| The Singlarity: Land Rover style... | |
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Tembo Articulating
Posts : 582 Join date : 2012-09-28 Location : Milton Keynes
| Subject: The Singlarity: Land Rover style... Fri Mar 10, 2017 8:03 pm | |
| I am sure this has been noted by others before, but it struck me as I saw an advert for the new Discovery. In sci-fi writing the term singularity usually means some point in the future where humans and machines blend together in a geek's vision of perfection. Looking at the 'new' Discovery I couldn't help but think that Land Rover is almost there. Every vehicle in their current line up looks almost identical. In fact. I would have to look at the logo to tell the difference.
Whether I am a Land Rover fan or not (I am) I can't help missing the days when a Range Rover was unique, Discovery's had their iconic shape, Defenders had a distinct lineage and even the Freelander had its appeal. Now, the melting pot approach to design has either done away with distinctive lines or merged them all into this new amorphous blend. Yes, they all are recognisably Land Rover but since so many other manufacturers use the same general design profile, you have to look hard as vehicles pass to see what logo they carry.
I suspect that this is why Gerry McGovern and his band of slightly lazy designers and even lazier marketing team are having such trouble with a follow up to the Defender line...they can't figure out how to make it look like all the others and not have a massive backlash from the core enthusiasts. I do applaud and support Land Rover's constant quest to develop new and better vehicle technologies (although I remain a committed luddite in my own vehicle choices) but for f**ks sake, give us at least one 4x4 that doesn't look like every other SUV out there!
I think someone should explain to Gerry what he word 'iconic' means. | |
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Tom Mc Founder
Posts : 3781 Join date : 2010-12-10 Location : Sant Boi de Lluçanès, Catalunya, Spain
| Subject: Re: The Singlarity: Land Rover style... Mon Mar 13, 2017 3:47 am | |
| Here here, couldn't put it better myself. | |
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roamingman Terrain Master
Posts : 1392 Join date : 2010-12-26 Age : 75 Location : Nearly thier
| Subject: Re: The Singlarity: Land Rover style... Mon Mar 13, 2017 7:42 am | |
| Here Here so so so true | |
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Tom Mc Founder
Posts : 3781 Join date : 2010-12-10 Location : Sant Boi de Lluçanès, Catalunya, Spain
| Subject: Re: The Singlarity: Land Rover style... Tue Mar 14, 2017 5:45 am | |
| I was looking at the New Vehicle Price Guide in a Spanish 4x4 magazine today. Really struggled to see the difference between the RR Sport, Disco and Disco Sport and Evoque. Obvioulsy I could see a slight difference in size, but the fronts and sides for that matter looked so similar it was scary. Not saying it's right or wrong as I'm not that sort of buyer, plus I like to see LR succeed, but it's clear that the individuality of the Disco for example is stone cold dead. | |
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Tembo Articulating
Posts : 582 Join date : 2012-09-28 Location : Milton Keynes
| Subject: Re: The Singlarity: Land Rover style... Tue Mar 14, 2017 5:17 pm | |
| I just have a hard time imagining the group behind that design philosophy actually coming up with a new Defender that would have station wagon, pick up, long wheelbase, short wheel base, hard top, soft top variations and be of use in commercial, farm, military and off road environments. | |
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wideformat4x4 Terrain Adept
Posts : 821 Join date : 2011-01-20 Age : 65 Location : Marcham, Oxfordshire
| Subject: Re: The Singlarity: Land Rover style... Thu Mar 16, 2017 4:20 am | |
| When I was in the states a couple of years ago I saw loads of Ford Explorer's, after I came home I saw a few on the UK roads it wasn't till I looked closer I spotted the Discovery livery. Apart from the lights and a few subtle panel lines the vehicles are virtually identical.
Like you say James lazy designing in fact nearly as bad as Porsche.
On the Defender replacement I reckon it will be one body type and probably a pick up type vehicle as they can't seem to come up with much new in the looks department, engineering wise it will probably feature the RR terrain response in one guise or another.
