New Defender - Land rover micro site

[Highway star]

Jaguar Land Rover loses Defender ruling against Sir Jim Ratcliffe

Jaguar Land Rover has lost an attempt to trademark the shape of its old Defender 4x4 after a long-running battle with tycoon Sir Jim Ratcliffe, writes John Collingridge.Ineos boss Ratcliffe, who plans to make a new off-road vehicle in south Wales called the Grenadier, challenged JLR’s retrospective

www.thetimes.co.uk

I think jaguar landrover might be worried!

 

[ford4000]

The XC90 averages about 38mpg and consistently does 39mpg on long runs with lots of motorways driven at up to 80mph for long periods. Best I've managed is 44mpg with economy driving forced due to traffic conditions. Of course instant readouts or zeroing the counter before a long downhill section gives silly ridiculous figures but mine are easily achievable. Also easy to get it down to 32mpg when driven hard.
I never take any notice of short journey [less than 10 mile] figures, because from a cold start the dash is always pessimistic. Nevertheless my average figure includes all journeys, however long or short.
For longer journeys I have found the dash to be about 0.5mpg optimistic when measured by pump readout and distance covered.

It is an 8 speed, but Volvo use AW transmissions as do Audi Q7 V6 diesels[and its derivatives], but in longitudinal form rather than the Volvo's transverse version [the same as many Toyota and Lexus cars that use the same box].

My Honda has a nine speed transverse ZF auto which is every bit as good, although more noisy [it groans a bit sometimes]. It doesn't do the longer trips that the Volvo does and usually not more than 100 mile round trips with no motorway. This means that, to me knowledge, it has yet to shift into 9th gear. I've been up to 70mph in it and that isn't quite fast enough to change into top.


The Honda is slightly more powerful and torquey than my Ford Ranger2.2, from a 1.6 twin turbo, and does an average of 42mpg with 50 attainable driven sensibly on longer routes. It does weigh half a ton less than either Volvo or Ranger though.

Even so the Ranger only ever manages a best of 30mpg. This is with the six speed automatic. [Averages between 18 and 22mpg on general farm work/towing] The Ford engine is notoriously thirsty by today's standards and the new 2.0 Ford with ten speed auto should achieve 35 to 38mpg with more power and performance available.

The XC90 averages about 38mpg and consistently does 39mpg on long runs with lots of motorways driven at up to 80mph for long periods. Best I've managed is 44mpg with economy driving forced due to traffic conditions. Of course instant readouts or zeroing the counter before a long downhill section gives silly ridiculous figures but mine are easily achievable. Also easy to get it down to 32mpg when driven hard.
I never take any notice of short journey [less than 10 mile] figures, because from a cold start the dash is always pessimistic. Nevertheless my average figure includes all journeys, however long or short.
For longer journeys I have found the dash to be about 0.5mpg optimistic when measured by pump readout and distance covered.

It is an 8 speed, but Volvo use AW transmissions as do Audi Q7 V6 diesels[and its derivatives], but in longitudinal form rather than the Volvo's transverse version [the same as many Toyota and Lexus cars that use the same box].

My Honda has a nine speed transverse ZF auto which is every bit as good, although more noisy [it groans a bit sometimes]. It doesn't do the longer trips that the Volvo does and usually not more than 100 mile round trips with no motorway. This means that, to me knowledge, it has yet to shift into 9th gear. I've been up to 70mph in it and that isn't quite fast enough to change into top.


The Honda is slightly more powerful and torquey than my Ford Ranger2.2, from a 1.6 twin turbo, and does an average of 42mpg with 50 attainable driven sensibly on longer routes. It does weigh half a ton less than either Volvo or Ranger though.

Even so the Ranger only ever manages a best of 30mpg. This is with the six speed automatic. [Averages between 18 and 22mpg on general farm work/towing] The Ford engine is notoriously thirsty by today's standards and the new 2.0 Ford with ten speed auto should achieve 35 to 38mpg with more power and performance available.

