Freelander name could be dropped by LR

Next-gen Defender plans scrapped, Freelander name being dropped - Autoblog

the inside lets it down big time

Not a surprise seing as america is the new target market.

LR seems to generate loads of different spec vehicles a year or 2 before they replace it, to keep sales going. The higher spec Freelander 2's are a good example. It's a sign there's definitely a new model coming and keeps sales going in the meantime. The more Freelander 2's in the market for those wanting to buy second hand at a later date, the betterer.

The issue over the tratter replacement has been talked about for 10+ years now. Talk of it stopping and there being no replacement or an upmarket replacement peeps wouldn't buy (enthusiasts) etc. Each magazine or web site which releases the latest repeat of the same ole story is just filling space. They don't actually know what's going on and can only relate to a secrete source within LR etc... which means they're talking bs. They plan to reduce the number of tratter models available at some point which is logical. Then keep putting oft the design or at least telling us that. It creates marketing hype and free advertising while they pretend they don't know what they're doing.

isnt it also to do with londons low emission zone as i belive some defenders etc cant go into it,

agree with u hippo, as lr was talking about the massive sales of range rovers going to china

gary

why they have dropped the new design of the defender as I have been told is that farmers do not want it and the farmer market was one of the biggest for the defender , a lot of farmers have stated the new replacement looks as though it would not stand up to the job, also a lot of farmers have brought jap c--p as they do not seem to let them down so much

You're right - China, Russia, and the US of A are truly the target markets now.

No one in TATA is interested in a group of guys in the UK & Ireland having fun with, and keeping on the road, aging little trucks.

Especially so since Cyrus Pallonji Mistry (that well known 'Irish'? businessman) took over as chairman from Ratan Naval Tata.

I naively thought that when TATA Group bought Landrover they would perhaps have the sort of vehicles needed in and around Mumbai more in mind.

But no - It's a network of the usual type of big business - concerned only with maximizing profits.

I see it's jokingly referred to as a 'family' business now - since Cyrus's sister Aloo (yes - as in Aloo Gobi ) is married to Noel Tata - Ratan's half brother.

I can't see me buying another Freelander - or any LandRover to be truthful.

Ah well - time moves on.

hi

if the freelander starts looking like that i would be looking at a disco next

plus the freelander 2 looks ok until u look inside, it looks crap

just hope they dont ruin the land rover styling etc that so many have fallen in love with since the 50s as all the other manufactures will jump in its place

great shame and just hope they dont creat monsters like this

gary

goonarmy said:

Not a surprise seing as america is the new target market.

Click to expand...

US has always been a target market. They like them as a statue symbol of wealth and quality.

teddywood1 said:

why they have dropped the new design of the defender as I have been told is that farmers do not want it and the farmer market was one of the biggest for the defender , a lot of farmers have stated the new replacement looks as though it would not stand up to the job, also a lot of farmers have brought jap c--p as they do not seem to let them down so much

Click to expand...

Your farmers market is not large enough for them to be profitable with that market. Toyota has nailed that market world wide(out side of US) with there pickups 2 door and 4 door. Uk needs to get one based on 130 to really meet farmers demand

Singvogel said:

You're right - China, Russia, and the US of A are truly the target markets now.

No one in TATA is interested in a group of guys in the UK & Ireland having fun with, and keeping on the road, aging little trucks.

Especially so since Cyrus Pallonji Mistry (that well known 'Irish'? businessman) took over as chairman from Ratan Naval Tata.

I naively thought that when TATA Group bought Landrover they would perhaps have the sort of vehicles needed in and around Mumbai more in mind.

But no - It's a network of the usual type of big business - concerned only with maximizing profits.

I see it's jokingly referred to as a 'family' business now - since Cyrus's sister Aloo (yes - as in Aloo Gobi ) is married to Noel Tata - Ratan's half brother.

I can't see me buying another Freelander - or any LandRover to be truthful.

Ah well - time moves on.

Click to expand...

China is a separate market from rest of the world, that is why they built a China plant for that market, none will see the EU,Japan Market. The India plant will be for there market and africa is suspect.

The US is there largest market and there is a demand for a true utility vehicle
in the US Jeep has that market tied up. If Land rover can build one to compete with jeep they will do good.

Looks it's modelled on a bloody Mini!!!

Land Rover's top five markets in March 2013 are UK - 14,268, China - 6,895, North America - 4,899, Russia -2,174 and Germany -1,912

Click to expand...

I suspect China will pass the UK, but with Chinaland built vehicles.

Thor1950 said:

US has always been a target market. They like them as a statue symbol of wealth and quality.

Click to expand...

No.

The reason they are building chinese market ones in china is to bypass the extortionate import taxes. China loves selling you it's ****e (and it's all ****e) but there's no way they're going to let you compete with home grown stuff on their own turf.

I've said it before and I'll say it again, LR died when Tata bought it from Ford. They only care about the ultra wealthy tosspot market now and they've utterly betrayed the heritage of the brand. But heritage isn't worth a **** in the wind in today's world. It's all aout unlimited growth and maximising profits.

News flash, ain't no such thing as unlimited growth. LR will come unstuck eventually, and the rest.

Tata have only done what a lot of companies have done when they have brought British making firms and that is to make money out of it and not a care in the world for the British market and I bet they will do like the other did , and that is to close it down in Britain and ship all the works abroad , like they have done here in the potteries,

teddywood1 said:

Tata have only done what a lot of companies have done when they have brought British making firms and that is to make money out of it and not a care in the world for the British market and I bet they will do like the other did , and that is to close it down in Britain and ship all the works abroad , like they have done here in the potteries,

Click to expand...

Yep, it's just another way for the world's wealthiest industrialists and financiers to put a few more stones in the dam across the river of wealth. It's no good for us, it's questionably good for the cheap labourers abroad - but it's just the ticket for those at the top of the pile. I honestly don't think they will rest until we are completely dependent (via debt) on them for everything we need to live. Oh wait, isn't that slavery?

goonarmy said:

No.

Click to expand...

Then who has been LR target?

China is there largest market US is #2 , Was there largest just changed

Thor1950 said:

Then who has been LR target?

China is there largest market US is #2 , Was there largest just changed

Click to expand...

So america has always been the target market? No.

I'm a target. They can sell me a Freelander 2.

Whatever land Rover do I hope they don't put that thing in the link into production

Talk about looking aweful

teddywood1 said:

Tata have only done what a lot of companies have done when they have brought British making firms and that is to make money out of it and not a care in the world for the British market and I bet they will do like the other did , and that is to close it down in Britain and ship all the works abroad , like they have done here in the potteries,

Click to expand...

BMW did the same thing to the Rover Group. They only bought the company to break it up. They sold off it's money making divisions, Land Rover went to Ford with Jaguar as the sweetener, then they kept the Mini name, running the rest of the company into the ground before flogging off what was left for almost nothing to the phoenix project. Sadly they were not able to undo the damage done by BMW and years of bad management