As they strive to capture the Chelsea tractor market I'm a little surprised they didn't follow Mercedes lead and stick a big high output motor in an uprated Defender a la the G Wagon they could sell that for big bucks which is what they seem to want to do these days and not cater for the utility market. | |
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wideformat4x4 Terrain Adept
Posts : 821 Join date : 2011-01-20 Age : 65 Location : Marcham, Oxfordshire
| Subject: Re: The Singlarity: Land Rover style... Thu Mar 16, 2017 4:24 am | |
| Is your next tag line going to be "I don't need a compass to know which way the wind shines" | |
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Tembo Articulating
Posts : 582 Join date : 2012-09-28 Location : Milton Keynes
| Subject: Re: The Singlarity: Land Rover style... Thu Mar 16, 2017 5:11 pm | |
| Haha...that's a good one! | |
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Tom Mc Founder
Posts : 3781 Join date : 2010-12-10 Location : Sant Boi de Lluçanès, Catalunya, Spain
| Subject: Re: The Singlarity: Land Rover style... Fri Mar 17, 2017 9:38 am | |
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wideformat4x4 Terrain Adept
Posts : 821 Join date : 2011-01-20 Age : 65 Location : Marcham, Oxfordshire
| Subject: Re: The Singlarity: Land Rover style... Fri Mar 17, 2017 10:04 am | |
| I quite liked the DC100 concept as a car not a utility vehicle. I don't think it quite fits the criterion as a workhorse. | |
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Tembo Articulating
Posts : 582 Join date : 2012-09-28 Location : Milton Keynes
| Subject: Re: The Singlarity: Land Rover style... Fri Mar 17, 2017 5:14 pm | |
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wideformat4x4 Terrain Adept
Posts : 821 Join date : 2011-01-20 Age : 65 Location : Marcham, Oxfordshire
| Subject: Re: The Singlarity: Land Rover style... Fri Mar 17, 2017 10:31 pm | |
| I did hear about this. A friend and previous JLR employee said that they were trying their hardest to stop any Defender clone made by another company after this guy offered to buy all the tooling, dies etc and start production. Which I can believe as at the Donnington show JLR had people from the legal department walking round taking picture of any non licensed merchandise to aid prosecution. Also in the not too distant past many companies with Land Rover in the title were written to threatening legal action unless they dropped the name for the business or advertising. How long before they change the name to The Chelsea Tractor Company or have Kahn already copyrighted that | |
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Tembo Articulating
Posts : 582 Join date : 2012-09-28 Location : Milton Keynes
| Subject: Re: The Singlarity: Land Rover style... Fri Mar 17, 2017 11:13 pm | |
| Well, since Land Rover basically stole their Series 1 design...the one that really launched their company, from Jeep...I think they may end up more than a little embarrassed if they ever tried to block a new utility 4x4 from being built because it was stealing a market they walked away from. I wouldn't expect Ineos to build a Defender copy...but something with the basic rugged 4x4 characteristics. I think if anything actually throws a wrench into the idea it won't be JLR, it will be the EU regulators and their safety nazi nanny mentality.
But then again, since the Jeep Wrangler is selling in the EU it should be possible. | |
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Tom Mc Founder
Posts : 3781 Join date : 2010-12-10 Location : Sant Boi de Lluçanès, Catalunya, Spain
| Subject: Re: The Singlarity: Land Rover style... Sat Mar 18, 2017 1:19 pm | |
| Mmmmm, if you Google 'Ineos' you get ... bugger all! Hardly the type of company who profess to have "cars coming off the production line by 2020, for sale across the world" according to sources on the net.
Not good.
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Tembo Articulating
Posts : 582 Join date : 2012-09-28 Location : Milton Keynes
| Subject: Re: The Singlarity: Land Rover style... Sat Mar 18, 2017 6:34 pm | |
| Maybe its just a cunning plan to hide from the JLR lawyers... | |
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