Land Rover Defender to be phased out. EDIT: R.I.P.

Bumblebee86 · 23rd October 2009, 10:34

After 61 years on the market, Land Rover's iconic Defender SUV will finally be replaced around 2013, the British brand has revealed.

Land Rover's go-anywhere image was built largely on the strength of the boxy and nearly indestructible Defender, which has not even received a major change to its bodywork since 1983 -- before Hyundai had sold its first car in the United States and before GM created the Saturn brand. It stopped selling in the United States a few years ago.

New global standards for emissions and pedestrian-friendly front ends will require either an all-new vehicle or a profound engineering of the existing Defender, which went into production in 1948, Land Rover managing director Phil Popham told Australian newsletter GoAutoNews.

The new Defender will be even more capable than the outgoing vehicle, Popham said, allaying fears that it might devolve into another cute-ute with SUV looks and little true off-road prowess.

"We'll be really tuning up the versatility side and practicality side," Popham said. "That for me is the core" of the Defender's identity.

SOURCE: DETROIT FREE PRESS

hanmust · 23rd October 2009, 11:18

Oh no, thats so sad, an end of legend? No TATA must not do it. They could make it better engineering of prensent Defender as mentioned. Coming up with cute SUV type off-roader won't be another Defender. A defender should be like Merc G-wager, boxy & rugged! Let them add more luxury & comfort, but not a design change over.

More over since TATA regained the licence to make defence purpose vehicles for Indian Army, they could increace the production of Defender for military purpose mainly & civilian on order as did with Merc G-wagen. This could make the product profitable.

SirAlec · 23rd October 2009, 15:31

What the 'Beep'.

LR series was launched in '48. Defender was launched in '83 and the 'Defender' name was coined only after 1990. who ever wrote that needs to get his facts right.

It was not sellling in civvy market anyway. But military and other similar agency will still use it, hence will not go out of production. Just like Hummer H1, which is not available for civillian any more.

MaserQ · 23rd October 2009, 16:36

Quote:

Originally Posted by hanmust

More over since TATA regained the licence to make defence purpose vehicles for Indian Army, they could increace the production of Defender for military purpose mainly & civilian on order as did with Merc G-wagen. This could make the product profitable.

Tata have to find a way to keep the Defender going. When the time comes, ship the written off machinery to the Pimpri plant and keep the Defender going as an army and maybe even a civilian SUV! Pedestrian laws be damned! Low prices guaranteed!

Spitfire · 23rd October 2009, 16:36

OH NO. And here I was silently praying each day that TATA gets this home.

Anyways i think the boxy model will go to the forces and the cute curvy one's will be sold to the others.

Sad :(

shankar.balan · 23rd October 2009, 19:35

this is sad indeed
but there are zillions of lovely used series 1, 2 , 3 and the later defenders available in the UK at prices starting 3000 GBP.
this is such a legend that it will always remain an icon

Nitin · 23rd October 2009, 21:10

As much as its sad to see the Defender being phased out, giving way to a revamped version sure sounds good!Nothing will come close to the iconic status of this machine,though!

nitrous · 23rd October 2009, 22:24

Quote:

Originally Posted by MaserQ

When the time comes, ship the written off machinery to the Pimpri plant and keep the Defender going as an army and maybe even a civilian SUV!

When they did it with the Renault Trafic, they wouldn't hesitate to do it with their own brand , would they?

Looks like Tata did have some foxy plans when they bought Jag-LR.

14000rpm · 23rd October 2009, 22:30

Quote:

Originally Posted by Spitfire

OH NO. And here I was silently praying each day that TATA gets this home.

Anyways i think the boxy model will go to the forces and the cute curvy one's will be sold to the others.

Sad :(

i always hoped TATA bought the defender down to india. now with the phase out news, TATA may as well get all the dies down to india and supply to local and international (where demand exists) markets. hope TATA is listening.

amit V8 · 24th October 2009, 01:20

everything must come to an end.

let's see how the new one looks, i am pretty sure that won't be as exciting as this one.

Bumblebee86 · 25th October 2009, 07:55

Project Icon, the long-awaited replacement for the 61-year-old traditional Land Rover, is under secret development inside JLR’s Gaydon design centre and earmarked for a 2012 launch.
The new Land Rover is a relatively simple, steel-suspended workhorse intended also to attract lower-end Discovery buyers. It should hit the market soon after Land Rover’s existing iconic model, the Defender, reaches the end of the road, killed by legislation, and will reach most of the current Defender's 160-odd export markets.
The new Project Icon workhorse is based on the tough, capable but relatively heavy T5 steel platform chassis used for the existing Discovery and Range Rover Sport models, both of which are due to be replaced beyond 2012 by aluminium-based models which are between 400kg and 500kg lighter.

