Bluest wrote:

I remember the first time I saw an L322 RR and it was something different and quite something to behold. The Disco3 had the same shock value, although maybe it took people longer to warm to it. I was hoping for a similar reaction with the new Defender, but it is just a bit meh (as the kids say). Not bad, but not in anyway impressive. Hopefully it's ability and features will be enough to blow our socks off instead, which I guess is the more important thing.

Fat Cog wrote:

So c'mon, be honest, how many existing Series/Defender owners will wave back when they get the usual nod, finger raise etc from the proud owner of a '20' plated Defender (or whatever the thing is going to be called)?

blackrangie wrote:

Bluest wrote:

I remember the first time I saw an L322 RR and it was something different and quite something to behold. The Disco3 had the same shock value, although maybe it took people longer to warm to it. I was hoping for a similar reaction with the new Defender, but it is just a bit meh (as the kids say). Not bad, but not in anyway impressive. Hopefully it's ability and features will be enough to blow our socks off instead, which I guess is the more important thing.

very reasonable comment, its a blacked out bond car, im sure in the coming days we will see more and more defining features will be revealed.

seriesonenut wrote:

Thinking of my age (old.... ) the rapid development of electric vehicles and conversions here is a thought. In 10 years time that 2020 Defender will probably be outdated and replaced by an electric version. My 2010 USW will be ripe for an electric conversion and something to hand on to my kids. That sounds a whole lot more sustainable in my book. In the meantime I will look after my Defender enjoy it and I think be genuinely caretaking it ready to hand on. Not many cars can have such a positive future surely?

blackrangie wrote:

blackwolf wrote:

blackrangie wrote:

... The previous defender was a terrible seller...

A little disingenuous, I feel, since as far as I know there was never a problem selling all the previous Defenders that could be made. The problem was the labour-intensive and hence costly and small volume manufacture.

From a commercial view it was inevitable that the new Defender would be aimed at the mass market, which in turn inevitably means most of the old one's endearing features become anachronisms.

At least there will be a good replacement for the Disco 2/3/4 (and the Skoda Yeti) at long last.

Put it this way, if they had 100000 orders per year they would have quadrupled the factory.

Slovakia has big production capability and LR can now produce 900000 vehicles annually

I would say not mass market but discerning capable 4x4 buyer

LandRoverAnorak wrote:

Styling aside, I understand that it's actually on their new MLA chassis that has provision for hybrid and full electric drive trains.

Grenadier wrote:

Given everything above the chassis is fairly simple and aluminium, I am wondering why LR couldn’t have simply created a new, modern EU compliant chassis/drive-train/engine and dropped a spot-welded body on top? The amount of time they have spent designing and developing this ‘all new’ Defender could have easily been used to re-model the current defender, not in looks but in Fabrication and a less labour intensive process created...they simply wanted to get rid of it and add McGovern Model #6 to the stable.