[Thai]

Vehicle Review: Land Rover Defender
Back in North America in 2007!

It appears the rumors are true: The legendary Land Rover Defender will be re-introduced to the North American market in 2007 (as a 2008 model).

How different will it be? For starters, it will have the requisite air bags - a major cause for it being pulled back in 1997. It will have to be easier to assemble - the previous style was largely built by hand. And it will have a newer, more modern body design on a steel frame.

More good news: Short-wheelbase, long-wheelbase, and soft-top versions are in the works, although it is still unclear how many of these versions might be bound for North America.

The downside? No V-8's are projected. Gasoline engines will come from Ford: a direct-injection four with variable timing, a 3.0-liter Duratec V-6, and for the U.S. only, a 3.8-liter V-6. Peugeot will supply a 2.7-liter turbodiesel V-6 for Europe (though the in-the-know Rover enthusiast crowd here in the States has already started the grumbling about no TDi diesel - so perhaps their jawwing will not fall on deaf ears.

Land Rover's managing director, Matthew Taylor said, "The Defender is important. It is one of the few genuine auto icons. Our challenge now is to see how we can successfully take it forward and make it a 21st Century icon"

As far as being easier to assemble, Land Rover is moving to simplify it platforms from four to two. (60 percent of the new Discovery, for instance, is constructed by automation and it's rumored that Ford wants the same level of assembly automation in use for the new Defender.) As such, Automotive News reports that the next Defender will use Land Rover's new T5 platform architecture, the same body-on-chassis platform used for the new Discovery 3 / LR3 and upcoming Range Stormer or Range Rover Sport (the newest mini-Range Rover slated for upcoming release.)

Land Rover sells about 27,000 Defenders a year to the rest of the world. It's high time it set its sights on North America again, where the mighty Defender's legendary off-road prowess will be put to good use.

[Thai]

Looks like another off-roading icon is making its way back...Hummer H3, Jeep Rubicon, and Toyota FJC will have yet another competitor.

Wow, the off-roading trend is coming back.... :gaptooth: :rocker: :clap:

[toybox]

Excellent! I can't wait to see it.

[Mr. Lambdebois]

This will be very interesting to see how it stacks up to the old D90's and D110's.

I will always love the looks of the old ones....

[elemint]

Cool. Can't wait to see the 300% markup for the US market. I still see used defenders marked at $30k when in England you can get on for under $10k. An old one for under $2k

[toybox]

Originally posted by elemint
Cool. Can't wait to see the 300% markup for the US market. I still see used defenders marked at $30k when in England you can get on for under $10k. An old one for under $2k

The reason the used ones are so expensive is that they had limited production in the US. I remember going to dealers and I could have bought one off the lot for a little over 30k. It is a free market and the new ones will be priced so that people can buy them. I think they will be priced like other Land Rovers; a little more expensive than the competition.

[tomhaney1]

Originally posted by elemint
Cool. Can't wait to see the 300% markup for the US market. I still see used defenders marked at $30k when in England you can get on for under $10k. An old one for under $2k

Ya, try to import one here- they will laugh in your face! It will cost like 30 grand to do it. Damn things are phenominal though...

[tomhaney1]

Originally posted by 4bummer
think outside another box?

Ya, I hope Ford doesn't screw the thing up too much!

[Kmvreter]

Originally posted by tomhaney1
Ya, I hope Ford doesn't screw the thing up too much!

You're right. The parent company has changed since the old one's. Good enough reason not to buy it, no matter what the spec's, looks and capabilities are.

[tomhaney1]

Originally posted by Kmvreter
You're right. The parent company has changed since the old one's. Good enough reason not to buy it, no matter what the spec's, looks and capabilities are.

Couldn't have said it better myself!

FORD: Fix Or Repair Daily

[Thai]

Originally posted by tomhaney1
Couldn't have said it better myself!

FORD: Fix Or Repair Daily

But, Ford is still better than the old LR, well-known thru-out the world for capability as much as being rust buckets and breakdowns.

[tomhaney1]

Originally posted by Thai
But, Ford is still better than the old LR, well-known thru-out the world for capability as much as being rust buckets and breakdowns.

My father bought a 2000 F250 Super Duty with a turbocharged PowerStroke diesel engine. At 9,000 miles, towing a 5th wheel the turbos blew! Replaced turbos. At 11,000 miles, engine started losing compression, Ford replaced engine twice, turbos blew again at 12,000 miles, almost exactly 1,000 miles after the engine was replaced the first time. Sued under the Lemon Law and made the dealer buy th truck back. Now he has a GMC 3500 HD, not so much as a hiccup. My mom bought a 95 Ford Taurus (probably the worst car ever made), 2 transmission in as many years later, same thing- sued under the lemon law and made the dealer buy it back. I personally had a 93 Mustang GT 5-speed. Burnt up in front of my house at 2 am because Ford had a "faulty ignition switch" that continues to fire and short for no reason. I will give you that if you had a 1975 Ford F150 Ranger that it will last forever because we have one that runs well to this day, but otherwise Ford is CRAP and deserves to go bankrupt and go out of business. It was a foolish part on Land Rover to allow themselves to be bought buy Ford. Same thing with Daimler buying Chrysler, good for Chrysler, bad for Benz.

[Thai]

Originally posted by tomhaney1
Ford is CRAP and deserves to go bankrupt and go out of business. It was a foolish part on Land Rover to allow themselves to be bought buy Ford. Same thing with Daimler buying Chrysler, good for Chrysler, bad for Benz.

Ford may be CRAP, but it's still much better than LR in terms of reliability and durability. Remember, LR went into financial trouble a long time ago. Even BMW could not turn LR around despite pouring in tons of cash...BMW took a beating while owning LR and took a big loss when BMW sold it. LR should be ever grateful that Ford took over. Without Ford, there won't be any LR in the world.

[tomhaney1]

Originally posted by Thai
Ford may be CRAP, but it's still much better than LR in terms of reliability and durability. Remember, LR went into financial trouble a long time ago. Even BMW could not turn LR around despite pouring in tons of cash...BMW took a beating while owning LR and took a big loss when BMW sold it. LR should be ever grateful that Ford took over. Without Ford, there won't be any LR in the world.

Well considering the only area of Ford that made money in the US was the motor credit division and they only make marginal profits worldwide they are probably going to do the same to Land Rover. BMW should have kept Land Rover and fired the morons who were running it unstead of keeping them and their antiquated ideas. It seems kind of funny how a large manufacturer that sells antiquated designs bought a company who sells antiquated designs and somehow a marriage in heaven is born; however, when BMW bought Land Rover they fought like 2 year-olds, mostly because BMW wanted to bring them into the 21st century and actually did make huge advancements for LR. They finally cut their losses because of the constant opposition from LR to retain their individuality.