Changes coming to LR in the next few years

haven

Expedition Leader
Edmunds Green Car Advisor is reporting that Tata, the Indian company that owns Land Rover and Jaguar, is planning major changes for Land Rover. The focus will be on constructing lighter, more fuel efficient vehicles. That means the chassis developed while BMW owned Land Rover has to go, lighter weight materials need to be used, and hybrid gas/electric and diesel/electric power trains have to be developed.

One small bit of good news: Land Rover is planning to install the 4.4L V8 diesel that Ford developed into the 2011 Range Rover. Ford put the 4.4L V8 on the shelf in USA due to uncertain diesel prices and high cost of emissions controls. If Ford starts to build the engine for Land Rover, that increases the chance that Ford will put the 4.4L diesel in some F150 pickups and Expedition SUV models.

The article doesn't mention the future of the Defender line. I suspect that there will be enough orders from military customers to justify continuing to build the Defender series.

Here's the article
http://blogs.edmunds.com/greencarad...-vehicles-and-hybrids-to-land-rover-line.html
 

crusader

Adventurer
The article doesn't mention the future of the Defender line. I suspect that there will be enough orders from military customers to justify continuing to build the Defender series.

I don't know about that. Warfare is changing and the future for the next generation of military vehicles (including utility vehicles) will be unlike anything previous, I suspect. Improved occupant protection means that vehicles will have to be shaped differently, especially underneath. I don't think that anything currently called "defender" would lend itself very well to this, but then again, I'm no vehicle (re)designer.

I'm trying to be optomistic about the future of the defender, but I suspect that the glory days are over...
 

11b4v

Adventurer
Fingers crossed for that Ford Diesel. Would love my next Expedition to be a diesel Ford Expedition EL 4wd/awd and a 4.4 Ford diesel swap in my DII
 

PAToyota

Adventurer
Edmunds Green Car Advisor is reporting that Tata, the Indian company that owns Land Rover and Jaguar

Every time I see the company mentioned, I can't help but think what it would be like if it had been Tatra that bought Land Rover...
 

CLynn85

Explorer
I don't know about that. Warfare is changing and the future for the next generation of military vehicles (including utility vehicles) will be unlike anything previous, I suspect. Improved occupant protection means that vehicles will have to be shaped differently, especially underneath. I don't think that anything currently called "defender" would lend itself very well to this, but then again, I'm no vehicle (re)designer.

I'm trying to be optomistic about the future of the defender, but I suspect that the glory days are over...

Agreed. The British Military has come under a LOT of criticism the past few years for their continued use of the Snatch rovers in an asymmetric war, which they are clearly not suited for. From what I've read in the defense news rags, military Defender orders will steadily decline over the next few years to the point of them serving the support roles they were originally intended for.
 

discotdi

Adventurer
2011 US spec RR's do not and will not have the diesel engine. Ford seems very against diesels except in the 3/4 ton and above pick up line for the USA.

Much like Jeep, I don't think Ford wants to go down the diesel road. Probably because the big oil co's don't want diesel in the USA except at current levels.
 
L

LeoLR

Guest
Or because the general public will not buy a diesel car, much less a $80,000 RR with a diesel. America is a gas culture. Fine by me, I enjoy a V8. Only people that have enough buying power to get diesels is the 3/4 ton market. Lots of people talk how they would buy a Diesel Disco 4 or RR but when it comes to pulling off the check none will. Why do you think the diesel GC floped?


LR spends millions on researching what the general buying market wants. They read forums, yahoo answers, everything and if they believe theres a real market for diesels you bet your *** they will import them. Same with the Defender, people talk all day about how they would buy one, blah blah blah, but they never do. Just talk
 

Pedro79

New member
Ya, because Chrysler did such a great job marketing the diesel Grand Cherokee and the diesel liberty. I can't recall 1 commercial for either car. If Americans don't won't or won't buy diesel, why do the Audi, Volkswagen, and Mercedes diesels sale so well?
 

PAToyota

Adventurer
why do the Audi, Volkswagen, and Mercedes diesels sell so well?

