LRX emerges as Range Rover Evoque

[Dendy Jarrett]

I applaud all the answers that try to reason the approach this company (Land Rover) has tried to take, however, ... they should simply change the name to Street Rover. (or Urban Rover)
This is a perfect example (and I am sure we could name hundreds more) of a company so bastardizing their original appeal product to the point of it being unrecognizable to those of us that are enthusiast.

Quietly while we have been asleep at the Discovery wheel, ... land rover has swooped into their dealerships (all but a few) and removed all the outdoor gear and reference to their heritage, removed all the natural wood and tumbled tile and replaced it with grey and white formica, and forced all their (formerly known as Sales Guides) salesmen to shed the mountain khaki pants and camel trophy safari shirts for hickey freeman slacks and oxford shirts.

Truly the market shift has been to Urbantopia with the range rover. Rumor has it that the 2012 Range Rover will compete with the Rolls Royce in price and be only obtainable by the elite 1% of the population.

Yet, much to my point, Jeep has decided to completely return to its roots and have embraced their heritage.

The sad side of this is that it would be so easy and economical for LR to introduce a new version of the Discovery I with straight axles and a diesel power plant, and could easily compete with Jeep, but from the round table we attended at last year's EXPO, it is simply not going to happen (while Jeep did say that they have some potential promise of doing just that ... a straight axle, diesel powered Wrangler and Cherokee.)

While I realize that those of us that are true Land Rover enthusiast are in the minority anymore, it is still a sad moment for those of us that love the Marque.

No longer can it be proclaimed: Land Rover - Unique in All The World.

I step away from the soap box.

Dendy

 

[TexasTJ]

"that's not a photograph"

OK, how about this

Theres a car in that Photo? I just see Victoria!

 

[brushogger]

It's going to be quite a kick in the teeth for Rover here in a few years when press coverage of the royals at play shows them hunting and buzzing around their estates in Toyotas and Jeeps instead of Rovers.

 

[haven]

"...Jeep has decided to completely return to its roots..."

Wrangler, agreed. Liberty, well, OK. Grand Cherokee, maybe. (Unit body and all independent suspension are Jeep's roots?) . Compass, Patriot? (Jeeps with front wheel drive?) Maybe the heritage here is carrying the mail for the Postal Service!

Let's see how the Jeep heritage shows in the Fiats that will replace the Compass and Patriot in a year or two. They will have a 7 slot grill, but I think that will be their only connection to Jeeps of the past.

The heritage issue aside, I'm in favor of new Fiats being sold by Jeep dealers. The dealers would lose half their sales if they only had Wranglers on the lot. And that's not enough sales to stay in business. The new Fiat-based vehicles will be more competitive compact cross-overs than the models that will be discontinued.

 

[JeffRRC]

The last true Discovery made was in 2004. I don't consider the LR3 and LR4 to be Discoveries no matter what they call them overseas. They are simply overly expensive and overly electroniced Urban Hell vehicles that have pretty good off roading abilities but aren't going to stand up to years of off road abuse not to mention they are far, far beyond the the average Joe. As the Defender hasn't been sold in the US since 97 and never will be unless the NAME is put on another Urban Hell vehicle bastardized for the Telluride/Aspen/Hollywood rich I don't consider that Discoveries/Defenders are still going to made if LR makes a profit. I hope LR makes a profit and stays in business but their genetic roots are way beyond gone. One can still buy a simple fairly inexpensive utilitarian Wrangler but not a simple fairly inexpensive utilitarian LR. Land Rover should change it's name to "Gone with the Wind Motor Company" for us simple average Joes that had to struggle to buy even a fairly cheap older solid axled off roader that we had dreamed about for years. I hope LR makes big profits and stays in business forever but it's vehicles are no longer dream trucks for me.

Amen!

 

[SeaRubi]

It's not enough to build one thing and to build it well, anymore. Growth or implosion are the only two options in our modern times.

Land Rover was never a rich company. It always struggled along to make ends meet, slowly refining the vehicles on hand with limited resources. the SIII Stage One and very early Defenders were last ditch efforts to stay alive.

I think they had much better product development when they were scrappin'.

