New Defender News

DieselRanger

Well-known member
Before I forget this - Weirdest interview ever. Do these JLR engineers live in caves? Never spent a day on the trail? Ever built a 4x4 on their own? Seriously?
Well, recall the D1 and D2 did just fine on 15 inch wheels and 70 series tires, with an outside diameter smaller than today's 32's offered standard on the D5.
 

Carson G

Well-known member
Nailed it; not to mention sprung and unsprung weight and what that does to the entire driveline in all kinds of areas. Big reason why warranties could be different on factory modified vehicles and cost is huge because they realize most likely they will see the vehicle in more. Also funny how many warranties do NOT cover off-road wear and tear and NOT normal wear and use the manufacturer is responsible for.


My 4 banger build is still in my account for this exact reason. I just want to see one really good straight up 4 banger review all about just that configuration. I don't want to be the first one so I am waiting on @JackW :D:p:ROFLMAO: I tend to steer away from first year vehicles of any kind anyway. I'll be buying a year or so down the road or longer if its new or wait for a lease turn over and take advantage of someone else's ******-beating on depreciation.



Agreed!



That engine is near bullet-proof and what really made the Ranger such a great vehicle for so many years. My brother's first new truck was a V6 Ranger 4x4 and he drove it for 370k miles before he sold it to my cousin's kit for a cheap farm wagon where it got another 50k or so on it of farm abuse. Great engine, gutless transmission which Ford is notorious for.
It also has the alternator mounted up high near the intake manifold which is nice for wading.
 

JackW

Explorer
Well, recall the D1 and D2 did just fine on 15 inch wheels and 70 series tires, with an outside diameter smaller than today's 32's offered standard on the D5.

The D1, D2, Range Rover Classics and Defenders were all on 16" wheels. Early Series trucks were on 16's as well, later US market 88" Land Rovers were sold here with 15" wheels in order to meet US bumper height regulations.
 

mpinco

Expedition Leader
JLR in rescue talks with state for another $2 Billion loan and another $2 Billion in special programs as UK sales drop to levels last seen after WWII.
 
JLR in rescue talks with state for another $2 Billion loan and another $2 Billion in special programs as UK sales drop to levels last seen after WWII.

I haven't really followed global markets so I apologize to our friends outside the US as we currently manage our situation here. I do not think JLR is any different than the rest of the planet during this pandemic.

The thing to realize, at least in the US, we were not in a recession but the strongest economic job markets and financial markets we've had in history. The pandemic hit and "reaction" leading us now into a recession as a result of locking the doors overnight; if we do not get back to work as a nation and as a planet; this will be a global recession. This was event driven and the reaction or lack their off is/will lead us to recession if not changed quickly.

Key points, recessions are very much individually based for people and for businesses and to be honest, the stock market is a EKG of the richest people on the planet's feelings that day and not really anything else.

Sucks for everyone and although JLR's sales were rough before, COVID is the catalyst that is forcing this bailout. We in the US have already bailed out the biggest corporations on numerous occasions, didn't take COVID or a genius to see this coming. Meanwhile these corporations lay off their workforce and collect a bailout with little to no hope many of those jobs will come back; what's the bailout for, to capitalize on tech and replace the worker and still get paid for many of the "big" businesses who took "small" business bailout money.

Not turning this into a political speech, just saying JLR is far from being alone and if they are just getting their bailout plan now, I'd say they are about 2 months behind those in the US who have already been bailed out this year and many years before!

Of course I hope this is time for corporations like JLR to find ways to trim the fat in things that are not working and not selling; not their general workforce people but their products and the decision maker people up top who are not moving a business forward in the right direction. I would personally love to see JLR re-align their vehicle options like FORD did; stop production on any vehicle that does not sell, retrain and repurpose those assy lines and workforce to build vehicles that are selling, and then capitalize and innovate new design.

Just like I want to see the new Defender succeed, I want to see JLR succeed not only for my desire to get a great product on a vehicle I love but for the thousands of people behind the scenes who are doing just that; attempting to put together and deliver a great product to people like me who love them.

Off my soap box!
 

mpinco

Expedition Leader
Another 4 Billion after a $4 Billion write-off. JLR had issues before covid that were aggregated by covid. Diesels sales and government push for EV hasn't helped. Not only are customers putting the brakes on new car sales the product line feels wrong. As I look across LR products there isn't a single new product I would consider to replace my 5.0l LR4. I'm not interested in EV or hybrids. The D5 is out. The new Defender is not here, too new with spec and cost issues. Range Rover? Ouch. Maybe a RR tdv6 when they depreciate?

Wait and see. Don't see anything promising for several years given development cycles.
 

mpinco

Expedition Leader
JLR was actually on a bit of a relative tear sales wise...they set several personal bests in December 2019, especially in the US.

Otherwise totally agree.

They did push volumes up with aggressive marketing and discounts but the trajectory was already baked in.

The Wheels Have Come Off at Jaguar Land Rover

That was the $4 Billion write down. The new 'rescue' package is another $4 Billion. The EV push is hugely expensive with little to no benefit to Land Rover. Jaguar has become an anchor.
 

catmann

Active member
Can someone who has seen one in person confirm if the headlights have an external shell (like most headlights) that is flush with the body or are they actually inset and you can stick your fingers "inside" a bit (like there would be a flat ledge in the black area that you could wipe dust with your fingers kind of thing). I see the various images and sometimes it looks one way and sometimes another.
 

umbertob

Adventurer
Can someone who has seen one in person confirm if the headlights have an external shell (like most headlights) that is flush with the body or are they actually inset and you can stick your fingers "inside" a bit (like there would be a flat ledge in the black area that you could wipe dust with your fingers kind of thing). I see the various images and sometimes it looks one way and sometimes another.

There's a plastic clear lens within the front black frame of the headlights cluster, it's flush with the bodywork.

PS: I see what you mean, in some photos the lens definitely seems to be missing. Perhaps it photographs better that way.
 
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