Why doesn't Land Rover do this?

[LaneRover]

OK, I know that this is the LAnd Rover Series technical forum but I think that it is pretty cool that Jeep has done these concept cars and wish that Land Rover would go down the same path with the Defender.

http://sxsnews.com/index.php/2012/03/jeep-and-mopar-unveil-six-new-vehicles-for-the-46th-annual-moab-easter-jeep-safari/

[TSR53]

Jeep scored a home run in my opinion with these concepts...

http://sxsnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/Jeep-mighty-forward-control-600x399.jpg

http://sxsnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/Jeep-Mighty-FC-1.jpg

http://sxsnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/Jeep-Mighty-FC-2.bmp

http://sxsnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/Jeep-J12-1.png

http://cdn3.worldcarfans.co/2012/3/27/large/1820888662219732111.jpg

[ThePhotographer]

You're not alone in your thoughts. I saw that FC concept and my jaw dropped...awesome. Portal axles on a forward control, please Land Rover! I'm a bit embarrassed for Land Rover when Jeep is coming out with concepts like this, and they come out with the DC-100 with 24" wheels....

[LR Max]

So...they built a Unimog?

I think LR won't ever do this because their targeted clients have changed. Jeep has really captured the "get outdoors" crowd and keeps up with that. LR seems to have lost that.

Also if LR had an event called the "Easter Land Rover Safari", they might do it.

[TSR53]

Sounds like the CEO of Jeep brand is a Brit! Krickey, very nice concepts.

XvwLX7AVZWQ

[Ncrover725]

Any idea if these will ever make it to production?

[ThePhotographer]

It'd be cool, but I don't know if there's enough of a target market for it to ever happen. The FC with a TDi would be a very cool farm vehicle.

[antichrist]

I think LR won't ever do this because their targeted clients have changed. Jeep has really captured the "get outdoors" crowd and keeps up with that. LR seems to have lost that. Land Rover didn't loose that crowd, they tossed us in the bin.

[SafeAirOne]

Any idea if these will ever make it to production?

Yes, most of these will probably not be produced. ;)

The FC is a slam-dunk "won't be produced", I'll bet.

[yorker]

Land Rover didn't loose that crowd, they tossed us in the bin.


Boy is that the truth!

[o2batsea]

They made a carbon fiber bodied Willys concept car a few years back that had my wife doing backflips. Never made it past the magazine pics stage, so she has been bugging me ever since to make one for her.



The FC is just useless. They were useless back in 1956 and they are useless now.

[yorker]

The FC is just useless. They were useless back in 1956 and they are useless now.


They were awesome for plowing snow, great payload room to wheelbase ratio too. 170s were more useful than 150s though. Both were far from useless.

[jopa]

Useless???? Where does that come from?....Short wheel base, 4 wheel drive, great load space for size, incredible view. They were a very popular utility vehicle. Not often bought by families, most were work vehicles and as such were used up/abused. Hard to find nice ones now. Useless?...no, very useful, just not a family 4x4. J

[ThePhotographer]

Yeah I'll have to completely disagree with the forward control being useless. They are great utility vehicles, if they were useless the Unimog wouldn't have been in production for over 50 years.

[masonater]

After I win Megamillions tonight, im buying all of these. The FC and pickup are 2 of the coolest rigs I have ever seen. I would love to have that FC here on island, I could park and navigate the horse buggy streets like a boss.

[LR Max]

I kinda agree with the "useless" statement. Unless my daily job involved traversing the Rubicon Trail or if I worked all over Moab all day, an American 1 ton pickup would be better. If nothing else, the fact that the bed of a regular 1 ton is only a few feet off the ground. In comparison, it looks like you'd have to lift something ABOVE your head to get it into the bed.

Don't get me wrong, it is super cool. But the fact that I used to have a 1/2 ton 2WD pickup and only had trouble with it ONCE off road. Otherwise, I fail to see how this is better than a 2WD pickup with a powerful V8 in it on the road. If I did have some "off road", I'd rather have a 1 ton 4WD with some mud tires. Off road for work is usually a wet field or a muddy track.

Or at least that is how it is here in the southeast. Might be different elsewhere. Would I drive one? No. It isn't one of the three jeeps I would ever own.

BTW the three jeeps I would own: The custom buggy my friend built a couple years ago (TJ), YJ, spring over with Classic Ford Broncos under it, one of those Jurassic Park Jeeps. I would DRIVE THE CRAP out of one of those :D.

