New Defender Concept

[TangoBlue]

There's Jeep owners in here? I thought it was all Toyota advocates.:ylsmoke:

We enjoy the pathos that is LR ownership... :coffeedrink:

 

[Repo503]

They should keep it rugged and simple yet add just enough refinement that it can be a serviceable daily driver for a wider variety of folks...much like what Jeep has done with the JK wrangler. Then price it around the top end of the Wrangler range, say 35-40k and they will find tons of buyers from urban posers to people who actually understand 4wd.

Almost no matter what they do the enthusiast community is gonna hate it for awhile...its very hard to replace an icon.

 

[overlander]

Being a former CJ owner, I hated the YJ, but I think the TJ is much better than a CJ. Jeep really got it right (on the 2nd try). The fact that they went back to round headlines alone says they were listening to the their enthusiast base. Remember all the t-shirts and bumper stickers generated by enthusiasts that said "Real Jeeps have round headlights?". I do. Land Rover can still redeem itself after launch, when they lose a demographic of buyers and marketing focus groups tell them they are losing their brand position in the market.

Even posers want to drive something that IS capable, even if they don't use it that way. It gives their status symbol legitimacy. I see it everyday with soccer moms wearing Patagonia, North Face and Columbia clothing accessories in their workout outfits. If Land Rover loses it's heritage and becomes just another urban alternative to the minivan across it's entire product line, then even the poser base buying Range Rovers will migrate to something else like BMW and Lexus.

 

[JamesDowning]

I took that to be about the S1 next to the Defender, not the DC100. Did I mis-read it?

No, you read that correctly.

Maybe I don't know what the 'S1' is... but here's the direct quote from the article:

So what does Arthur think of the new concept Defender the DC100?

I was impressed. It isn’t as crude as the vehicles I did, but we didn’t have the time or the presses they do now. We had to work with what was in the factory, which was why manufacturing and engineering worked so closely.

http://theyfoundourengineer.authors...ver-news-history-blog-10/?utm_medium=facebook

 

[Red90]

S1 equals Series 1, the vehicle that he worked on. He was at the factory a few years ago and comparing it to the "current" Land Rover, which is the Defender. The DC100 concept did not exist and he was not talking about that.

 

[JamesDowning]

Alright, I believe you. But that quote from the article is awfully misleading.

 

[Antichrist]

Alright, I believe you. But that quote from the article is awfully misleading.

Yeah. Read this: http://motoring.ninemsn.com.au/toolkit/products/8372473/Q-and-A-Arthur-Goddard

The blog is indeed misleading. I can see how you would think he was talking about the DC100 when he's talking of comparing the Series 1 with a Defender.

 

[haven]

Here's a report that the next generation Defender will be built in -- gasp! -- India! Tata Motors (owner of Land Rover and Jaguar) could use the same assembly line to build the next version of the Tata Aria SUV.

http://www.autocar.co.uk/News/NewsArticle/AllCars/261076/

 

[I Leak Oil]

...evan I am now starting to believe in the whole 2012 thing.....

 

[matthewp]

...evan I am now starting to believe in the whole 2012 thing.....

Don't worry! They drink tea in India and speak english with a funny accent, so it's about the same as before.:victory:

 

[taco2go]

yep, and TATA owns the Tetley Tea brand as as well.....

 

[tacr2man]

Might not be a bad thing , as the NG defender would cost as much as a Rangerover if it was built in UK JMHO

 

[JamesDowning]

Hopefully these images will work:

This view makes it a bit less fugly:
http://www.roverguide.com/wp-content/gallery/dc100-concept/dc100-front-road-b-590x400.jpg

Looks like they took the concept to the Dubai dunes for a photo shoot... at least it appears to only have 18" wheels now:
http://www.roverguide.com/wp-content/gallery/dc100-dunes/dc100-white-front-590x400.jpg

That rear tire carrier looks funny:
http://www.roverguide.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/dc100-white-dunes-rear-590x400.jpg

 

[JeffRRC]

It looks a little better every time I see it.

 

[overlander]

I just don't see the utilitarian modularity in the body at all. And I certainly don't see a vehicle that will support reverse CKD design.