 4wheel-independant-suspension luxo-barges. So why maut they taint the vehicles that have what we want... It's kind of forced numbers, if you just don't offer a rig with Solid axles, lockers etc, then you'll never sell any any your sales numbers will suggest that there is NO market for such a vehicle. now the big-wigs have their answer:

Sales/marketing ************': Everyone is buying truck X with all, these widgets and gizmos and that has lowered trail capability... Women LOVE THEM.

Big-wig: Right...Great, we'll mkae more of those. Good good But: How many of the vehicle Y have we sold, you know the off-road oriented kind??? The real trucks.

S/M D': Well... none. Not a single one.

BW: ZERO??? REALLY??? Well then I guess there's no reason to make one anymore is there???

S/M D': Right, see it was a good idea not offering anything like that because nobody bought one last year...when we didn't offer one...

I guess that's the beauty of this site and people like us... When we want something, I'll just take my money and give it to a 4wd shop along with my $1500 4Runner instead of to the car company/stealership.

If I COULD buy a 70 Series Cruiser, NEW, Diesel, with waranty, manual tranny... the way I WANT from the factory in the US... I'd do it. I would finance 60K just to build one and then I'd drive it untill I died and passed it on to my son or daughter. I seriously would.

Might even be convinced to buy a Rover if I could get a Diesel 3 or 5 door 109 or 110 here in the states (although I wouldn't be anywhere near as happy as I wouild be with the Troupy) but still... I just don't like the way I guess humanity in general is heading... more war, more greed, more want for things we don't need. more chanels, softer riding trucks... If I want cushy I'll jump in the TDI Jetta Wagon and cruise the interstate or the GF's Honda Civic. But when I get in my truck dammit I want it to be, well, a truck.

Anyway, sorry to hear this rumor for the Defender for the above mentioned reasons...

Cheers

Dave

 

[I Leak Oil]

What?

 

[4Rescue]

Nevermind, I was rambling as to how this Defender rumor is just more of the same old thing that's hapening to all "Trucks" in the US (maybe not all but ALOT)... I guess it was a bit hard to follow eh.

To sum it up: I will be sad if the Defender is either A) Droped or B) tuned into an LR3/4 ala 4wheel-independant suspension... I hope this all proives to be a rumor and not a reality.

Cheers

Dave

 

[I Leak Oil]

I'll agree with you there Dave. I think it's inevitable that the Defender name will continue but the vehicle that wears it will be far different than what it is now.

 

[mud ruts]

http://images.google.com/imgres?img...rosoft:en-us:IE-SearchBox&rlz=1I7ADBF_en&um=1

 

[zimm]

Tata isn't the only one disappointing me. Sergio Marchionne declaring he had no idea how bad things were at Chrysler, that the product pipeline is empty. Seriously? How could you not know? What do you do all day?

even it it was top top top secret, you would imagine all the due diligence involved in a deal like that would uncover it.

 

[R_Lefebvre]

even it it was top top top secret, you would imagine all the due diligence involved in a deal like that would uncover it.

And now HD has decided to kill the Buell brand, and then the next day, they come out and state they don't really know if that will actually save them any money or not, they just did it "to concentrate on core products."

Yeah, you just continue to focus on your aging customer base and forget about appealing to a younger generation. I'm sure it'll all work out.

Morons.

 

[4Rescue]

http://images.google.com/imgres?img...rosoft:en-us:IE-SearchBox&rlz=1I7ADBF_en&um=1

What do they mean by "relatively simple, steel suspended work-horse" ??? Hopefully that's a good thing as in Steel Solid axles and not stamped steel IFS/IRS... Good to hear it'll be using the heavy duty "T5" frame though. Maybe? It LOOKS like the old Defender still so...

Cheers

Dave

 

[KevinNY]

Why the hell is this still being debated? The Defender has been gone from the US since 1997 people! Get over it already, it's been 13 years since you could buy a new one.

 

[Harald Hansen]

Why the hell is this still being debated? The Defender has been gone from the US since 1997 people! Get over it already, it's been 13 years since you could buy a new one.

Because not everyone on ExPo is an American?