dombanks Posted October 9, 2013 Share Posted October 9, 2013 http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-birmingham-24446070 surely they can use an engine from a different model without too much problem? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick Algar - Competition Secretary Posted October 9, 2013 Share Posted October 9, 2013 Can't believe they would do this, they cost a fortune and are so popular. Must be some reasoning behind it, which will come out later. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sparkymart Posted October 9, 2013 Share Posted October 9, 2013 Just put the Range Rover lump in it, there not going to stop production of that in a hurry due to emissions. I reckon I'll hang on to my one then might be an up and coming classic Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
XTR2Turbo Posted October 9, 2013 Share Posted October 9, 2013 I think this is the final push to justify them replacing it with the DC100 They aren't making many now - I think less than 20,000 a year Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captain Colonial Posted October 9, 2013 Share Posted October 9, 2013 The reason they cost a fortune is they are very labour intensive to produce. The engine emissions is just the final nail in the Defender's coffin. JLR can design a whole new Defender based on a common chassis for the cost of redesigning the existing one to suit new emissions controls but much more significantly, to be produced more quickly with less labour and to a higher build quality. If you go down the production line even today, you can see body panels and doors being "adjusted" with a mallet and drift (well-worn lump of wood) - there's just no room at JLR for such horse-and-buggy production techniques any more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick Algar - Competition Secretary Posted October 9, 2013 Share Posted October 9, 2013 The reason they cost a fortune is they are very labour intensive to produce. The engine emissions is just the final nail in the Defender's coffin. JLR can design a whole new Defender based on a common chassis for the cost of redesigning the existing one to suit new emissions controls but much more significantly, to be produced more quickly with less labour and to a higher build quality. If you go down the production line even today, you can see body panels and doors being "adjusted" with a mallet and drift (well-worn lump of wood) - there's just no room at JLR for such horse-and-buggy production techniques any more. There you go, knew and expert would be along to explain the real situation. Bet the average mechanic won;t be able to fix the new one in middle of the desert when it breaks down Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captain Colonial Posted October 9, 2013 Share Posted October 9, 2013 True Nick, no denying the joy of being able to fix something so agricultural as a Defender with a rock, a screwdriver, some duct tape and WD40. Other problem is they can turn out probably three times as many modern vehicles (or more) on the same Defender line as they can currently, and has been said earlier, all that production space to turn out so few vehicles in a company the size of JLR is not economically viable, no matter how quaint or how much they charge. Sad but true, we'd probably all make that decision if it was our money. You have to hand it to Tata though, they really have turned JLR around as a group. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alexander72 Posted October 9, 2013 Share Posted October 9, 2013 doubt it's emissions as they use the transit diesel which is EU emmisions compliant - shame if they are stopping the brand icon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captain Colonial Posted October 9, 2013 Share Posted October 9, 2013 James, I believe that it's because the Defender is classified as a light goods vehicle rather than a passenger vehicle, and as such doesn't need to meet the more stringent Euro VI emissions requirements until September 2015, so I anticipate they'll probably stop producing the Defender in it's current 22-year old format in about May 2015. Another issue is the fact that they haven't been able to sell it in the USA since 1998 due to it not meeting safety requirements, so that's a huge market it can't sell into. They want the new model to sell 60,000-80,000 units a year, so they have to be able to sell to the States to meet this target. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SootySport Posted October 9, 2013 Share Posted October 9, 2013 I would think it's more to do NCAP approval, Defenders are not pedestrian friendly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captain Colonial Posted October 9, 2013 Share Posted October 9, 2013 Good point Bernie, hadn't considered that, which I'm sure you're right and is another issue. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FILFAN Posted October 9, 2013 Share Posted October 9, 2013 been coming a while Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dombanks Posted October 9, 2013 Author Share Posted October 9, 2013 i had a look at some pics of the dc100 and it just doesnt look right in terms of a replacement for the curent defender. tbh it looks too much like a boxy freelander. having said that the concept pics did make it look like its still a utility vehicle its a shame to see it go but i can understand it from the point of view of it being slow to make etc. the report does say that a replacement is coming in 2015 so realistically its only a year. i just hope they dont turn it into a glorified car type thing. they have the evoque for that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alexander72 Posted October 9, 2013 Share Posted October 9, 2013 cheers scott - thats weird that a landy doestn pass in america but a massive hummer does!!! (and I always think a hummer is something from anne summers) lets face it - i'd rather get run over by a defender 90 than a stretched hummer full of birds on a hen night !!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SootySport Posted October 9, 2013 Share Posted October 9, 2013 I'd rather not be run over at all James. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.