New Defender Confirmed

[cellulararrest]

Land Rover has already begun the process of briefing its dealers on the forthcoming new Defender and Freelander. Our sources confirm that the new Defender will appear for 2007, which means that it will be out in your local showrooms around a year from now.

http://www.landroverenthusiast.com/editorial.html

Who knows if it'll be available in the US, but I'd assume that if they're going to redesign it, they'd design it to importable to the US considering it's such a big market for Land Rover.

All we can do is hope and pray!

[Funrover]

I really wonder on the changes that would occur to return it to the USA..... I want it back here no doubt, but at what price will this return happen?

[keptin]

this could be awesome! My dad has been looking at the higher class vehicles as a road car. We were between the VW toureg and the LR3, and opted for the LR3 because its more for the money and a 7 seater. The thing is, is that he has decided to wait till his present lease is up on the vehicle he has, and his lease will end next August. If the timing is right, and the vehicle is good, I might be able to shift some of my weight and get him to buy (vs. lease) a new Defender if it is close to what he is looking for.

Might be the first one in the forum to own a new defender

[01001010]

I'm hoping it'll be in the 30s and 40s, and if it comes in with a diesel engine, It'd have to compete with Excursion, H1alpha, and maybe, depending on how many configurations they bring it in, with other diesel pick up trucks, including Fords

[01001010]

Originally Posted by keptin

Might be the first one in the forum to own a new defender

I wouldn't be too far behind, since I was already considering a used 97' but i'm going to wait and see what happens. If these new defenders do come in, and they turn out to be a dissapoinment, older defender prices should drop...right???

[keptin]

Originally Posted by 01001010

I'm hoping it'll be in the 30s and 40s, and if it comes in with a diesel engine, It'd have to compete with Excursion, H1alpha, and maybe, depending on how many configurations they bring it in, with other diesel pick up trucks, including Fords

No worries, the present day 110's are much smaller then the ford excursion but probably get much better gas milage. The excursion has been hurting bad since katrina because of the price of gas.

As for the H1, its in a league of its own at a starting cost of $140,000.

Id say its main competetors are the ford expedition, nissan armada, chevy tahoe/suburban, gmc yukon/denali.....stuff like that.. Though if the defender ends up costing a lot more, or having amazing off-road capablilities, then it could end up filling a nitch (spell?) in the market......like the Jeep Wrangler.

[Funrover]

A diesel would be awsome...wonder in the 110's would be a hit?

[Bush Tucker Man]

Sorry, but as I understand the press on my side of the 'Big Pond', it simply means with a new engine for now, as the Td5 won't pass forhtcoming emissions tests, so it's getting a varient of the diesel used in the Mondeo & Transit (a van)

[TerryS]

Originally Posted by 01001010

I'm hoping it'll be in the 30s and 40s

The 110 was $39,900 in 1993, so I wouldn't hope for a giveaway.

The TD5 production is scheduled to end this year.

[Dmarchand]

If a "new" defender was coming in '07, don't you think you would see the spy photos now?

Hell, the new FJ is an '07 and that thing is at auto shows all over the world.

Sorry, no new defender for 2007. New would only mean a new engine on the old body. Which would mean it wouldn't come to our shores.

It's not "confirmed" until Rover issues a press release. Even then, it's a joke.

[cellulararrest]

Well apparently since it will be used in the MoD, they need to keep it as secret as possible.

So why have there been no scoop shots of disguised prototypes doing the rounds? We reckon that there’s a very good reason: development testing of the new model has been carried out in extreme secrecy in very secure surroundings a long way from Solihull or Gaydon. The snappers who make their living from selling prototype pictures to the world’s motoring magazines wouldn’t get within smelling distance of this place – and would probably get their fingers broken on sight.

[spectric]

Hi all

What new Defender ? It will look the same but have a Puma common rail diesel engine fitted, and thats it.

The Defender is the true iconic landrover, it's what made the company. If you radically change it's looks then it will no longer be a defender.

The question that has to be asked is for how much longer will the parent company keep the Defender in it's product line up ? All the other Landrover products can be built on common floorpans, using mass production techniques but the defender is labour intensive and could not be readily built on any of their car production lines.

As for the military I heard at the W & P show that they are now looking at Pinzgauer, Mercedes G wagons & Renault for the future as they produce military only versions of these that do not need to comply with the regulations that restrict other OEM's producing for the public domain.

Anyway does it really mater ? Once a company has lost the plot and modern legislation seriously restricts what they can produce then people who want true go anywhere ability without the fear of some electronic sensor failing no longer consider buying new. You could build a really amazing defender from new & second hand parts cheaper than buying a new one and in the process leave out all the normal design faults & flaws.

all the best Roy

[cellulararrest]

The only thing we're (Well me anyway) are concerned about is that it makes it back to the US in the most original form possible.