Story By: Jeffrey B. Aronson Photos By: Land Rover

It’s impossible not to want one. Not only has Land Rover proved the iconic standard-bearer, but they’ve even returned the name “Land Rover” to the front of the bonnet. Just like in the days of Land Rover 90’s and 110’s, the name behind the Green Oval sits boldly on the prow of the car. What’s standing in the way of importation into the US market? One impediment comes from the powertrain end. The Td5 delivered impressive performance and longevity, but was replaced with the Ford Transit motor because of emission reasons . As Mike Gould of Land Rover Lifestyle writes elsewhere in this issue, the regulatory focus of the EU is carbon dioxide levels, while the fractured US regulations focus on particulates and nitrous oxide levels.
Land Rover must also confront the potential instability that will arise whenever new corporate parents are found for Land Rover and Jaguar. The Td5 was the last engine designed and built by Land Rover. With Land Rover now relying on Ford supplied engines, the new parents will find themselves in the uncomfortable position of relying on Ford for its engines.

A second impediment is the lack of SRS. Land Rover contends the Defender is too rigid and would require a total structural redesign to integrate air bags into its interior. Maybe, but American full size pick up trucks look pretty rigid too, and they all have air bags. Lets face it, if Ford wanted Defender here they could certainly make it happen.

So, maybe Defender will benefit the most from new parents. Certainly contenders like Tata of India would not overlook the potential of investing in a vehicle as basic, and as versatile as the Defender. As we watch Hummer, Jeep and Toyota fill in their lineups with Defender alternatives we have to ask the question: Why is it that Ford does not offer a single off-road vehicle?

Also in the issue, you will see the byline of our English correspondent, Rob Basaras, of South Woodham Ferrers, near Chelmsford, England. We asked Robbie to source out a Defender for a test drive. That proved to be a great challenge. As Robbie wrote in July “my local dealership has sold 17 just a day or two after their delivery from Solihull! The dealership has maybe 25 Freelanders [LR2 in the US–ed], 25 Discoverys [LR3 in the US –ed] 15 Range Rovers, and if you’re lucky, two Defenders. They seem to sell themselves and go within a couple of days!”

Robbie is nothing if not industrious, and when a neighbor who works at Ford brought home a Defender 110 County Station Wagon, Robbie felt the urge to reaffirm their friendship. Sadly, it only sat in his driveway for a night. “That’s not to say I didn’t crawl over it and have a damn good look” .

“Another big step forward concerns the front doors. Although they still have the single door seal and can suffer from water egress, they seem to be pressed as one unit rather in contrast to my 2002 version which is made up of a welded frame around the window. this appears as seamless curves around the window frame. I’m guessing this is an effort to fix the 60 year history of water leaks!” Robbie’s not alone in his assessment. Land Rover Owner International called the Defender “smoother, quieter, warmer, more comfy, has a higher cruising speed and gets around corners better. “The Defender’s 2.4 liter, 4-cylinder diesel is “not just a bit better that the Td5, it’s way better – you notice the considerable extra torque both on and off the road, making it even more fun to drive in either environment. The short-shifting, six-speed gearbox is a delight to use as well. Now, there’s something you’d never have said about a Defender until now.” Between the torque curve and the new gearbox, LROI’s testers note they spent “more time in low third than low-second” on an off-road course.

There’s only one engine option for the Defender but Land Rover still lists 27 different body configurations between the 90, 110, and 130 models. Inside, the Defender should meet US market expectations. You may not think your Defender needs leather seats, twin cup holders, an entertainment system with an MP3 input, ABS and Traction Control, air conditioning, heated seats and windshield and electric windows, but the XS edition does come in Sage Green. If you and/or the significant person in your life need these trappings of luxury, at least it will enable you to find all of this in a Defender. AutoInsider.com clearly loves the new car. They approach the Defender this way. “Conventional machines tend to work on five or six year cycles, and when the time comes most of the old car is thrown away, apart from the odd oily bit or two. If it’s a bit special it might hang on a few years more, but no car has ever completely transcended the rules quite like the Land Rover Defender. The original car first appeared in 1948, and should you be able to park a 2007 model alongside an original, the similarities are unquestionable.”

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“It’s not because Land Rover has been lazy, far from it in fact. The problem is that the original, and the generations of models that followed it were so damned good that creating an all-new Defender was something of a problem.” Now that’s a problem I would like to have for US enthusiasts!

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