 

[roverrocks]

It's not enough to build one thing and to build it well, anymore. Growth or implosion are the only two options in our modern times.

Land Rover was never a rich company. It always struggled along to make ends meet, slowly refining the vehicles on hand with limited resources. the SIII Stage One and very early Defenders were last ditch efforts to stay alive.

I think they had much better product development when they were scrappin'.

You are very, very right. They struggled then but they KNEW who they were.

 

[DiscoNomad]

Honestly the 2004 Discovery is the only newish sollution in the US for a true off road platform from Land Rover. Jeep Wrangler is actually the next best but here is the problem...it's too cheap. The build quality inside isn't there...sure as a platform it's amazing and can do almost anything. I sit in one and think man this is all plastic. Honestly I wish it cost another $10,000 more so the could give the interior a little more durability and use finer materials. The other option is an East Coast Rover rebuilt Defender 110. Ive been very close to pulling the trigger with them but I can not stomach paying nearly $200,000 to take a 15+ year old vehicle to where I want it...especially when I want to do it myself. Too much money for old technology. What I really want is a 2010 Defender...of course importing one is messy and no matter what you do, it's plain illegal. If I kill someone someday with that truck my insurance will walk away from me like a bad habit. Please Land Rover don't make the new US Defender suck. I'm holding out to see what it will be like...2014?

Edit: You know shame on me for being so down on the Rubicon Unlimited... You just have to know the stuff to upgrade and it can be awesome. I've been reading about some pretty awesome Jeeps on this forum. Sorry Land Rover but if in 2014 you dont come out with a worthy Defender for the US I am defecting to Jeep.

 

[REDROVER]

soon R.I.P. LAND ROVER BRAND as a real 4x4

 

[rover4x4]

Rover is over

 

[4Rescue]

While I can see that this is clearly no Defender replacement etc. I CAN see it being set up sort of like the Chayene "Trans Siberia" of sorts. Might be fun as a back road/gravel road rally car type deal... Certainly not going to replace a built Disco or Defender in anyone's stable, but... I could see it being fun drifting through snowy roads or driving it sideways on some gravel roads.

Cheers

Dave

 

[Choqiees]

Range Over

 

[Storz]

I like Dendy's suggestion, just start making the Discovery I again, sell it here with a diesel, bare bones for 25k and have a winner!!

 

[TeriAnn]

I like Dendy's suggestion, just start making the Discovery I again, sell it here with a diesel, bare bones for 25k and have a winner!!

Keep dreaming if it makes you happy.

BUT expect Rover to be following where they think the money is. And since BMW first got the reins, the belief is that the money is in high end SUVs and crossovers. Expect high end Range Rovers to be in the Rolls Royce price range (when new), The Land Rover badge to go away in North America (new RR's have no badge that says Land Rover) with the possible exception of a high end Defender which is likely to be a rebodied LR4 that is tarted up to look like something an affluent person would take out for a pheasant hunt.

Many of you think that military use will save the day for the Defender. With the realities of roadside explosives, the concept of what is an acceptable military vehicle is rapidly evolving, and a rugged all terrain Defender is poorly suited for a world of IED's. I think the Defender's traditional role is being supplemented by a number of specialized vehicles and something like a stripped down LR4 would work in the behind the lines out of zone roles that are left.

Rather than concern yourselves over a company that doesn't feel that you collectively comprise a viable market, just take care of the vehicles you have and love. Focus on maintaining them in top shape instead of letting them deteriorate and replacing them every 10-15 years.

My truck is 50 years old this year and I have owned it for almost 33 of those years. It is more capable and reliable today than it was when it was new.

Forget about the Rover company and just maintain the truck you have grown to love. It will mean collecting and stockpiling good condition used parts. But it is doable if you put some effort into keeping your truck within spec and when parts become NLA and you are out of spares you need to be a little creative with replacing parts. But it is doable if you are willing to stop dreaming that Rover's owners are running a charity for off road aficionados who may or may not spend any money on new products.

Stop sniveling and maintain the truck you own.​

 

[bri]

Well said TeriAnn.

Now, who has a list of parts to stockpile for my RRC and P38?