Jeep vs Defender

[kre62]

Bottom line

Do you think there are trails the new defender can’t go that a stock Rubicon can?

Absolutely. Anything really rocky, the defender will lose with limited articulation. When they were at Moab, they only went on moderate to light trails for a reason.

This "Pretender" is just that - a unibody crossover dressed in drag, pretending to be a true off roader.

Sponsored

 

[DaveNH]

Contrarian view - I think the 2 door model is pretty cool looking, and if it had a removable roof like the original, would at least tempt me to see one in the flesh.

What are your thoughts on this?

https://jalopnik.com/the-2020-land-rover-defender-90-offers-a-huge-fake-pill-1838033156

 

[Arterius2]

What are your thoughts on this?

https://jalopnik.com/the-2020-land-rover-defender-90-offers-a-huge-fake-pill-1838033156

Surprise!(not) New Land Rover's design prioritize looks over utility.

Seems to perfectly match the personality of its user base though. Those Starbucks curbs can be treacherous sometimes.

 

[Hudson]

What are your thoughts on this?

https://jalopnik.com/the-2020-land-rover-defender-90-offers-a-huge-fake-pill-1838033156

I recently owned a BMW Z4M Coupe, which had significantly worse visibility. So probably not the right person to opine. It does seem like something that should be optional, given that it does have functionality that few owners will actually use.

Re: the mall crawler references. I also own and ride motorcycles, including the KTM 1190R, which is a more focused, more capable, less comfortable ADV bike than the BMW GS 1200. Similar comments on the KTM forums about the BMW owners farkling their bikes with accessories so they can mount an expedition to Starbucks. But ride a GS and you understand that they are eminently capable, wonderful all around bikes - the kind you would choose if you could only pick one. The KTM is the superior off road performer, but it is outsold by the GS because its purpose is more limited. That neither makes it the better choice or makes the GS an inferior choice.

Me - I think all good bikes go to heaven, just like I think all good 4wd rigs go to heaven. Hurling insults at another rig because it can't crawl up the side of steep boulders? That's what people do when they lack the confidence of their own choices and need to minimize the choice they didn't make, or need to feel superior in the choice they did make. I say - choose what you like, enjoy it the way you want, and be happy there is a wealth of great 4wd options in the market. Life would be especially more boring if we all drove Wranglers.

Especially 4 doors, which clearly aren't real Jeeps anyway...

 

[Rogues Gambit]

Surprise!(not) New Land Rovers design prioritize looks over utility.

Seems to perfectly match the personality of its user base though. Those Starbucks curbs can be treacherous sometimes.

Do they offer mall crawling courses at the LR dealerships as well?

 

[Rogues Gambit]

Absolutely. Anything really rocky, the defender will lose with limited articulation. When they were at Moab, they only went on moderate to light trails for a reason.

This "Pretender" is just that - a unibody crossover dressed in drag, pretending to be a true off roader.

Sadly, it'll sell. I'll see tons of them in my area xD

 

[Bic]

It will probably sell very well. Most car buyers don't actually care how many boulders it can climb or which rivers it can drive through. I read several forums for different makes/models, and it's a common theme on all of them that the members forget that the manufacturer needs to please the masses in order to make money. The members of online forums are passionate enthusiasts, but we are also the minority.

 

[kre62]

It will probably sell very well. Most car buyers don't actually care how many boulders it can climb or which rivers it can drive through. I read several forums for different makes/models, and it's a common theme on all of them that the members forget that the manufacturer needs to please the masses in order to make money. The members of online forums are passionate enthusiasts, but we are also the minority.

I dont think it will sell very well. It looks like a toy. Its not rugged looking enough for the wanna-bes to buy it. It has no street cred that they can mooch off of. The purists will obviously stay away as well.

I thin this will be a massive failure for JLR.

 

[NoBigDeal]

I can actually see this being potentially popular with the overlanding crowd. The almost one ton payload capacity, plus an off the lot ready to go rig for around 55k would, I believe, be pretty appealing to a lot of people.

 

[Rudolph Hart]

The Defender has a new platform, it shares nothing with the Discovery

 

[Rudolph Hart]

Surely the factory equipment on the Rubicon, the transfer case, the lockers etc are the ‘real advantage’.

I’m not sure how you can make the Sahara/Defender comparison about off road capability...unless you’ve driven both?

 

[COSJL]

Not a fan of the styling. Honda element with angry birds headlights? What were they thinking?

Sponsored