Spy Shot Of Defender? Dec. 1

[RBBailey]

Ah, but light is easy to manipulate! Especially with Photoshop.

What I'm saying is that in that one pic, especially, you can see the sun hitting the edge of the 'fake' panels. You can see that the rear door is actually the skin of one door hacked twice, or three different doors. The rear edge is a good 1/4 off the surface of the rest of the car.

On a couple of the pics you can see that the fuel port is much different than the rest of the quarter panel. Either it's going to be a cheesy fake off-road look to prove that they kept some 'heritage' or that whole panel is going to be different than what we see here.

One way or another... They'd have to have some pretty drastically different panels to change the overall profile. We are looking at something worse than the DC100, unless the entire thing is covered in Range Rover panels to completely throw us off.

 

[BLKFLD]

Who would photoshop that, and for what purpose?

The article clearly says that the bodywork is off the shelf components to get the test rig on the road.

Does anyone believe this Disco 3 mule was a prediction of this roofline?

 

[Red90]

I serious doubt they would cut and shunt the rear doors if doing a shortened body, including the glass. That is way too complex. They would just remove the doors and make up filler panels.

 

[mgreenspan]

I don't think this is photoshopped. I think they had to really hack it up to get the rear body to mount on whatever the frame mounts are for the Defender iteration of their frame. Look at how much higher the ass end is compared to any other Land Rover product. The only weird thing on the pictures is that their test mule looks like it is left hand drive... but that's at least promising. I think using Range Rover panels is more likely than making filler panels since it somewhat keeps people from noticing it while it's out, though they do always put the stupid wrap on test vehicles to hide lines somewhat. http://www.autoguide.com/auto-news/...a-camo-explained-whats-with-the-swirlies.html

 

[RBBailey]

I serious doubt they would cut and shunt the rear doors if doing a shortened body, including the glass. That is way too complex. They would just remove the doors and make up filler panels.

Right. I think what we are looking at is a full pierce of glass that has two doors wrapped around it. Or where the camo wrap is, is a seam between two pieces of glass.

....probably still keeps the rain out better than my Defender roof.

Also, if you look at the line sketch profile image we got a few months ago, you see that the door bottoms/sills are shaped differently than what we see in these images.

The LWB has a Range Rover skin without much modification. It just bolts onto the mono-frame of the existing line-up, but going SWB made them have to cut and paste the panels where the non existent, or shortened rear door will be.

 

[RBBailey]

I have confirmation from a guy in JLRNA development that these are real body panels, not Photoshop. It is pieced together, probably from a RR and Disco, and might include plywood.

Of course he's not giving anything away, I tried a small bribe, but...

However, he did have a confirming reaction in the positive when I said that my guess is that it will be what we see in the spy shots, but with a DC100 type body for design. Also, the wheels on the SWB spy photo look a lot like the DC100 wheels. And another guy I talked to last year told me that, "What is out there is what it will be, they won't be changing it much from what is already out in public." I took that statement to mean the DC100 then, and I do now.

One other thing, he didn't balk when I mentioned the idea of the French doors type of set up, but that is when he told me he hadn't personally seen the photos of the final mock-up for the SWB.

Anyway, that's my guess, but who knows. Maybe they have talking points to redirect the public to the DC100, but really it's just a rebadged Discovery Sport Sportier.

 

[mgreenspan]

Regardless, they are taking too long.

 

[RBBailey]

Way too long.

 

[rovercolorado]

It?s a test rig guys just like every other company that builds a new vehicle they put something on top to keep it secret and test the drivetrain. I think based on the overall length it will be pretty close to the dc100 in wheelbase. So no 4 door yet just a 2 door testing. It?s a long way off for sure no way it?s sooner than 2019 end of year if I?m betting. At least they are testing in the public now so that?s something good.

 

[CDN38]

It's built on the new Discovery platform.

 

[Red90]

Yep and the real body will probably have some Defender in it if you squirt hard enough. Expensive, complex and hard to modify, all of the things a Defender should not be.

 

[CDN38]

Right from the horses mouth...

"I love the fact all these people are enthusiastic about it. I appreciate they're the ones driving the euphoria but if they're expecting to see a facsimile of the old one with all the latest tech, then I don't think they'll be satisfied."

McGovern, referring to existing Defender enthusiasts.


https://www.carsales.com.au/editori...-says-new-defender-will-be-polarising-110041/

 

[RBBailey]

Right from the horses mouth...

"I love the fact all these people are enthusiastic about it. I appreciate they're the ones driving the euphoria but if they're expecting to see a facsimile of the old one with all the latest tech, then I don't think they'll be satisfied."

McGovern, referring to existing Defender enthusiasts.

https://www.carsales.com.au/editori...-says-new-defender-will-be-polarising-110041/

Yes, this is exactly the other part of what I was told as well -- it will be very technologically advanced, with lots of electric bells and whistles. Which is OK with me, but I still will drive my 1988 300Tdi.

 

[mgreenspan]

if you squirt hard enough.

I think this is better than saying squint. I kind of feel like McGovern has been squirting out the designs of all the new Rover products anyway.

 

[The Dro]

Polarizing = POS?

 

[UnfrozenCaveman]

So, it's total shite and the real Defender will continue to hold value since there's no actual replacement for them...

...sorry, I still read "George" when I see McGovern on the screen...

 

[Red90]

I think this is better than saying squint. I kind of feel like McGovern has been squirting out the designs of all the new Rover products anyway.

 

[CDN38]

Sounds like a straight up business decision, it's all about dollars and cents.

They don't really give a crap about the enthusiasts, they want to sell cars. We already have our Defenders, and the few of us "enthusiasts" that would consider being a new one don't amount to any sort of market percentage. Why cater to us?

 

[RBBailey]

Right. Except.... you'd think they'd at least try to stop us from eyeing Jeep and Toyota for our next vehicle.

 

[FlyersFan76]

It?s a test rig guys just like every other company that builds a new vehicle they put something on top to keep it secret and test the drivetrain. I think based on the overall length it will be pretty close to the dc100 in wheelbase. So no 4 door yet just a 2 door testing. It?s a long way off for sure no way it?s sooner than 2019 end of year if I?m betting. At least they are testing in the public now so that?s something good.

While it is taking too long I am guessing it is at least 2 years out. My current DD is over 100,000 miles and I can't wait that long but I do not want to get a car now only too find out that the next defender is next year. If I like it my next car is my trade in in 2 years. Maybe an even swap if my next one holds its value.