Our less powerful, manual 2 wheel drive Honda always shows an average of 52-55 mpg per tankful on the screen, mostly half hour journeys on country A roads.
I filled it up in Hereford this summer, and by the time I got home, a 70 mile journey, the car was saying it had averaged 73mpg!! 6th gear is nicely geared for running at 55mph

 

[ford4000]

Looks a big old thing!

 

[Cowabunga]

Jaguar Land Rover loses Defender ruling against Sir Jim Ratcliffe

Jaguar Land Rover has lost an attempt to trademark the shape of its old Defender 4x4 after a long-running battle with tycoon Sir Jim Ratcliffe, writes John Collingridge.Ineos boss Ratcliffe, who plans to make a new off-road vehicle in south Wales called the Grenadier, challenged JLR’s retrospective

www.thetimes.co.uk

I think jaguar landrover might be worried!

Can't see why JLR would bother. They decided to abandon investment in this category of vehicle ages ago and have already given it away with no fight to rivals. You only have to look at any car park where there is a gathering of farmers.

 

[Cowabunga]

Our less powerful, manual 2 wheel drive Honda always shows an average of 52-55 mpg per tankful on the screen, mostly half hour journeys on country A roads.
I filled it up in Hereford this summer, and by the time I got home, a 70 mile journey, the car was saying it had averaged 73mpg!! 6th gear is nicely geared for running at 55mph

Is that a 1.6 diesel 2wd version?

 

[ford4000]

Is that a 1.6 diesel 2wd version?

Yes that's it.

 

[Cowabunga]

Yes that's it.

Thought so. My twin turbo 4wd with the auto transmission does around 44 on average, but it doesn't do many long journeys. It's not that much better really than my XC90, although driven hard the gap widens with the Honda getting down to 39 and Volvo to 30mpg.

I can get 50mpg out of the Honda if I drive like a nun in a Morris Minor. Similarly the Volvo gets to 44. But that's not normal driving for me.
My Mrs drives slower than me but can never match my fuel consumption. She invariably uses more fuel per journey for some reason.

 

[DaveGrohl]

Looks a big old thing!
View attachment 844298

Crikey it's massive. Difference in wheelbase is huge.

 

[oldoaktree]

Crikey it's massive. Difference in wheelbase is huge.

You do know the one in the picture is a LWB one there's a SWB due to arrive in the some time never future

 

[DaveGrohl]

You do know the one in the picture is a LWB one there's a SWB due to arrive in the some time never future

I do indeed and was expecting someone to pull me up on it thanks.

 

[Pond digger]

You do know the one in the picture is a LWB one there's a SWB due to arrive in the some time never future

But even so, it still looks MASSIVE.

 

[Rowland]

But even so, it still looks MASSIVE.

Think it’s a tad smaller than the Disco 4

 

[Tubbylew]

But even so, it still looks MASSIVE.

Thats what she said..

 

[Pond digger]

Thats what she said..

Well aren’t you the lucky fella!

 

[Nithsdale]

Can't remember if it was this thread or not... someone was saying not too long ago that there are no 'solid' demo Defenders in showrooms, specs are vague etc and they are still MILES off starting any real production...


Well I just saw this on FB, so they are making them. 60 away to the USA

 

[Farmer_Joe]

i would quote like to see one!

 

[Cowabunga]

What I actually said was that no consumer retail cars had been built by early December and that they were only starting to build press fleet vehicles for worldwide distribution around the begining of the third week in December. Some people insisted that they were already being retailed and on the road in the UK at the beginning of December, which was patently not the case. There were only a tiny number of pre-production test vehicles in use. They didn't even have full production spec vehicles to show any customers just before Christmas and I went to see the vehicle both at the factory and, later, at my dealer's. All pre-production and obviously so the more you looked in detail at them.

Nice to see that they are now rolling off the line though. At long last. I've never ever seen such a long drawn out launch of a new model. I had my deposit in since early last May. They released the official photos and videos of the pre-production models since September. Usually once a model has been announced, by the time of the first viewings and press uncovering, dealers will have imminent deliveries. Not this time.

By the way, I've not factory ordered one and have now had my deposit refunded.

