Land Rover Defender’s future not looking good: report

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By Brett Davis | August 02nd, 2011

The humble and robust Land Rover Defender may soon be no more, as Land Rover decides on what to do with the future of the model. The Indian-owned manufacturer is struggling with the concept of a new-generation version, as there are fears that it would not be as good as the previous versions.

The first Land Rover Defender was produced as the Land Rover Series back in 1948. It was a rugged utility vehicle used in mass numbers in the military. Land Rover slowly turned it into a more civilised off-roader, calling it the Land Rover 90 and the 110 later in life. The Land Rover Defender kicked off in 1983.

Land Rover UK’s managing director Colin Green recently revealed some of the issues Land Rover was facing in coming up with a plan for the future of the model. Green said in an interview with Auto Express in the UK that a new model would need to be better than the last:

“If we get it wrong we are messing up one of the industry’s biggest icons, and in that sense it’s a tremendous responsibility.”

The first option, apparently, is to simply fit a range of Euro 6-compliant diesel engines to the current platform and continue selling it pretty much as is. But even though this will keep the farmers and rescue fleets happy, Mr Green said that this may not help in attracting new buyers.

The second option is to develop a new model on the same platform as the current Range Rover Sport and Land Rover Discovery, although, this option is said to be relatively expensive. If this were the case, the Defender price at the showroom would also be affected.

The third option is one that will not go down well with the fans, and that is to end the Defender model altogether. Mr Green said,

“It’s our least preferred choice because we have serviced that customer base for a long time, but there’s no point in servicing the customer and not the business. We have to make money and all three options are on the table.”

Out of the three proposals, which road would you like Land Rover to take? Are you a die-hard Defender fan? Or perhaps you’d rather more technology poured into the company’s other models? Let us know in the comments section below.

Charger

An Icon that needs to be updated and continued! Im sure that they can design a retro look that has modern features, safety etc. It is one of the last real 4wd’s along with the troop carrier landcruiser. Everthing else is just Soft!

Tomas79

Actully Jeep Wrangler, Current Nissan Patrol, Mercedess G-Wagon, are also still pretty hardcore.
Fake

Keep it as it is but put the 5.0L Super Charged Rangie Sport Engine as an option alongside the 2.4L Diesel.

Willie

The manufacturer could buy second hand ones, refit them out and resell them as new. I wouldn’t be able to tell the difference……..

Exchange Student

I believe SEAT did a similar thing with the previous Audi A4s (B7 model, I think it is). A new SEAT Exeo is just an A4 with different badges and headlights.

BB

I love this car and therefore hope it continues to be manufactured. I only wish it were more affordable. I think the high purchase price and parts costs have gifted the Landcruiser workmate the lions share of the market for this type of vehicle in this country.

BB

I suppose the smaller dealer network doesn’t do it any favours either.

Charger

the average reliablity of the new models also hasent helped and the fact nothing can be reco’ed so its all ex uk!

But still it could be the best 4wd on the market if they put some more effort into it

http://caradvice OSU811

New engines and transmissions with just a facelift/interior lift of the current version would be fine by me!!!
Aquahead

Shame they are not part of the Ford Empire, as the easy option would have been to twin it with the new T6 Ranger and its spin-off Everest SUV. It could have used the Ranger/Everest chassis and running gear and used a unique to Land Rover body.

Seeing Ford have been telling us how good the new ranger will be, with an IRS or coil sprung rear (the Everest is tipped to use either) and a range of wheelbases, it could have kept costs down and still been a strong performer in the rough and tough.

As the base Ranger 2.2L diesel will have 110kw and 375nm, this would have even been an improvement on the existing defender’s ratings. And of course it would be a weapon with 147kw & 470nm from the 3.2l I5 Diesel that will be the “big” engine in the Ranger.
DGS

Landrover need only look at Mercedes and their G-Wagen 4×4′s.

The G Lander wagens came out in the 1970′s and still looks the same. However in that time they have been regularly refined and improved. If Landrover had managed it’s primary product the same since 1948 they would be in a much better possition. Unfortunatly Landrover seems to pick and choose engines and gearboxes at random and use other componants with a “pin the tail on the donkey” approach and subsiquent construction quality.

Maybe it is time for Landrover to ask itself if they are serious about building real fourwheel drives, and if so – how are they going to duplicate mercedes and toyotas processes of product refinement.

Sam 300TD

I agree. Keep the Defender look as is but upgrade engines, transmissions and safety and its finished!

Daniel

Front wheel drive Range Rover is bad enough, I can’t believe they would even consider not having a Defender! And the reliability of new Land Rovers is getting better and better! If they just made a new one it might actually get bought. Not to mention the Defender has actually become a fashion icon, it’s just a little to harsh to drive around town. Despite everything, they need it. And they better keep it. The Defender IS Land Rover.

Freddo

Reliabity isnt getting any better from what I see.