[Skookumchuck]

I don't need one of these Jepp concepts. I just go out and drive my 68 109:D

[Cutter]

Meanwhile Land Rover makes one off champagne themed Evoques... (http://www.autoblog.com/2012/03/30/range-rover-and-aznom-craft-a-special-evoque-for-bollinger-champ/)

[ThePhotographer]

Meanwhile Land Rover makes one off champagne themed Evoques... (http://www.autoblog.com/2012/03/30/range-rover-and-aznom-craft-a-special-evoque-for-bollinger-champ/)

Ahh! The best 4x4xfail

[smukai]

Land Rover already DID do this. The FC and any series/Defender w/ a bed are more than decent answers to both of these vehicles.

Pfff....

[LaneRover]

Land Rover already DID do this. The FC and any series/Defender w/ a bed are more than decent answers to both of these vehicles.

Pfff....

If only they kept doing it . . .

[cedryck]

With the ever changing focus of Land Rover, and (LRNA) I doubt we will ever see anything that cool come from them, to America, or ever leave their drawing boards. Most unfortunate as it is, most of the Roverphiles I know still dream about a D90 entering the North American Dollar Area again, and if we dream even harder, with Diesel engines, but I seriously doubt these dreams. :mad:

[LR Max]

Most unfortunate as it is, most of the Roverphiles I know still dream about a D90 entering the North American Dollar Area again, and if we dream even harder, with Diesel engines, but I seriously doubt these dreams. :mad:

Well fortunately the older defenders are now 25 years old and rebuilt ones can be had for a reasonable penny. I hear stories of guys getting a decent truck, shipped, paid up, plates, etc for under $15k. If this is truly the case, then cool! :thumb-up:

I doubt anyone would buy the Defender if it were to come back to this market. Considering how the price of Land Rover's current line up has jumped, I get it would be SERIOUS $$$$.

So, big money, lack of refinement, small 4 cylinder engine, and reliability stereotype of british cars. Yeah, that will sell. Also all us rovers guys DIDN'T run for the Defenders when they were here! We still don't! Still too pricey!

Just to set the benchmark, it seems like a decked out Wrangler 4 door is ~$40k. I bet a base model 2 door defender would START at that here.

I want a brand new Defender. I really do. But I don't ever see the numbers working out :(

[yorker]

When it comes right down to it we are NOT the marketing niche Land Rover are targeting. They have moved upmarket and are making $ and apparently that marketing model is working for them. Selling sub $30k Defenders in the US to compete with the Wrangler just doesn't make sense for them. They NEEDED that gritty, rugged, go anywhere expedition image in the 1990 when they were new to the US market after abandoning us. Associating themselves with a bunch of grubby, oily, old series trucks just doesn't make them seem like the premier luxury line they are portraying themselves as indeed it would be counterproductive. They are all about comfort, chrome, cushions, and cash- not self reliance, exploring, and service.

[mrdoiron]

When it comes right down to it we are NOT the marketing niche Land Rover are targeting. They ahve moved upmarket and are making $ and apparently that marketing model is working for them. Selling sub #)k Defenders int he US to compete with the Wrangler just doesn't make sense for them. They NEEDED that gritty, rugged, go anywhere expedition image in the 1990 when they were new to the US market after abandoning us. Associating themselves with a bunch of grubby, oily, old series trucks just doesn't make them seem like the premier luxury line they are portraying themselves as indeed it would be counterproductive. They are all about comfort, chrome, cushions, and cash- not self reliance, exploring, and service.

Agree... one other point that our new India owners might not get, is that the Market for more luxury versions of LR came from leverageing the harder core reputation that the Series/defender types gained. The more affluent saw the reputation - and wanted to leverage that to a country club version. As LR drops the more utility versions for things like the DC100, they move further from their roots and the base concepts that ultimately provided the more expensive models their cache and attractiveness niche.

m

[o2batsea]

Useless???? Where does that come from?....Short wheel base, 4 wheel drive, great load space for size, incredible view. They were a very popular utility vehicle. Not often bought by families, most were work vehicles and as such were used up/abused. Hard to find nice ones now. Useless?...no, very useful, just not a family 4x4. J

You obviously never had one. My FIL owned three, and they were junk.

[yorker]

You obviously never had one. My FIL owned three, and they were junk.
So are Land Rovers but you've stuck with them.:p There was nothing wrong with the original FCs. Short wheel base, great turning radius, high payload capacities, decent axles on the 170s. Easy to drive, great position for seeing what you were doing when plowing. The M-677 were really nice.