Land Rover wants to retain a simple, twin-rail T5 chassis because allows them to continue offering the variety of body styles — hard and soft tops, truck and crew-cab versions – from which Defender buyers can now choose.
The T5 chassis supports a modern all-independent suspension available both with steel and air springs. It is well-known for its sturdiness, but will need its own weight-reduction campaign.
The model will be made in the UK at first, but JLR bosses believe it could soon be made from KD (Knocked Down) kits in big markets like China, Russia and India.
There are no details yet of Project Icon’s engines, but a big four-cylinder turbodiesel like the Freelander’s Ford-PSA 2.2-litre four, or the base Discovery’s 2.7 litre V6 turbodiesel make likely candidates.

cooldude1988765 · 25th October 2009, 09:10

Quote:

Originally Posted by 14000rpm

i always hoped TATA bought the defender down to india. now with the phase out news, TATA may as well get all the dies down to india and supply to local and international (where demand exists) markets. hope TATA is listening.

I really hope they do this.

MileCruncher · 25th October 2009, 09:19

This is indeed a very sad. I have always wanted to own the LR Defender 110SW and ever since TATA bought JLR have been hoping for them to bring it to India. Anyways all the passenger safety norms that are forxing design changes are still some years away in India and I really hope that we get it here.

May be someday I'll be able to go to Ladakh in my own Defender.

DicKy · 18th April 2011, 12:10

Land Rover plans all new Defender | Autocar India
Land Rover finally IS working on the project.
Now trying to take over the Land Cruiser 70 family and the Nissan Patrol family.
Me a LC fanboy but would like the old Defender to be offered her at affordable prices after it's phased out ,but all-aluminium is a problem.

shankar.balan · 18th April 2011, 12:35

sad to see an icon being killed off.
I understand that even now 70% of all land rovers ever built are actually in use somewhere in the world!
And why should the all aluminium body be a problem - since it beats rust all the way Id have thought it to be an advantage even with the new age metals and alloys of today.

23rd October 2009, 10:34	#1
Bumblebee86 BANNED Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Gudaibiya; BAHRAIN/ Vandiperiyar; KERALA/ Wuhan; CHINA Posts: 359 Thanked: 6 Times	Land Rover Defender to be phased out. EDIT: R.I.P. After 61 years on the market, Land Rover's iconic Defender SUV will finally be replaced around 2013, the British brand has revealed. Land Rover's go-anywhere image was built largely on the strength of the boxy and nearly indestructible Defender, which has not even received a major change to its bodywork since 1983 -- before Hyundai had sold its first car in the United States and before GM created the Saturn brand. It stopped selling in the United States a few years ago. New global standards for emissions and pedestrian-friendly front ends will require either an all-new vehicle or a profound engineering of the existing Defender, which went into production in 1948, Land Rover managing director Phil Popham told Australian newsletter GoAutoNews. The new Defender will be even more capable than the outgoing vehicle, Popham said, allaying fears that it might devolve into another cute-ute with SUV looks and little true off-road prowess. "We'll be really tuning up the versatility side and practicality side," Popham said. "That for me is the core" of the Defender's identity. SOURCE: DETROIT FREE PRESS
	() Thanks

23rd October 2009, 11:18	#2
hanmust Senior - BHPian Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Calicut Posts: 2,481 Thanked: 262 Times View My Garage	Oh no, thats so sad, an end of legend? No TATA must not do it. They could make it better engineering of prensent Defender as mentioned. Coming up with cute SUV type off-roader won't be another Defender. A defender should be like Merc G-wager, boxy & rugged! Let them add more luxury & comfort, but not a design change over. More over since TATA regained the licence to make defence purpose vehicles for Indian Army, they could increace the production of Defender for military purpose mainly & civilian on order as did with Merc G-wagen. This could make the product profitable.
	() Thanks

23rd October 2009, 15:31	#3
SirAlec Senior - BHPian Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: zxc Posts: 3,393 Thanked: 726 Times	What the 'Beep'. LR series was launched in '48. Defender was launched in '83 and the 'Defender' name was coined only after 1990. who ever wrote that needs to get his facts right. It was not sellling in civvy market anyway. But military and other similar agency will still use it, hence will not go out of production. Just like Hummer H1, which is not available for civillian any more.
	() Thanks

