Defender 90: North American return?

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Steve Grauman - 17 Oct 2004 10:53 GMT

I'm trying to spur some conversations here I guess. But I was thinking about
how cool the Defender 90 was/is and how dissapointing it is that the model has
been missing from the U.S. for so long. Considering how "bare bones" they are,
I don't see any reason why the 90 and 110 couldn't be returned to the U.S.
market with price tags between 32 and 40 thousand dollars USD to slot between
the Freelander and LR3 (Discovery 3) in the lineup. The LR3 starts at $44k here
which is a bit much for many people. Any possibility of this?
Steve Grauman

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Huw - 17 Oct 2004 11:28 GMT

> I'm trying to spur some conversations here I guess. But I was thinking
> about
[quoted text clipped - 9 lines]
> which is a bit much for many people. Any possibility of this?
> Steve Grauman

None whatsoever as the model is today.
It does not meet your safety requirements. It's not good enough for you.
It is ironic that our masters, for the sake of a few jobs in the midlands,
lets it be sold here as long as the body or chassis is not substantially
modified. If it were modified by the factory, it would have to go through
modern crash tests and meet rollover standards that it would have no hope in
Hell of passing.
If only they would bring a completely new model out, based on LR3 perhaps,
then you may again see a Defender. Just don't hold your breath.

Huw

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Steve Grauman - 17 Oct 2004 23:39 GMT

>based on LR3 perhaps,
>then you may again see a Defender. Just don't hold your breath.

I think an LR3 based model would render it to expensive for the U.S. market.
It'd need to start well below the $44k starting price of the LR3 to have a
market here. I'm not holding my breath though.
Steve Grauman

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Bob Hobden - 18 Oct 2004 16:57 GMT

"Steve Grauman" wrote > >based on LR3 perhaps,

>>then you may again see a Defender. Just don't hold your breath.
>
> I think an LR3 based model would render it to expensive for the U.S.
> market.
> It'd need to start well below the $44k starting price of the LR3 to have a
> market here. I'm not holding my breath though.

My understanding is that LR are currently looking at a Defender type vehicle
using the TD5 chassis (new LR3/Disco 3) as it's called. The problem is
Defenders are mainly hand built because of the numerous configuration types
needed to fulfil the commercial market it is designed for. This causes
problems for the "bean counters".

There is also rumour they are looking at a cheaper, Suzuki Justy, type
vehicle, basic, go anywhere, cheap and with the chunky Defender type looks.
Based on an existing Ford floorpan no doubt.

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Regards
Bob
In Runnymede, 17 miles West of London

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Regards
Bob
In Runnymede, 17 miles West of London

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