TStag Posted April 12, 2007 Share Posted April 12, 2007 If the Ford Flex is going to be a winner for Ford then why doesn't Land Rover make a more premium version and sell it internationally? Seems bizare that Ford is gambeling on the Flex when Land Rover is more likely to do the business on an international level. Put another way if BMW still owned Land Rover then by now we would proably have seen spy sots of about 10 new crossover/ pickups/ utility vehicles destined for a showroom near you.....Just think it's weird that Ford aren't very focused on expanding their profitable companies. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pcsario Posted April 12, 2007 Share Posted April 12, 2007 Not so, the LR3 is pretty much their Flex equivalent, boxy and seats seven in the same way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
old_fairmont_wagon Posted April 12, 2007 Share Posted April 12, 2007 And, unlike the flex, the LR3 is a true landrover, in that, you can take it off road and not leave most of the undercarriage behind you. The Flex will be a crossover in the truest sense, with almost no offroad ability. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edstock Posted April 12, 2007 Share Posted April 12, 2007 If the Ford Flex is going to be a winner for Ford then why doesn't Land Rover make a more premium version and sell it internationally? Seems bizare that Ford is gambeling on the Flex when Land Rover is more likely to do the business on an international level. Put another way if BMW still owned Land Rover then by now we would proably have seen spy sots of about 10 new crossover/ pickups/ utility vehicles destined for a showroom near you.....Just think it's weird that Ford aren't very focused on expanding their profitable companies. Wasn't the Freelander, which had lots of problems, a BMW effort? The most obvious answer is that the Range Rover or LR3 suffices, and if you need more room for the grouse beaters, well, they follow behind in a Land Rover Defender long-wheelbase 8-passenger. So, no Roverflex. The CUV bubble will be popping by the time your suggestion would get to market. A Land Rover CUV has to have significantly greater "off-road" ability (it's a Land Rover, capice?) than the Flex will have, if any. It could be done, but it would take time. IMHO, it could be seen as a giant economy-size kind of Cimarron if it didn't have respectable "off-road" capability. Better that Land Rover keep the push on the LR2 than spend to jump in late on a mature market segment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sullynd Posted April 13, 2007 Share Posted April 13, 2007 If the Ford Flex is going to be a winner for Ford then why doesn't Land Rover make a more premium version and sell it internationally? What's the XC90? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
g48150 Posted April 13, 2007 Share Posted April 13, 2007 If it wasn't for the incompatible platforms, you might be on to something. By the time Kuzak FINALLY gets every Ford brand engineer on the planet singing the same song, it will be time to reengineer ANOTHER set of global platforms. I'll take hell freezing over before that happens, there is STILL too much fluff in the North American Product Devleopment (NAPD) ranks, in my opinion. Once they get NAPD out of the way, then MAYBE, just MAYBE they have a chance of a Volvo, Land Rover, Ford, and Lincoln sharing the same guts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NLPRacing Posted April 13, 2007 Share Posted April 13, 2007 Isn't the LR2 basically a crossover based on EUCD? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark B. Morrow Posted April 13, 2007 Share Posted April 13, 2007 I don't see any reason for Land rover to do a vehicle that isn't off-road worthy. The Compass is an embarrassment to Jeep. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TStag Posted April 14, 2007 Author Share Posted April 14, 2007 Sorry I should be clearer. My vision wasn't really to use the Land Rover brand on cross overs but the Range Rover and maybe even Rover brands. In addition when I talked about a crossover the nearest example I could think of would be the Mercedes R class. I think Land Rover should make a Premium offroad pickup with more creature comforts than a defender. Ultimately I think Rover needs to make a come back so that they can stretch things even further into premium X type sized cars and Navaro rivaling 2wd crossovers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mkaresh Posted April 14, 2007 Share Posted April 14, 2007 This month's Automobile has an article claiming that every future Land Rover will have "Range Rover" in its name--the next LR3 will be called "Range Rover Country." They're going to be de-emphasizing the LR brand. Also, no LR2 after the one that just came out. Yes, it sounds like just the sort of plan that will be tossed before the first implementation sees the light of day. But it is supposedly the current plan. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TStag Posted April 14, 2007 Author Share Posted April 14, 2007 This month's Automobile has an article claiming that every future Land Rover will have "Range Rover" in its name--the next LR3 will be called "Range Rover Country." They're going to be de-emphasizing the LR brand. Also, no LR2 after the one that just came out. Yes, it sounds like just the sort of plan that will be tossed before the first implementation sees the light of day. But it is supposedly the current plan. Erm....yeah like that will happen. Killing the LR2 would be foolish when it's the best selling Premium Smallish SUV in the UK... ..and why kill the Discovery when it has a loyal fan base and a strong following.....? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ANTAUS Posted April 14, 2007 Share Posted April 14, 2007 Here we play the "Name Game" once again... So now someone must say "I have a Land Rover, Range Rover Country HSE"? Thats gotta be annoying. Just like "Merdeces Benz, CLS55, AMG " Toooo many syllables... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edstock Posted April 14, 2007 Share Posted April 14, 2007 Erm....yeah like that will happen. Killing the LR2 would be foolish when it's the best selling Premium Smallish SUV in the UK... ..and why kill the Discovery when it has a loyal fan base and a strong following.....? The LR2 replaces the problematic Freelander, and is a long-term commitment. The LR3 replaces the Disco, or Discovery, because people's expectations of performance (NVH) have risen, and the old solid-axle Disco had to go. In the UK, it is called the Discovery 3, and the LR2 is called the Freelander 2 http://www.landrover.co.uk/gb/en/Vehicles/overview.htm If you need a Land Rover with solid axles, get a Defender. It's the original Land Rover. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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