23rd October 2009, 16:36	#5
Spitfire BANNED Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Panaji - Goa/Bangalore - Karnataka Posts: 3,312 Thanked: 774 Times	OH NO. And here I was silently praying each day that TATA gets this home. Anyways i think the boxy model will go to the forces and the cute curvy one's will be sold to the others. Sad :(
	() Thanks

23rd October 2009, 19:35	#6
shankar.balan BANNED Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Bangalore Posts: 11,368 Thanked: 23,151 Times View My Garage Infractions: 0/2 (8)	this is sad indeed but there are zillions of lovely used series 1, 2 , 3 and the later defenders available in the UK at prices starting 3000 GBP. this is such a legend that it will always remain an icon
	() Thanks

23rd October 2009, 21:10	#7
Nitin Senior - BHPian Join Date: May 2006 Location: Houston, Texas Posts: 3,294 Thanked: 20 Times View My Garage	As much as its sad to see the Defender being phased out, giving way to a revamped version sure sounds good!Nothing will come close to the iconic status of this machine,though!
	() Thanks

24th October 2009, 01:20	#10
amit V8 Senior - BHPian Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: kolkata Posts: 1,070 Thanked: 217 Times	everything must come to an end. let's see how the new one looks, i am pretty sure that won't be as exciting as this one.
	() Thanks

25th October 2009, 07:55	#11
Bumblebee86 BANNED Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Gudaibiya; BAHRAIN/ Vandiperiyar; KERALA/ Wuhan; CHINA Posts: 359 Thanked: 6 Times	Update Project Icon, the long-awaited replacement for the 61-year-old traditional Land Rover, is under secret development inside JLR’s Gaydon design centre and earmarked for a 2012 launch. The new Land Rover is a relatively simple, steel-suspended workhorse intended also to attract lower-end Discovery buyers. It should hit the market soon after Land Rover’s existing iconic model, the Defender, reaches the end of the road, killed by legislation, and will reach most of the current Defender's 160-odd export markets. The new Project Icon workhorse is based on the tough, capable but relatively heavy T5 steel platform chassis used for the existing Discovery and Range Rover Sport models, both of which are due to be replaced beyond 2012 by aluminium-based models which are between 400kg and 500kg lighter. Land Rover wants to retain a simple, twin-rail T5 chassis because allows them to continue offering the variety of body styles — hard and soft tops, truck and crew-cab versions – from which Defender buyers can now choose. The T5 chassis supports a modern all-independent suspension available both with steel and air springs. It is well-known for its sturdiness, but will need its own weight-reduction campaign. The model will be made in the UK at first, but JLR bosses believe it could soon be made from KD (Knocked Down) kits in big markets like China, Russia and India. There are no details yet of Project Icon’s engines, but a big four-cylinder turbodiesel like the Freelander’s Ford-PSA 2.2-litre four, or the base Discovery’s 2.7 litre V6 turbodiesel make likely candidates.
	() Thanks

25th October 2009, 09:19	#13
MileCruncher Senior - BHPian Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: MH01 Posts: 4,235 Thanked: 592 Times View My Garage	This is indeed a very sad. I have always wanted to own the LR Defender 110SW and ever since TATA bought JLR have been hoping for them to bring it to India. Anyways all the passenger safety norms that are forxing design changes are still some years away in India and I really hope that we get it here. May be someday I'll be able to go to Ladakh in my own Defender.
	() Thanks

18th April 2011, 12:10	#14
DicKy Distinguished - BHPian Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: TVPM Posts: 3,828 Thanked: 11,832 Times	re: Land Rover's Defender to be phased out in 2015, due to emission norms Land Rover plans all new Defender \| Autocar India Land Rover finally IS working on the project. Now trying to take over the Land Cruiser 70 family and the Nissan Patrol family. Me a LC fanboy but would like the old Defender to be offered her at affordable prices after it's phased out ,but all-aluminium is a problem.
	() Thanks

18th April 2011, 12:35	#15
shankar.balan BANNED Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Bangalore Posts: 11,368 Thanked: 23,151 Times View My Garage Infractions: 0/2 (8)	re: Land Rover's Defender to be phased out in 2015, due to emission norms sad to see an icon being killed off. I understand that even now 70% of all land rovers ever built are actually in use somewhere in the world! And why should the all aluminium body be a problem - since it beats rust all the way Id have thought it to be an advantage even with the new age metals and alloys of today.
	() Thanks