Competition is a good thing. But I'll stick with my Rubicon.

http://www.autoguide.com/auto-news/2...toguide_review

 

Oh boy, I hope those styling changes shown in the article are nothing like the production model. The Defender is way too classic to destroy it's boxiness with all of those curves ...

 

Let's hope it doesn't look like the offspring of a Xterra and Element, with a 50k price.

 

Looks like another curvy crossover!

 

Looks like a retarded FJ40.

 

Defender returns? From what?
It's 2 year reign as the most expensive and unreliable 4WD turd to ever plop on US shores?

Sorry if you like them. I can't stand Land Rovers or Range Rovers.
Based on what the people I know that have owned them say, they suck.

Stupid expensive to buy.
Insurance premiums are high.
Break down bi-monthly. (Which oddly enough is almost exactly the same amount of time it takes to get parts. Coincidence?)
Terrible gas mileage. Single digit in most cases.
Simple everyday wear and tear items like brakes and exhaust are no less than $1,300. Changing air filters and oil require special tools.
Minor mechanical repairs like ball joints (ball joints require replacing entire upper and lower A-arms) or airbag pump starts at $3,000 and goes up fast.
And as expected those minor repair parts are never in stock, add 6-8 weeks to your repair order.
Major repair, new engine, transfer case or transmission? Just forget it. Cheaper to buy a brand new car.

 

Have you seen that latest Range Rover/explorer? I'm a Rover fan through and through, but I wouldn't get my hopes up about them caring about traditional when it comes to looks anymore.

 

The few times I had a chance to drive a Defender, I hated the feel.
I never liked its tendency to fail or leave oil puddles wherever it stands.
Once, at the Rover show room of new cars, I saw some oil on the otherwise shiny floor. I asked the manager - "Did a brand new Defender stand right here?"
He laughed and said "Yes"...

But, I always loved how it looks (well, except for the narrow wheels).
Now the they're going to pry the shape off it...

 

Looks like a mini-cooper on steroids. Cant believe they are going to fubar the Defender when they already have plenty of luxury SUV's.

 

I've helped the owner of that one you see in the image I posted a lot to work on that Defender. Yes, they do have a certain reputation. But, then as we're working on it he shows me things that make it incredibly suitable for field repairs with minimal support. And I'm thinking, "Why the heck can't Jeep design like that?" The Defender is seriously capable off-road. Yes, I've borrowed his for a couple days and it is cranky to shift, it's noisy, it doesn't have air conditioning, it's a rough ride, it has a way too small gas tank (a ridiculously small gas tank that limits range to about 150 miles in gas version), and the engine, despite being a V8, is underpowered. But, there are good points to it, and one is those very classic looks. Jeep may have won a world war, but Defenders explored that world. Regardless of all of that, none of it--zilch--tells you anything about what the new Defender will be like. Jeep needs some competition. Nissan Xterra, in case you hadn't heard, is in its last year of production. Hummer is gone, as is the FJ Cruiser. Is the only competition for the expedition/overland community going to be a Toyota Tundra pick-up truck? Jeep needs some competition, or we all will suffer with the next generation.