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Many of those 'capabilities' are broadly available across the industry. They are not differentiators which was my point about technology. The Defender can differentiate on off-road capability and presence, as it should. Each person has their own expectations.

LR has been on a significant marketing and discounting push since they posted a $4 billion loss for 4Q18. Despite that push D5 sales sunk to 451 US sales per month for October 19, prior to the announcement of the new Defender. The DII sold at triple that monthly rate. I suspect that as the new...

Yup, the LR3/4 are good vehicles. Just wish we could have had a diesel option in the US. Twenty-five years down the road the diesel LR3/4 will be a popular import. The more I read about the new Luxo Defender the more I think I will upgrade my LR4. The cargo space is smaller in the Defender...

That is true of many of today's new vehicles relative to technology of the late 80's/early 90's. Product investment achieves higher levels of capability, across the automotive sector. We will see how the new Defender does but moving upmarket is only one strategy in defending a product space. You...

The real comparison point should be the DI which with the same frame, suspension, powertrain as the Defender would cruise at a steady 80mph. The 35 year old Defender with ZERO investment was more comfortable at 65mph. Invest in the Defender? Well it would equal the DI/DII.

FYI - Discovery 5 volumes have doubled after the intro of the new Luxo Defender. The Discovery 5 sold 1,081 units in November 2019, up from 451 in October 2019. Not surprised. That was an outcome I thought might happen. The powertrains on the Luxo Defender are problematic. The D5 has the Td6...

Were the low volumes a result of the Defender or were they a result of zero investment for 35 years? The frame, suspension and power train went on to live in the very successful Discovery I and II till 2004, models that LR has failed to eclipse with the LR3, LR4 and Discovery 5. The Defender was...

If that's the definition of the new Luxury Defender, Houston we have a problem. Long gone is the Tread Lightly theme. New theme? "Hey, we can drift through corners now at break neck speed, who cares about the person around the corner on a forest service road!

In other news RR/LR news ................ No Time to Die trailer 'Maybe' there was a new Luxo Defender in the trailer but there are Aston Martin's and RRC's.

The Defender should have been updated 7 times, many times before McGovern touched it. It should also have never left the US.

Yup, roughly 10 design to product release cycles (assuming 5 year cycle). The Defender received zero attention for 37 years. Amazing on one hand, horrendous on the other.

Agreed. Gerry McGovern's design language is lost in a sea of SUV's, all looking virtually the same. My conversation with the local dealer was that they all look the same now, just different sizes of the same. There was a time you would recognize a LR from a distance, no longer.

In an urban environment SOTA should improve field repairability. But like all 'features' that lower manufacturer cost they will become over-reliant on software patches that can't be completed in a rural/no-service environment.

No a smartphone doesn't cease to operate. SOTA itself is not a show stopper. My point is the complexity of a vehicle and reliance on software will become an impediment to field repair. I look forward to the field repair guidelines for the MHEV drivetrain that distributes critical functionality...

That's 7 five-year development cycles that were neglected by LR. Not missed, neglected. That's 7 Defender models not realized. That's 7 Defender generations that likely could have evolved and continued to be marketed worldwide, to include the US. I would also say that a majority of today's...

You also fell into a trap. How is it a perfect Defender if it is not utilitarian and cannot be field repairable, relying on SOTA for 'field' when there is spotty to no cell service? The new Defender is highly dependent on urban communications infrastructure. The new Defender is like my nephew...

The LR DI and DII were well known as off-road models. The LR3 and LR4 were still LR's but did begin the move upscale. Both continued the LR value set with command seating, rear 'gate' design and overall styling. The D5 was a 'tweener', moving to the russian doll design language and losing much...

Not criticizing the design language, simply just stating facts. Sales volumes say the Evoque (RR) was a success (60% of buyers were women) while the D5 (LR) missed (minivan rear hatch, seats that don't fold flat, non-removable middle seat, loss of command seating, .....) . In many ways the...

Whenever I discuss "Land Rover" with those not familiar with the brand they are always confused by Land Rover vs Range Rover. Even JLR has admitted that confusion/branding issue. With McGovern's design strategy that confusion should be minimized as all products exhibit the same design language...

JLR's design strategy of moving to the professional class is projected to see a 4% decline in revenue. Jaguar Land Rover’s (JLR) Revenue went up slightly by 0.9% from $32.5 billion in 2017 to $32.8 billion in 2019, and is expected to fall by 4% to around $31.5 billion in 2021. When you shrink...