[disco2hse]

http://www.winwaed.com/landy/history/fc101.shtml

http://d1ed2vcldue1cv.cloudfront.net/landy/history/101gs_photo.jpg

http://www.thesteamboatingforum.net/landrover/101s_files/image003.jpg

http://www.thesteamboatingforum.net/landrover/101s_files/image009.jpg

http://www.thesteamboatingforum.net/landrover/101s_files/image011.jpg

[I Leak Oil]

I like forward controls. A 101" has always been on my short list. They are so ugly they're beautiful!

As far as the heep FC150/170 being junk or not you know what they say...
One man's junk is another man's treasure.

[LaneRover]

Agree... one other point that our new India owners might not get, is that the Market for more luxury versions of LR came from leverageing the harder core reputation that the Series/defender types gained. The more affluent saw the reputation - and wanted to leverage that to a country club version. As LR drops the more utility versions for things like the DC100, they move further from their roots and the base concepts that ultimately provided the more expensive models their cache and attractiveness niche.

m

I completely and wholeheartedly agree with the above statement.

[o2batsea]

http://www.winwaed.com/landy/history/fc101.shtml

http://d1ed2vcldue1cv.cloudfront.net/landy/history/101gs_photo.jpg

http://www.thesteamboatingforum.net/landrover/101s_files/image003.jpg

http://www.thesteamboatingforum.net/landrover/101s_files/image009.jpg

http://www.thesteamboatingforum.net/landrover/101s_files/image011.jpg

LR FC 101s are wussy compared to a real Forward Control like a Vityaz:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qSFYCIzTBC4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RxDV8snp7-U&feature=related

[Jim-ME]

Apples compared to oranges.
Jim

[I Leak Oil]

LR FC 101s are wussy compared to a real Forward Control like a Vityaz:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qSFYCIzTBC4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RxDV8snp7-U&feature=related

True, but the Vityaz has nothing on my X-Wing...:thumb-up:

[yorker]

Vityaz Transporters are cool but good luck driving them anywhere legally. Their service schedule is a nightmare too, they drive anywhere when they aren't broken and if you can get parts and IF those parts will even fit and work. I guess in that light they are kind of like a Land Rover.

In any case these concept cars are definitely a success for jeep- they've gotten more free PR off that FC than anything they've had out for years. Which was the whole point to begin with.

I'll just buy a C303 or L-3314 at least they exist.

[yorker]

True, but the Vityaz has nothing on my X-Wing...:thumb-up:


Really? I always had you figured for the TIE fighter type.:sly:

[I Leak Oil]

Really? I always had you figured for the TIE fighter type.:sly:

Traded my TIE fighter for the X-wing after I got rid of my last heep. Couldn't stand the dark side any longer.....

[czenkov]

Selling sub $30k Defenders in the US to compete with the Wrangler just doesn't make sense for them.

I agree because I don't think they have a 90 even in the home market that sells <$30k US. I think I saw a post somewhere else where an Aussie stated they were +/- $70k there, so expect that kind of price here. As a D90 owner I can tell you all that they are amazing. Different than my Series but amazing nonetheless. And I bought mine by "accident", the D90 was priced extremely right. Wasn't even looking for one at the time.

[ThePhotographer]

I agree because I don't think they have a 90 even in the home market that sells <$30k US. I think I saw a post somewhere else where an Aussie stated they were +/- $70k there, so expect that kind of price here. As a D90 owner I can tell you all that they are amazing. Different than my Series but amazing nonetheless. And I bought mine by "accident", the D90 was priced extremely right. Wasn't even looking for one at the time.

True, in the UK a brand new 90/110 goes for around $32k US dollar.

[martindktm]

I would take that Fc anytime but without the portal...4x4 yes but without those portal. Not useful in everyday life. But I would kill for Land Rover to import the defender 130 pickup diesel...I would forgot those Jeep's very fast.

[JimCT]

That i do not understand, the portal axles on our Mog make it what it is. Here in New England we have lots of rocks, and being able to driver over them and not around them works so well.

[martindktm]

I think like that because I would not take such a vehicule in extreme off road. Too much wheelbase for tight spot and make the vehicule too high to load stuff easily in the bed.

But a specicial edition jeep rubicon short wheelbase with those portal would be my choice for extreme off road not the FC. We just think different because our usage of the FC would not be the same.