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[Jimbob]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-14726189

[blackviper90210]

Looks like the front end of a bmw mini on steroids and the back end of a postman pat van! Yuk

[Kevin Wood]

Looks like a cross between a freegaylander and a toilet cubicle.

[sticka_v8_init]

Think they should have left it alone, it was a classic. Now it looks like something from Bob The Builder.

[maracus]

This is like 'two girls one cup', can't view the link ATM coz of poor signal but going off peoples reactions, it ain't good!

[rob in gib]

Oh thats progress take something that works and i mean really works,give it a make over and turn it into a ugly piece of usless junk.

now dont get me wrong the defender would never turn heads for its looks but it was built to do a job,and that it done without equal.

[Kevin Wood]

Can you imagine the state that thing'll be in once it's been through what the average Defender has?

There'll be bits of plastic hanging off all over the place.

Some junior marketing executive has decided to make his mark on it without understanding what the product is about and why customers buy it.

[tunnie]

Similar issues with Ford & their Crown Victoria, they wanted to change that. But as nearly every law enforcement section uses them, FBI, Police not forgetting Taxi Cabs, think Ford got told they could not change it!

[TheBoy]

I was shocked when I heard they were dropping the old defender a few months ago - its a constant, never changing, solid income. You could say the same of HP's computer division 

Possibly part of the issue is getting the old design through new car rules  :-/

[the alarming man]

the old defender is still being made...for the indian market only

[TheBoy]

the old defender is still being made...for the indian market only

Its still being made for all markets for 2 or 3 years

[the alarming man]

well i was told the old would stay in india BUT we were getting the new one due to new car rules coming from the E.U and the old model could not conform??

[hotel21]

The Defender falls into a number of camps by its very design and is exempt from loads of safety and security requirements. 

Off the top of my head, they include:-
No airbags
No immobiliser chip in the key
No crumple zones
No reinforced passenger safety cage
No (or limited) roll over protection
No side impact bars etc etc etc

As its a dual purpose vehicle (designed for use for passengers as well as goods) it is exempt from some of the legislation that other manufacturers now have to conform to which has led to changes in the design of other cars.  That the car is still a staple tool of farmers and other land users/workers has some bearing but, sadly, times move on.

As to looks for the new one, have a looksee at the new Evoque and look again at the new Defender......

[Vamps]

An article in 'Classic Car Buyer' says the Defender, as we know it, will remain till 2016, save from an early fate due to a new 2.2 engine.......

It also says that the Defender has sold 25000, per year consistently since 1987 so obviously not a good seller so lets change it.......

To me the defender is a true 'Land Rover' and the Range Rover is what it says......  I can't see the Military being interested in this as a replacement...... :-/ :-/ :-/

[tunnie]

have to wonder why they are changing it, if they are selling 25k a year, thats a nice little earner, with minor upgrades needed every so often.