61 Yrs: Land Rover Defender
The SVX was the Defender line’s last hurrah
By Gunnar Heinrich
BOLTED together in a fashion so simple that a caveman could do it any able do-it-yourselfer could muster, it’s been said recently that the Land Rover Defender née Land Rover “90″ and “110″ has seen the sun set on it’s long-lived production.
Like some aged British sitcom representing a Thatcherite Britain where Foxhunts and whisky were a way of life neither to be outlawed or overly tariffed, the Defenders were the last stand against an overly modernized “tread lightly” off road campaign across the world. Parked next to a Range Rover Sport or a Land Rover Freelander and you can see where the day’s economic realities lay.
Stateside, there was a period in the 1990s where the Defender 90 proved more the alternative boulevardier in shock yellow or jet black. We can thank Land Rover for providing us with an eye-catchingly rugged alternative to your average Jeep Wrangler. Needless to the say, the Jeep’s longevity outlived the Landie – albeit the Defender and its similar ancestry marked time off road for some 61 years.
That makes the Defender series twice as old Mercedes’ tricenarian Gelaendewagen.
It’s somewhat sad that this news came to us on a Friday night in Autumn’s indifferent cool. One would’ve thought a gala of outdoor festivities would be in order; celebrating the past while positioning for the future.
But since Land Rover has no immediate Defender replacement (suggested 2013), this drab bit of news arrives less as a happy so-long to Landie’s simple terra-firma virtues and more the quiet announcement of a low-key funeral held for an old, but patrotic soldier.
About the Author: Gunnar Heinrich is publisher of Automobiles De Luxe online and is executive producer of the Automobiles De Luxe Television series on PBS member station CPTV.
Jim | Oct 24, 2009 | Reply
Long live the Defender. The beauty of the D’s and the preceding Series models, is that they are infinitely rebuildable and the project can be undertaken by someone with moderate mechanical skills. Virtually every part from nuts and bolts to frames and (nearly) complete bodies are available through OEM sources. Have a Series II or III that you want to upgrade to a Defender? Not a problem, just pick the model year and body style that you want and have at it.
With the ridiculous prices asked for used NAS Defenders, particularly 110’s, its often cheaper to rebuild an older model to contemporary standards.
Gunnar | Oct 25, 2009 | Reply
I’m somewhat surprised that Land Rover didn’t try selling the SVX in these United States.
Jim | Oct 25, 2009 | Reply
The the changes in US auto safety standards that went into effect in 1999(?), precluded continued importation of the Defender, particularly the side impact requirements. The vehicle is was simply too narrow with the door too close to the seat and the door itself too thin to allow the inclusion of side door beams and an adequate crush zone.
Land Rover sold every Defender it imported at or near list price so the market demand was there. But the body was essentially the same as a Series II which was introduced in the early 60’s and that car wasn’t much different than the Series I. The updates that occurred over time pretty much focused on the chassis, suspension and engines. Plus the interiors were up graded and a few creature comforts added, like heat, air conditioning and items to meet safety standards.
It’s quite amazing that LR kept that vehicle in production so long without truly modernizing it, the only other car that I can think of that had a long run was the Jeep XJ (Cherokee) and that was only 24 years if you count China production. The Type One Beetle and Porsche 911 were/are different cars than the early models. The Defender is also labor intensive to produce, with the assembly being pretty much by hand. With Solihull likely to be closed and LR production moved to Castle Brownwich, it is a bit of a surprise that Tata didn’t move Defender production to India, as the basic vehicle meets the needs of developing countries.
Exchange and Mart | Oct 25, 2009 | Reply
What is there to say about the Defender. Personally a huge fan and it seems as though i might not be the only one thinking that. It recently won a top vehicle award. Readers of What Car? magazine voted the Defender their favourite car. http://bit.ly/4jZqvw
Will be interesting to see the new version of the Defender once released in 2013.