 

[Martin Holden]

What I actually said was that no consumer retail cars had been built by early December and that they were only starting to build press fleet vehicles for worldwide distribution around the begining of the third week in December. Some people insisted that they were already being retailed and on the road in the UK at the beginning of December, which was patently not the case. There were only a tiny number of pre-production test vehicles in use. They didn't even have full production spec vehicles to show any customers just before Christmas and I went to see the vehicle both at the factory and, later, at my dealer's. All pre-production and obviously so the more you looked in detail at them.

Nice to see that they are now rolling off the line though. At long last. I've never ever seen such a long drawn out launch of a new model. I had my deposit in since early last May. They released the official photos and videos of the pre-production models since September. Usually once a model has been announced, by the time of the first viewings and press uncovering, dealers will have imminent deliveries. Not this time.

By the way, I've not factory ordered one and have now had my deposit refunded.

Aha, so you’re not going to be the proud owner of a new one now! Trouble is you are not their target market of course. Jim Ratcliffes re incarnation looks interesting but i wonder if they will ever reach critical mass?

 

[Cowabunga]

Aha, so you’re not going to be the proud owner of a new one now! Trouble is you are not their target market of course. Jim Ratcliffes re incarnation looks interesting but i wonder if they will ever reach critical mass?

Having owned a series of Range Rovers, Q7, X5 and Mercedes ML in my day, I possibly am. However the launch has been so long drawn out, all the excitement has gone out of the job and, to be honest, I'm not overly impressed with the vehicle in the metal, having seen a few preproduction models close up. It is basically a rebodied Disco5 with far too much in-your-face styling and bling. It's more suited to the travelling community than to my taste. Also I have a decreasing need or desire for my next vehicle to tow 3.5 tons or even be so big and bulky.
Not sure what to do in March when the Volvo is due to go off lease. I really like it, so might buy it and run it for another few years. Seems the sensible thing to do, along with getting an extended warranty. It is still a current top of the range car and I apart from the Disco5 I can't think of any other I prefer. Now that the D5 is foreign built, it gets no preferential position. However I can buy the Volvo out for less than half the price of a similarly equipped new Disco5, so why would I inflict the potential hassle on myself? A new Volvo costs about the same as the Defender First Edition or the Discovery SE with extras. These are the conundrums I'm playing with at the moment. I've got eight weeks or so to decide. Might even downsize. Or go one car short for a while until something really does catch my eye that gets me really excited and wanting it.



Might decide to throw money at my lovely Land Cruiser Amazon to get it back on the road. I hate seeing it parked up with its 100% good engine, transmission and body after 20 years of faithful service.

 

[Martin Holden]

Having owned a series of Range Rovers, Q7, X5 and Mercedes ML in my day, I possibly am. However the launch has been so long drawn out, all the excitement has gone out of the job and, to be honest, I'm not overly impressed with the vehicle in the metal, having seen a few preproduction models close up. It is basically a rebodied Disco5 with far too much in-your-face styling and bling. It's more suited to the travelling community than to my taste. Also I have a decreasing need or desire for my next vehicle to tow 3.5 tons or even be so big and bulky.
Not sure what to do in March when the Volvo is due to go off lease. I really like it, so might buy it and run it for another few years. Seems the sensible thing to do, along with getting an extended warranty. It is still a current top of the range car and I apart from the Disco5 I can't think of any other I prefer. Now that the D5 is foreign built, it gets no preferential position. However I can buy the Volvo out for less than half the price of a similarly equipped new Disco5, so why would I inflict the potential hassle on myself? A new Volvo costs about the same as the Defender First Edition or the Discovery SE with extras. These are the conundrums I'm playing with at the moment. I've got eight weeks or so to decide. Might even downsize. Or go one car short for a while until something really does catch my eye that gets me really excited and wanting it.



Might decide to throw money at my lovely Land Cruiser Amazon to get it back on the road. I hate seeing it parked up with its 100% good engine, transmission and body after 20 years of faithful service.

Yeh, go for it with the Cruiser!