Exactly! Although, I wonder if the old "American customers won't buy a diesel car" adage is that the typical Ford/Chevy/Chrysler customer won't buy a diesel car?

But I think that wouldn't apply here. The person who is considering a LR or RR I would think would be more inclined to consider a diesel - similar to those looking at the diesel Audi, VW, or Mercedes.
 

AxeAngel

Expedition Leader
Ya, because Chrysler did such a great job marketing the diesel Grand Cherokee and the diesel liberty. I can't recall 1 commercial for either car. If Americans don't won't or won't buy diesel, why do the Audi, Volkswagen, and Mercedes diesels sale so well?

The latter are all one of 3 categories:

1. Hippies
2. Smart
3. Former europeans

The above don't buy land rovers because they are either smart, hippies or former europeans.

-Sam
 

R_Lefebvre

Expedition Leader
The latter are all one of 3 categories:

1. Hippies
2. Smart
3. Former europeans

The above don't buy land rovers because they are either smart, hippies or former europeans.

-Sam

LOL!

Ya, because Chrysler did such a great job marketing the diesel Grand Cherokee and the diesel liberty. I can't recall 1 commercial for either car. If Americans don't won't or won't buy diesel, why do the Audi, Volkswagen, and Mercedes diesels sale so well?

Exactly.

The guy beside me engineered the cooler hoses for the KJ when I was at Dana. I remember he was always talking about the KJ diesel program that they were supposed to be doing, but the US engineering at DCX was dragging their feet. It was supposed to be done, but it was like nobody cared. One day Dieter Zetsche visited and saw what was going on, and it came down "No, you WILL develop the diesel KJ." It was full steam ahead from that point, but it took a push from the CEO to get the train on the tracks.

But it goes to show the attitude from the American management/engineering. They just didn't care about it. I imagine marketing was the same.

How many people know that Chrysler is already building LHD diesel Caravans in Europe? All the engineering is already done, they could build them here if they wanted, but they don't.
 

PAToyota

Adventurer
GM had the 4.5L Duramax diesel ready to go into production for the light truck/SUV market and then shelved it - right after Ford shelved the light duty Navistar project and Toyota backed out of their fullsize diesel project. If any one of them took a chance, they could lead the market. But none will take the chance until the others do...
 

Pedro79

New member
Ford already has a 4.5 v6 powerstroke diesel in cab-over work trucks, what's the big problem with putting that engine into f150s? Would probably sell a **** load of diesels in those trucks. Hell, like Ford can't afford to get that engine emission certified.
 

David Harris

Expedition Leader
Ya, because Chrysler did such a great job marketing the diesel Grand Cherokee and the diesel liberty. I can't recall 1 commercial for either car. If Americans don't won't or won't buy diesel, why do the Audi, Volkswagen, and Mercedes diesels sale so well?

GM had the 4.5L Duramax diesel ready to go into production for the light truck/SUV market and then shelved it - right after Ford shelved the light duty Navistar project and Toyota backed out of their fullsize diesel project. If any one of them took a chance, they could lead the market. But none will take the chance until the others do...

Ford already has a 4.5 v6 powerstroke diesel in cab-over work trucks, what's the big problem with putting that engine into f150s? Would probably sell a **** load of diesels in those trucks. Hell, like Ford can't afford to get that engine emission certified.

Unless we're missing something, here, Detroit just doesn't make any sense when it comes to diesels. Catch-up with the rest of the world, why don't you? Aggravating to say the least . . . When/if they do, they're going to have to educate the general public on them somewhat, though . . .
 
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crusader

Adventurer
Unless we're missing something, here, Detroit just doesn't make any sense when it comes to diesels. Catch-up with the rest of the world, why don't you? Aggravating to say the least . . . When/if they do, they're going to have to educate the general public on them somewhat, though . . .

There was just an article in AutoWeek about this. It said that Detroit won't do diesels because they believe the American driving public thinks the payback period (in increased fuel economy versus the expensive EPA/CARB-compliant engines/diesel fuel) is too long. The author argued that the payback is instant in the form of longer range and more torque.

I love getting 24MPG in my 37 year old diesel-powered Rover while the gassers are getting 5-10MPG less.
 

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