Traditionally, Land Rovers and Range Rovers have had a bit of a reputation for unreliability. Many an owner has needed their car breakdown cover over the years; the old adage was if you wanted a 4x4 that looked great, buy a Range Rover. If you wanted one that would start every morning, buy a Toyota Land Cruiser.
Things have improved for the iconic British brand, but the one vehicle that’s seemingly avoided any real reliability issues has been the Defender. It’s the original Land Rover, on the go, in one shape or another, since 1947. It’s been face-lifted countless times, but the same simple basic architecture and legendary off-road performance has remained.
Emissions regulations have been hard on the ageing Defender, and getting it to the required legal standard has been tough for Land Rover engineers. There has been a general feeling that the current version would probably be the last, and that a completely new vehicle – designed using modern techniques and materials – would arrive at some point.
But a chat with Colin Green, Land Rover’s UK managing director, revealed that wasn’t necessarily the case. He said there were three options on the table; an all-new Defender as described, reworking the current model again so it keeps pace with emissions laws, or abandoning that sector of the market altogether. The latter would be a hugely controversial move and seems the most unlikely. It’s Land Rover’s heritage, and someone has got to serve the agricultural, rescue organisation and utility company customers (pictured above).
But changing the current engines for cleaner ones, again, is clearly a possibility. It’s delaying the inevitable, but if Land Rover can’t make enough profit from developing and selling an all-new Defender in the current financial climate, it could just happen.
Breakdown Cover from 
