Let's Go Beyond

Before I dive into this, I should probably do a very un-Land Rover-like thing and set some boundaries. So by now you will have understood that the question of the day is: what should the new Defender look like? This means that I will be limiting my reflections to what I think the exterior of the new Defender should look like. I will not be going off-piste with reflections on transmission, engines, suspension and all that technical jazz. JLR are well placed in these areas and Defender shall no doubt be an even more awesome beast in the terrain and on tarmac than it already is (well, it is, at least, in the former) thanks to its technical features. However, it is imperative that it should look good while doing all of that.

So this is nothing new. There already are quite a few online forums addressing the issue of the new Defender, in particular spawned by the hideousness that was the DC 100. Consequently, most comments appeared to highlight the missed opportunities and design flaws of the DC 100 but were not particularly helpful in telling JLR what we exactly want to see in the new Defender.  There were obviously voices loud enough to persuade JLR to drop the DC 100 as a Defender replacement, but did they tell them what our four wheeled companion ought to look like?  I am yet to come across a concept out there that is worth being considered a true contender for the next Defender. A quick search on the web revealed these:

 

I think that each one of these misses the point. It' s time to Go Beyond....

 



initial ramblings

Early October (2013) JaguarLandRover (JLR) announced that the last of the Defenders will roll off production lines in December 2015.

With a little over two years to go, no doubt a successor will have already materialized within the confines of JLR's design center and will arguably remain the best kept secret in automotive kingdom until its official unveiling in 2016.

Nevertheless it's fun to muse over what the new Defender (for the ease of reference let's assume that it is going to be called "Defender') should look like and possibly help the folks at JLR rearrange their thoughts. What the new Defender might look like is not a matter I consider worth dwelling on and is as appealing to me as watching water boil. We know that it is going to have to sell in most if not all the 177 countries JLR has a presence in and will have to meet all applicable regulations - the latter being the reason given for having to redesign the current vehicle. Add your 21st century excuses and other boring stuff to the mix and we will have a vehicle that follows a silhoutte which is more akin to its offspring (Evoque/Range Rover Sport/Range Rover) than its own lineage (Series, I, II, III, 90/110). If the DC 100 is anything to go by, then JLR can certainly use some help from those of us who have made this car a part of our lives and, despite its many shortcomings, have learned to love. Moreover, we are not really waiting for a replacement.

In JLR's defence, judging by the words of John Edwards - head of JLR's Individual Products Division, they seem to have come around and would gladly forget the DC 100 embarassment sooner rather than later: ' We are determined that the new Defender will be true to its heritage while meeting the requirements of a changing global market'. Edwards went on to say: "like no other vehicle, Defender inspires affection and loyalty the world over. It inspires people to go beyond, whether they are explorers, ecologists, UN aid workers or Red Cross medics." He said the Defender is "known and loved the world over" and that its replacement would be "instantly recognized" by anyone who knows the current vehicle and "that the core values of dependability [did I just cough and utter an obscenity? - TD] and functionality" would be retained¹. Hear, hear!

So, in the words of one Mr. Robert Plant, let's ramble on. What should the new Defender look like?

 

1. quotes taken from www.dailymail.co.uk. Article by Ray Massey, published 14:52 GMT 8 October 2013, updated 10:11 GMT 9 October 2013.