How to make the new Defender look more like the old one

Don't know why l didn't think of it before

Fit the grille from the old one

And now put some little round tail/indicator lamps on the rear corners. [ should have put them there in first place I recon]

Don’t forget the oil leak patches on the drive

As a D1 owner
my D1is obviously better than the comparable defender - at least in my experience
what got my hackles up about the ND was the 5 year long media blitz of its new itteration
Landies have always been an understated - almost an underdog - option that just works

i suspect if they called it a discovery 6 it would have been considered a good replacement

t

Roll it over, that’ll do it.

lt probably wouldn't. After six barrel rolls this 110 doesn't look that much different

Got to say, the cabin area held up well there, I doubt a traditional Defender would have.

Tyres needed a bit air but the wipers still working

Everything else will get smashed up into plastic bits, but the headlights will be fine.

Simple give it another name instead of "Defender".

saxavordian said:

Simple give it another name instead of "Defender".

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How about "Pretender"?

Western Slope Rover said:

How about "Pretender"?

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True. I seriously think Landrover missed a marketing trick in a rush to get an Defender out. Because the original version since 1983 from late series forerunner to ninety One tens and improvements zenith. We have been sold a very expensive bauble that cannot be repaired in the field so to speak. Notice how they advertise the vehicle built for breastfeeding comfort. Surprised they didn't design by placing a newborn cocooned (sorry if I insulted our African audience) inside. Defender is meant to be rugged get a few knocks complained about and above all fixable by Joe public.

The thing is, how do you think Land Rover should have developed the new Defender? Traditional chassis with live axles, or the more modern independent setup? And the interior, should they have gone for a plastic interior trim (there are some plastics and it has rubber mats rather than carpet)
Do you think people would accept a vehicle with plastic door cards like a van?

lt's difficult to have a flat front because of pedestrian safety, but if you have a sloping front and leave the rest square it looks wrong (DC100 concept)

You can't have steel bumpers any more, either.

And what about the tech? People moan about the new Defender having too much of it, but you need to incorporate all the safety systems. And imagine the complaints if it had no media screen.

And the engine. Would you go diesel, hybrid or electric? Manual or automatic? It's all got to be electric eventually so you'd better make it an option in your design.
That means no manual transmission either.

l think Suzuki got as near as you can to the old Defender, with the new Jimmy. But even that's not available in the U.K. due to emissions.

Defender interior

Jimny interior
All hard plastic. Better for a traditional working 4x4 but would today's Defender buyers accept it?

Just should have had a new name.
Series one, two, three, ninety, one ten and defender models were mostly steady improvements for what was [ is for those still running] a pretty basic working truck that some choose for every day transport or other fun uses.
New model is just in another league.

It's not even another league, it's a completely different vehicle aimed at a different market

kermit_rr said:

It's not even another league, it's a completely different vehicle aimed at a different market

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Yep. It was aimed at posh posers, not real people with real needs of a durable utility vehicle.

kermit_rr said:

It's not even another league, it's a completely different vehicle aimed at a different market

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It's like calling Freelander as a defender when it clearly not. If you're putting that much effort to modernise then make a complete 270. In other words dump the pattern. The success of the G wagon is a solid design built. Defender reached it's limit of use and should have stopped. Bit left field here remember the Harrier jump jet the most iconic functionality aircraft. Yet we've spent gazillions on two vessels waiting for an American version of successor to Harriers yet the same American military use the original.
In other words you design a simple functional vehicle.

Well, let's see your ideas for a simple functional vehicle then, that Land Rover should have produced.

lneos went for it with the Grenadier and largely succeeded, although it's out of reach for most at over £70,000.

What you need is a back to basics vehicle for £30,000

But don't forget, the platform has to support an electric option. And you need Stabilty control, lane departure warning, ABS, collision avoidance technology and it has to be Euro 6+ compliance.

And customers will whinge if you specify recirculating ball steering

You'll have to incorporate a media screen somewhere on the dash. And you'll need at least mild hybrid technology, so a second battery will be required for that.

Your design will have to pass all the latest collision tests including all the NCAP requirements, so those thin, flat doors you were thinking of incorporating just won't do.

And emissions will need to be low, or your company will get fined for every vehicle they produce. Your back to basics interior can't have any sharp edges or parts that could injure or impale occupants in a crash, and it has to survive a rollover without the roof collapsing. So forget the old Defender type A and B pillars, they just won't be strong enough.

Still think you can do it?

The new Defender also had to be a marketing success in USA which the old one wasn’t as that’s a major Land Rover market, the old Defender simply didn’t sell enough units even in Europe to be viable.
Grenadier have tried going down that route and it will be interesting to see how many sales they make.
Also who knows if they’ll still be around in 10 years time.