RIP Land Rover Defender

[BlueTrain]

I've seen AC cars and I've even sat in a Bristol but what is an AC Bristol?

One starts to wonder about all those old cars found in barns after a while, especially the ones with Rolls Royce's. However, my late father-in-law had an ancient Ford Ranch Wagon (from late 1950s), a first version Corvair (a really efficient car, he loved to say), a 1929 Ford (second-owner, he was) and at one time, a Ford Cortina, the only one I was really interested in. He also had an airplane (a Culver Cadet) in his basement when I met my wife. Now, someone with a disassembled airplane in his basement was bound to be an interesting person and he was.

 

[BlueTrain]

Not to change the subject or anything, but what do you suppose the Land-Rovers in British service will be replaced with?

 

[Mr. Godfrey]

My GSL told me that when he and his wife first started scouts he brought a military Land Rover ambulance that was used to lug the camp equipment around in and that his wife would use the bed and heater. Not sure that's what I would class as camping but I guess it allowed the scouts to be able to camp. They have a Rangerover now but use the tents.

 

[Mr. Godfrey]

How 68 years made difference to the world.

And the very last one

 

[Oldsarge]

Oh I do hope the British Army doesn't decide to go with HumVees! Ghastly things.

 

[BlueTrain]

Unlikely, although the Humvee was produced in large numbers. The problem these days is that nobody wants a simple basic little vehicle like the original Jeep or Kubelwagen. The "Jeep" (it was a Ford and sounded like a Pinto) that was in use in the 60s, the M151, was pretty simple and very much like the wartime Jeep. That was what was replaced by the Humvee. Everyone wants to keep adding stuff to the basic vehicles and the smaller vehicles aren't up to the task. There was even a heavy-duty Land-Rover that the British Army used and still does. But users want something that will carry armor, a mounted weapon, pull a trailer and so on. But I guess that's okay. When I was in the army, the M151 was not my favorite vehicle.

 

[Oldsarge]

I didn't mind the M151 but had little good to say about the HumVee. I suppose that if you were driving it over open, rough terrain it does its job but the blamed thing is so wide that it is very difficult to negotiate streets in. Every time I tried to turn right, I ran over the curb.

 

[BlueTrain]

I was in one Duluth Trading company's stores yesterday and they had a WWII Jeep and trailer right inside the front door. I think the older Banana Republic stores did, too. It's really a basic vehicle. Bare bones, you might say. I don't think it was the first attempt at a light utility vehicle. Regular production line vehicles were widely used by all armies in WWII and continued to be at least down to the time I was in the army in the late 1960s. Can't speak with any authority after about 1975. Our division headquarters company had a Chevy sedan that even went to the field with us. We also had an Airstream trailer. In the states, commercial vehicles were sometimes used in preference to tactical vehicles, presumably because they were less expensive. When the unit I was with returned to the states, we had Jeep pickups.

I still think the older Land-Rovers were perfect for military use.

 

[Doctor Damage]

I didn't mind the M151 but had little good to say about the HumVee. I suppose that if you were driving it over open, rough terrain it does its job but the blamed thing is so wide that it is very difficult to negotiate streets in. Every time I tried to turn right, I ran over the curb.

It has the same shortcoming in the great outdoors since in many parts of the world tracks and trails are just wide enough for a Land Rover or Land Cruiser but not a Humvee!

 

[Oldsarge]

So, for those with enough money is the Mercedes new G class a fitting descendent?

 

[l0fielectronic]

Must admit the title of the original article irks me slightly given they only started making/naming that model the Defencer in the 90s.

That aside the end isn't quite here yet it seems as following the 1000 or so special editions released at the end of production there are now another 150 coming this year... admitedly at a price

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/cars/new...efender-ever-marks-land-rovers-70th-birthday/

I wonder if releasing small batches of vehicles is something they will continue to do going forward.

 

[Mr. Godfrey]

Must admit the title of the original article irks me slightly given they only started making/naming that model the Defencer in the 90s.

That aside the end isn't quite here yet it seems as following the 1000 or so special editions released at the end of production there are now another 150 coming this year... admitedly at a price

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/cars/new...efender-ever-marks-land-rovers-70th-birthday/

I wonder if releasing small batches of vehicles is something they will continue to do going forward.

Guess that depends on what happens after brexit? As I thought production had stopped due the Landry not meeting EU standard requirements and Landrover not wanting to do a major redesign or having the space in the cab.

Still good to see any being produced though.

 

[Tiki Tom]

Certainly not a substitute, but I’d buy one of these for playing around on the weekend and good old-fashioned dinking around under the hood. Looks like fun and you cannot beat the price these days. Of course, the big downside is that it is not street legal —just for the back 40– but as the article says, it is “Retro”.

http://www.foxnews.com/auto/2018/03...f-roader-dreams-as-long-as-stay-off-road.html

 

[Mr. Godfrey]

That does look a bit of fun (if you have the land to use it that is)

 

[Oldsarge]

Backing onto BLM or USFS land would be ideal.

 

[Tiki Tom]

Watch the imbeded video if you need a Land Rover fix.

https://www.adweek.com/creativity/f...lagers-have-been-land-rovers-most-loyal-fans/

Lovely.

 

[MisterCairo]

So, for those with enough money is the Mercedes new G class a fitting descendent? View attachment 103306

I have not researched to determine if that is the exact civilian equivalent, but the Canadian army has used the G Wagon for a while now for light tactical transport, recce, etc., it replaced the Iltis. Frankly, we are not impressed, and we have stopped using the roof-based swivel gun mounts because they crack. We are currently researching a replacement.

 

[Oldsarge]

Well, I don't think I would really want one equipped with a sky-mount MG. I don't really believe in the zombie apocalypse, after all. But if the Canadian Army finds the vehicle a bit fragile for operations I must presume the answer to my question is 'No'.

 

[Bushman]

I have not researched to determine if that is the exact civilian equivalent, but the Canadian army has used the G Wagon for a while now for light tactical transport, recce, etc., it replaced the Iltis. Frankly, we are not impressed, and we have stopped using the roof-based swivel gun mounts because they crack. We are currently researching a replacement.

View attachment 132454

I've seen these driving around my town a few times (probably just the same person every time), and I must admit I don't care for the look at all. It's just way too boxy and looks like a cage on wheels. Jeeps are some of my favorite "rough riders" as far as aesthetics go, and even they have turned to this new boxy look, especially with the Rubicon and Wrangler. Neither the current Jeeps nor Mercedes have the pleasing aesthetics of earlier years, and the SUV models that used to be known for roughing it have been turned into the new crossover class that looks less like a vehicle I'd have fun in and more like something I'd be picking up jr and friends from soccer practice in.

I miss when a Jeep looked like this.

 

[MisterCairo]

Well, I don't think I would really want one equipped with a sky-mount MG. I don't really believe in the zombie apocalypse, after all. But if the Canadian Army finds the vehicle a bit fragile for operations I must presume the answer to my question is 'No'.

This is what we no longer use the G Wagon for: