New Defenders to be built but not from where you'd expect.

[Red90]

It is a full locker, not just limited slip.  Same diff from LR3 forward, I think.

[Red90]

And more silly gadgets.

Wade Sensing uses ultrasonic sensors in the door mirrors to provide real-time pictorial information about the water depth when wading. The system lets you know when water levels are near the 900mm maximum wading depth.

Traffic Sign Recognition keeps you informed of speed limits and 'no overtaking' signs by displaying them clearly in the instrument cluster. When activated, Adaptive Speed Limiter uses recognised speed limits to adjust your vehicle's speed accordingly.

3D Surround Camera helps you see more around the vehicle. 3D exterior perspectives alongside a 360° overhead view make manoeuvring easier, while off-road views including the innovative ClearSight Ground View provide you with greater clarity when scaling various terrains. (3D Surround Camera also includes Wade Sensing and ClearSight Ground View).

[Matt H]

I just can't even find the words right now.....

Oh wait, just found some.

What a load of bollocks

[Trevor]

I just can't even find the words right now.....

Oh wait, just found some.

What a load of bollocks

Hehe, that does summarize it nicely.

There's nothing "Defender" about this new vehicle. Might be an ok rig (although waaaaay overdone) when it's all said and done and a natural evolution of the LR3/4, but it's no Defender.

[Red90]

I'm surprised that it does not automatically brake and reverse when it senses you are in water too deep.

[headdamage]

Perhaps it deploys air bags to help it float. Is there an optional latte machine?

[Red90]

You can get a compressor for $1643 and a snorkel for $1334.

[binch]

I was just watching some of the release videos on TUUByou and what I learned was:

1.   There is a protective composite trim piece to protect the top of the bumper from wear and tear.
2.   There are mud flaps with "land rover" on each wheel to protect the paint and plastic bits.
3.   There is a solid plastic tire cover with "land rover" to protect your spare tire from the elements.
4a.  There is a retractable side step on the top end model for easy access into the cab.
4b.  There is a metal tube along the sills with plastic steps on the adventure model for cheaper and easier access.
4c.  There is a metal tube along the sills with nothing on the bottom end models to help protect your sills from unwanted pixies.
5.     Apparently my defender is only rated for 500mm wading depth, while the new defender can do 900mm wading depths.

Yup......it's a weiner!  oops...I ment "winner"

[Red90]

Detailed dealer sheet for the US market.

[Matt H]

Interesting. I didn't read the entire thing but in the second page it states what we have suspected for some time now.
That the New Defender was intended from the start to be a replacement for the LR4 for those not wanting a Discovery 5.

Should it be a called Discovery 5a then??


I do like that you can order a ND without most of the more dubious bells & whistles. Still a bit pricey though.

[binch]

Well that would have made a LOT more sense to just call it the Disco 5 in the first place, wouldn't it.   Would have allowed the defender a respectful end to it's life.....

[lropchan]

This post showed up on facebook this morning. A Jeep inspire by a Land Rover. It has now come full circle?
(even non-facebookers should be able to open it)

https://www.facebook.com/a2aexpedition/photos/a.189546834460157/2464879820260169/?type=3&__xts__%5B0%5D=68.ARC_VRQGn3aXudw_lgxK0U_1jSnTWwbQEd7VHpCm4W-3lU8Mvd_XY59HTDXmmEeF6_kL7z_B9NFq3FaL_lALvFa2XBJYQdXRa12_DETnfY-EYyXO8lfgDMYYPS0uAcf06DkHShs6PjCZ15Tee_BmIarW-yDSlK2fQu9jzuNqsIr7Cg3F-VDgEkGev-OWkKh7U1yJF8JZpS97eFUWDxsqENMlEIKgwgZ1O1XD1Ow3lYIzV6JWVvvsyZzfanz_cfz90QvvxFmY21WKP0rYCfiKSSdO9WOpWXN4M84cpVh8fA8dO-lAjSyNI61IPaqAFz0LC5gkZE8GHjtVPNXLE0Y8iJt2xRaTTjtbxCY8rn_R0czLs5ZHuLBzE0kV&__tn__=-R

[Trevor]

The Gladiator certainly isn't the start of this. That began with the Jeep JK. When they designed the JK they looked at the weak points of the Jeep line (size being a big one) and they incorporated aspects of the Defender into the JK to help address that. I've ranted about this for years...Jeep simply ate Landrover's lunch and beat them at there own game. Heck, it wasn't just a simple beating, it was a complete and total schooling of Landrover by Jeep. In the history of the automotive industry you would be hard pressed to find a company making such a decisive and targeted move into a space (Jeep) as a competitor (Landrover) stood idly by and exhibited corporate incompetence on a nuclear scale.

An entire market developed around Landrover, and it ignored it. Worse, it had the founding product of that very market, and it cancelled it! Gross incompetence of that scale is not easy to find...that takes a special kind of stupid.

The Gladiator is the next step in that process for Jeep. They are taking everything the Defender SHOULD have been, and continuing to evolve the lifestyle market that they have become the owner of. Jeep is selling millions of JK's/JL's. Landrover is on life support...again.

[binch]

Yup, I agree with you on that one!!!   LR just goosed the pooch on that one 8 ways to sunday.

Unlike the rugby game on sept 27 8)

[Matt H]

I recall Land Rover giving themselves a pat on  the back in 2012 for building the one millionth Discovery. That milestone was total Discovery production since 1989.

Later that same year Jeep had their own little milestone. They built the one millionth Wrangler JK. That is one million Wrangler units built between 2007 and 2012. That statistic should tell us something.

To say Jeep hit upon a winning formula would be putting it mildly. Thing is, Jeep & off road enthusiasts in general had been crying out for years for such a product. It was no great stroke of genius by the Jeep engineering team. They just listened and built what was asked for. An old school four door  4wd that was civilized enough to live with everyday but could be easily built into anything the owner wanted.

Sadly it appears as though Land Rover are a little hard of hearing?