New Great Divide Expedition Range Rover!?
- Thread starter Tohelluride
- Start date
Viggen
Just here...
Black Bear Pass with Bear Grylls... Certain peoples heads would explode
David Harris
Expedition Leader
Agreed. What other off-road manufacturer is doing even a fraction of what Land Rover is with their vehicles?
LR Max
Local Oaf
I would explode because it would be the perfect vortex of ridiculous.
Or he would realize they will die, last chance to drink ones own urine.
EricTyrrell
Expo God
Land Rover's recent expeditions are technically impressive. However, I find them uninspiring. Previous decade's expeditions told a drama of hard work, perseverance, and triumph. Man and machine striving to reach an experience by braving hardship, testing their limits, and the limits of their machines. Now they consist of sight seeing in the pampered lap of opulence, isolated from the world experience by dual pane glass and miles of leather. Then further filtered of the grit of life by flawless presentation of a brand image in post-production and editorials. Put some ************* mud on that oval.
I was lucky enough to run into the whole crew of 8 or 9 Great Divide FFRR in Silverton yesterday...had a nice chat to talk with Tom Collins again. Will post some pictures in a bit. A nice bit of coincidence to run into the group as we are staying in Telluride, and had run Imogene from Telluride to Ouray, then spent some time in Silverton and were enjoying a coffee as the whole group pulled in. Fun adventures!
I think what you are saying is "bring back the Camel Trophy"
Blueboy
Adventurer
for whom? very doubtful the folks purchasing the new vehicles would care that their vehicle could complete something like that.
just my opinion and from observing the folks buying the new stuff here in Switzerland / Liechtenstein.
when I take the RRC in for service to the dealer, if it were not for the Range Rover lettering on the hood and back panel don't think they would even know it is a RR.
Rant mode: On.
I think part of it is that we've all grown disenchanted and cynical since the expeditions of 20-30 years ago, I blame technology for that. Back then, seeing a convoy of Land Rover braving the jungles of Papua New Guinea in grainy photographs and on TV commercials was exciting. These days, between the internet, YouTube, the travel channel and the Survivor and Survivorman daily doses on 300 different cable TV programs... Papua New Guinea, yawn! We've all been there and seen that, usually on a computer screen, it doesn't seem like that big of a deal anymore.
Without straying too far from home, when a guy on a bike crossed America on dirt roads, the Trans-Am trail adventure was "epic", a triumph of man and machine like you said, the guy pretty much became a legend. It was new and uncharted territory (literally.) Today, a convoy of Land Rover does the same in a few weeks, mud on the hood and all, and according to most (including on this forum) it is a boring, pointless, uninspiring, staged, easy, self-promoting exercise, I could do it with my Prius in reverse, I could do it with my eyes closed, what a bunch of ************** for metrosexuals those Land Rovers have become, those tires look ridiculous, give me a basic Defender with fabric seats, etc. The magic seems to somehow be gone out of everything that seemed amazing and exotic just a few short decades ago. It's all been charted by Google maps. I doubt a new Land Rover expedition on the other side of the world would inspire and excite much. It would seem overproduced, fake, showoffish and a waste of money and energy, I bet they slept at the Hilton, I bet they had drones and helicopters, what about the forest, what about world hunger, what about the greenhouse effect and carbon footprint and global warming, ******* you Obama, I have been there at least 37 times and it's not that tough, my cousin was right there on his honeymoon yesterday and sent this video.
It's like music and all that it represented to me when I was a kid growing up in Italy, that's all ancient history too. I loved Kiss and Pink Floyd (guess you can tell how old I am, give or take...) and everytime I caught a tiny glimpse of either band on a newspaper, magazine or TV program I would eat it up. There was no TV rewind button on my remote or a digital version of that magazine. Couldn't wait for the next LP to be released, going to the record store to buy it was an event, and I would read every line of text on the sleeves of those suckers as I played them over and over until they were well worn. That mystique seems to be gone now, when we can find out in 10 seconds flat what our favorite rock band had for breakfast this morning on Facebook. Music doesn't seem that exciting anymore and we can get our aural and visual fix anywhere and anytime for free, or nearly so. No wonder that industry is in big trouble.
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Viggen
Just here...
They would get out. He would make a weight bearing ladder out of bamboo and bat dung.
Yeah, bring it back as absolutely NO ONE cares. If they do it, are you going to go and plunk down $70k for a new one because you saw them do something in the woods with what would have to be a heavily modified one? Or, do you think it needs to come back out of romanticism?
proper4wd
Expedition Leader
Outstanding post umberto. I agree!
By the way, with regards to the "posh" aspect of the current GDE... lets not forget the context of the original GDE. When "four wheel drive" meant a Jeep CJ with vinyl seats, no top, and maybe a windshield... the Range Rover in 1989 was just as ridiculous as the Range Rover today.
Fun fact #2... do you think they backcountry camped on GDE '89... or did they stay in luxury accommodations along the way?
LR Max
Local Oaf
Yep.
I had been staring at photos of Ouray, Telluride, Silverton, San Juans, etc for the past 10 years. So when I got out there earlier this month, I was like, yep, there it is. Exactly as I had remembered it from my computer screen. In contrast, my father who had NEVER seen anything like it before, was in awe. He got more from the trip than I did...and it was my stupid vacation!!!
For my next trip (a weekend trip) I'm literally only using maps and calling for information (and by maps, I mean google maps, road and aerials can't tell you anything about what you'd see, just what technical challenges to expect which is a good thing to prepare for). No pictures, street view, looking up previous reviews, etc. When I don't know what to expect, I can appreciate it more.
LR Max
Local Oaf
proper4wd for moderator
I think my case was an extreme circumstance, or maybe I'm an idiot.
Probably I'm just an idiot.
Blueboy
Adventurer
Don't think you have included all the vehicles available then and which were much more than a stripped CJ:
1. Toy Land Cruiser
2. Jeep Grand Wagoner
3. And for 2 doors - Blazer and Bronco
As to question number 2, given the upscale approach RRNA was taking to market the product very easily could see staying in hotels, etc.. However, the video shot tried to show more the ruggedness aspect and this was the theme for the introduction of the 1989 model.
I also have the original VHS tape and RRNA material on the event.
The purpose of the GDE event was to highlight how well the RR was off-road including the new ABS system.
I'll be waiting for the video of the current model coming down the face of Red Cone. Is it capable? Probably, yet, is that the marketing approach now? Doubt it.
The GDE event was probably the coolest way ever a new model was introduced and the result has lived on even to today.