While Land Rover makes hay from Range Rovers, it is the Defender that gives all Land Rovers the authenticity and credibility of the true 4x4 go-anywhere image the company has built itself on.
While the Defender, fully unveiled earlier this week at the Frankfurt motor show, answers questions about the direction of Land Rover’s brand and model range – chiefly that it can still do something other than Range Rovers – it throws up some new ones, most notably around the Land Rover Discovery.
Intriguingly, in its styling the reborn Defender feels as much a successor to the acclaimed Discovery 4 as it does the iconic original 4x4. The Discovery, meanwhile, has always felt too close to a Range Rover to have a character of its own in its fifth generation, and it has not had the commercial success of the Range Rovers to back-up its significant shift in direction.
By giving it such a distinct character and not subjecting the Defender to the same ‘Range Roverisation’ as the Discovery shows just how alive and well creativity remains at Land Rover.
Tantalisingly, it also now leaves a gaping hole between the Range Rover at one end of its range and the Defender at the other in which the Discovery - and other future models - can really innovate as all the great Land Rovers have done.
Read more
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Opinion: What a Defender owner thinks of the new Defender
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Why the vitriol?
Blimey, everyone's got it in for the D5! As context I have had D3 (catastrophically unreliable and lasted only 5 moths with me) and D4 (had 3 years 3 months 45k miles never went wrong apart from refusing to start for 10 minutes once), wife on second freelander. Had test drive of D5 and would have bought if electric option - have an iPace, whcih is a bit small for us
The Def 110 does not quite replace the D4 as the third row of seats is +2 not full size as in D4/D5. We dont know yet if 130 will have better third row seats or larger boot. In fact the D5 is the only car made by LR that has full size row three seats, so if you want to carry 7 adults with comfort you cannot choose the RRS. The middle row is more comfortable in the Disco Sport though than D5 - latter has the floor too high (albeit when I tried middle row in my D4 I was surprised to find it similar)
The D5 is the only car that works as a limo, long distance driver, 7-seater, 3.5-tonnes-tower and off roader - used my D4 for all of those things. There is nothing like it in that respect - though will be interesting to see how Def 130 compares. Seems likely from manufacturing perspective that 130 will have same locaiton for seats as 110 - pushing them back would likely be too expensive so, if still +2 then not a repalcement for D5
This thing about the D5 prices outpacing inflation - most cars' list prices have gone up way faster than inflation in recent years. Mercedes GLE starts at about £55k now, BMW X5 £57k, Audi Q7 at £56k. So equivalent to D5 SE which starts at £54k
Still, my wife much prefers the squarer shape of the D4 and new Defender to D5 and would not have a Disco Sport to replace her freelander - maybe a defender in a few years
Why the vitriol?
Blimey, everyone's got it in for the D5! As context I have had D3 (catastrophically unreliable and lasted only 5 moths with me) and D4 (had 3 years 3 months 45k miles never went wrong apart from refusing to start for 10 minutes once), wife on second freelander. Had test drive of D5 and would have bought if electric option - have an iPace, whcih is a bit small for us
The Def 110 does not quite replace the D4 as the third row of seats is +2 not full size as in D4/D5. We dont know yet if 130 will have better third row seats or larger boot. In fact the D5 is the only car made by LR that has full size row three seats, so if you want to carry 7 adults with comfort you cannot choose the RRS. The middle row is more comfortable in the Disco Sport though than D5 - latter has the floor too high (albeit when I tried middle row in my D4 I was surprised to find it similar)
The D5 is the only car that works as a limo, long distance driver, 7-seater, 3.5-tonnes-tower and off roader - used my D4 for all of those things. There is nothing like it in that respect - though will be interesting to see how Def 130 compares. Seems likely from manufacturing perspective that 130 will have same locaiton for seats as 110 - pushing them back would likely be too expensive so, if still +2 then not a repalcement for D5
This thing about the D5 prices outpacing inflation - most cars' list prices have gone up way faster than inflation in recent years. Mercedes GLE starts at about £55k now, BMW X5 £57k, Audi Q7 at £56k. So equivalent to D5 SE which starts at £54k
Still, my wife much prefers the squarer shape of the D4 and new Defender to D5 and would not have a Disco Sport to replace her freelander - maybe a defender in a few years
Whilst I don't like the disco