Have LandRover given up on off-road vehicles?

[Crispin]

Gasp - I was reading this - http://www.plymouthherald.co.uk/roa...ry-sport-hse/story-29421870-detail/story.html

If LR have stopped the 90 and the discos no longer have a solid rear axle, what is left?
In 10-15 years time when the last Defender drives off without it's rear axle and is finally put to rest, is that it?

I wonder if / when Toyota will follow? The 150 and 200 both have solid rear axles, I wonder if the next variant will have them too?
Perhaps that they are still the vehicle of choice in Africa / Middle-East they will continue.

 

[Rob Cowell]

That's a Disco Sport, the replacement Freelander. Not a a Disco. I didn't read the article though, so apologies if it says the Disco is losing the solid axle.

 

[Philip A]

It's been years that Land Rover has not produced one single bush-worthy vehicle, not even trail-worthy - and they've only gotten worse with every new model.

I operate vehicles off-road in Africa for a living, and still own two Land Rovers, along Land Cruisers and other vehicles: if anyone from Solihull is listening right now, I'm ready to chop my last Land Rover in very tiny bits and force him to swallow the lot, with a couple of shovels of dirt to help with the taste.

 

[Shayne]

Landrover will always be an off road vehicle ................ abandoned on pavements or being carted about on a trailer or lorry continuing the tradition

 

[Dieseldragon]

Think last disco with solid axle was the series 2. Disco 3 was all independent

 

[StarCruiser]

Landrover will always be an off road vehicle ................ abandoned on pavements or being carted about on a trailer or lorry continuing the tradition

It's funny you should say that Shayne. It was Lynn that noticed, every long run we do we pretty much always see a broken down Land Rover, at the side of the road, on a truck, being towed, even had one with the wheel half a mile up the road and a Police rolling roadblock in front of us so his poor mate could go and play fetch with it. It's getting to be one of those travel games to ease the boredom on the motorways.

 

[Ian Chuter]

It's funny you should say that Shayne. It was Lynn that noticed, every long run we do we pretty much always see a broken down Land Rover, at the side of the road, on a truck, being towed, even had one with the wheel half a mile up the road and a Police rolling roadblock in front of us so his poor mate could go and play fetch with it. It's getting to be one of those travel fames to ease the boredom on the motorways.

We used to count Eddie Stobart lorry's............Maybe we'll try this new game

 

[mrdelmonti]

I think it's likely Toyota will do the same, for the UK at least. They've already stopped selling the 200 here and how many people in the UK buy a 150 and make use of the solid rear axle? I'm guessing not a lot.

 

[GeekOKent]

Toyota are also going to stop selling the LC brand in the US and Canada, they are not selling a whole lot there either.

A good friend works with LR and says that they are still trying to work out a utility work vehicle that can be supported to 200k miles life cycle. So who knows. They did promise to bring back the Defender brand 2018.

 

[StarCruiser]

I think personally the only reason the Defender survived was the military use. Once that stopped it was only a matter of time.

Supporting a Land Rover to 200k miles… that could take the work of an army to achieve…

 

[Shayne]

I take the piss out of landrover constantly but the truth is the defender has always had a meccano set appeal to me . Everyone stopped making proper 4x4's years ago and those that are left will soon become classics .

If you were born today i reckon your only option by the time your old enough would be to build a kit car 4x4 , but of course kit cars will be banned by then .

 

[chapel gate]

There popular with utility companies and very popular with arborists. there also still a favourite with farmers round here.

 

[MarkW]

Don't suzuki and toyota still make proper 4x4's? The Jimny and 70 series

 

[Shayne]

Must admit i forgot about Suzuki but the prospect of owning one doesn't exactly make me giddy with joy .

Toyota make the 70 for the select few so for me no they produce nothing .

 

[GeekOKent]

Jeep and Nissan still do 4x4's in some markets, nothing for us in the UK though.

 

[MarkW]

Forgot about jeep, they are getting more popular over here, I know one overland organisation that has retired their defender in favour of a jeep.

 

[chapel gate]

For me the landrover was a proper truck. Bolt off body sections. Flat bed, flat bed with twin cab. Bolt a cherry picker on, a hiab, a chipper box that tipped. A luton body etc. A very usefull and versatile tool that was good in off road conditions.

 

[moggy1968]

you can import a 70 though if you want a good old fashioned back to basics 4x4

 

[clivehorridge]

For me the landrover was a proper truck. Bolt off body sections. Flat bed, flat bed with twin cab. Bolt a cherry picker on, a hiab, a chipper box that tipped. A luton body etc. A very usefull and versatile tool that was good in off road conditions.

That was the appeal IMO, it's just a shame that the reliability issues started with the manufacturing cut-backs in the 70s, and they never reverted to using good steel again and more modern designs.

 

[chadr]

Most companies have or are moving towards Pickup type vehicles instead of Defenders etc.