Ross

Many different people from all walks of life love the Defender. They should keep producing the current Defender for the military and people that need the heavy duty workhorse and then upgrade and refine a model for the people that use it everyday around town by putting in a new, more powerful engine, revamping the interior similar to the Freelander or Discovery’s interior and tweak the chasis to account for the extra power. If Mercedes-Benz was able to do it with the G-Class then Land Rover can definitely do it with the Defender (only hopefully at a better price). The Defender is a 4X4 icon that cannot be lost.
Doctor

Well some people/organisations love them even if the sales volume is somewhat small. I’ll bet that it gets an E-6 engine and some minor upgrades and continues largely as is.
Time will tell….
csk

What if you had the ability to build a 1 tonne single cab, hose out ute that could tow 3.5 tonne with front airbags, side airbags and head high airbags.
This car could be designed to have solid beam axles on coils or air bag independent. All you would need is a 9 year old T5 chassis that was originally designed to do this and add a boxy design body to make it look 63 years old, you would need a 108 & 114 inch wheelbase, you would need the ability to design an anti-stall system to cope with a modren diesel on a manual gearbox, you would need the ability to fit an 8 speed auto to have stop start tech on an auto, you would need a 4WD system that could adapt to hybrid ……… Who could do such a thing?????
Dont spread the front chassis rails on the original car to fit a V engine, you would have a front wheel track wider than the rear, that would be ridiculous.
Andrew

Land Rover without the Defender is no longer Land Rover. It is the most capable ex factory 4WD on the market todday.

The Evoque causes me enough anguish without the end of the Defender! First car I drove was a series I, today I own a Defender and a Disco 4. I would fall out of love with Land Rover pretty quickly if the Defender wasn’t sitting in the range.
GG

a great car, but it has nothing on my wrangler when you compare i. price ii. interior iii. on and offroad performance (especially on sand)

alex

la la la la la

Same old US claptrap. yawn.

Missing the point completely old bean. its about Spirit, class and uniqueness.

Crass, brash and bigger is your bag.

Mines bigger than yours etc etc, we are not in the school yard anymore amigo

Enjoying roaring about in yours, classic example of the void between our cultures- thank God

GG

So Alex, have you put your money where your mouth is a purchased one?
aussie jules

crikey. As an ex-european (france) its quite depressing to see that otherwise intelligent people from the UK are still into looking down on the US.
Maybe do a facelift from snooty to enthusiastic. Yeah , the UK is so much more classy and sophisticated. thats why they have mass riots of welfare ferals, and a castrated police force. we couldnt be like the US and actually deal with criminals using force and imprisonment , now can we. so crude those americans.

even if they are so much less uptight, have a better standard of living, better social mobility, better military, better spirit, almost no public drunkeness, free speech, the right to defend your home against home invasion, etc etc.
Keep on looking down on your breakaway cousins, the way things are going in Euro land, there wont be any snooty white people left in 20 years time.

Reckless1

If they sold it with free arm shortening operation they might sell more.

You have to drive the buddy thing with the window down if you plan on turning a corner.

And some knee protection for when the dash falls out on corrugations would also help.

When Tata took over LR, it was inevitable that it would be tata to some models.
Nath746

As much as I would hate to see this car with an Automatic transmission, if Land Rover added the 6 speed ZF Automatic they would sell some more. Some of the older models have been converted to an Automatic (why?), and this would help sales a bit (would make it easier to drive in a city or in any traffic).

Also, maybe they should bring out two models – a standard model which is more comfortable and refined, to bring in more customers who want the off-road ability but also want something comfortable and have an option pack – “un-luxury” or something like that where it is the same as it is now, just with more efficient and powerful and cleaner engines. Would sell like hotcakes

http://Audi Robj

Soft….

Nath746

I’m not saying I would buy the Automatic one, or the softened one, just saying that land rover would sell more if they made one.

Jak hammer

By all means evolve the styling as Porsche has done with the 911 and upgrade the mechanicals but please do something about the piss poor interior and some of the detailing and parts used are appalling
When a Land Rover mechanical specialist warns you not to buy one something is not right
bruce

I suppose one must move with the times.
The current trend seems to produce over -priced, over accessorised, under qualitised and short -lived copies of Chinese/Indian and lower-end Japanese crap!
This seems to be the last gasp of the British motor industry where, quality, safety, ease of repair and good performance were the objectives.
The current Land Rover models other that the Defender are in my humble opinion a waste of production capacity and a waste of materials. They are over-spec’d with unreliable electronic parts that are expensive to repair and replace and have resulted in products that one would hesitate to remotely consider as robust, dependable and long lived vehicles.
Have a go the motor industry of Great??? Britain – Stuff up what is left as you have successfully stuffed up once marvelous marques.
http://www.roverparts.com.au Sean

Easy….3.0 tdv6 with manual or auto. Keep the same chassis…its strong and it works. monocoque the body and bolt onto the chassis (as is LR D3), just go steel to make it cheaper and more repairable. Should be in 3 monocoque clips to add versitilty, front clip, cabin, and rear end, kinda modular if you like. Don’t monkey with the suspension, it works, and has so since 1970 (R/R classic, keep electronics to a minimum. Could even widen body a couple of inches for extra needed elbow room! Land Rover could and should hit back at land cruiser, Hilux, Merc, Nissan, Mazda, Mits. and all the others which have so ably taken market share of the commercial utility which was very much originally a land rover niche.
LOVEMYLANDY

instead of leaving it to all the boffins (the sit in an office)to design. have you ever thought of asking the thousands of defender owners (that drive these vehicles every day) what they would like to see improved.