soooooo true! and maybe that's what ends up happening. This is a First World Problem if ever there was one:
I can afford a Defender but it doesn't have the ideal rim size for the best tires This is great FWP ep. 3 stuff. There is noooooo denying the optics on this are bad. But, what can I say? If I'm spending $80k for a Defender, what's it to JLR to put a good tire/rim set on it? Would it hurt their marketing campaign to listen to customers paying them wheel barrels of money for their SUVs?

 

But I understand the 6thD of the 6D OCTA suspension system will prevent the Champaign spillage. A marvel, solving one of First World’s Problems and making off-roading much more enjoyable.

 

I think JLR knows exactly what they are doing. They have the extensive data on every sale, every option, every build configuration ever done online (even if not ordered). My guess and likely the reality is they cut these options because simply weren't being ordered.

I mean driving around how many Defenders you see that are on 18s? They are very rare in my area. I asked my sales person (they have the largest inventory of Defenders in the country) and he said maybe 2 out of 100 people order 18s and they don't spec them because they are hard to resell.

 

Spot on. The only time I see other Defenders drive by is when I drive through the bougie part of town. Majority are on 22s.

Earlier this week I drove by a Whole Foods. As I drove by, a Defender was waiting to turn in while another one was waiting to turn out. That’s the modern Defender customer. It’s a luxury, comfortable on-road cruiser first with great off-road capability. That’s why I bought one. If I need to occasionally travel off the beaten path or wade thru flood water, I feel confident my truck will take me where I need to go.

 

When I ordered my 2022 p300 I 'downgraded' to the steel 18s in the configurator. There was no discount applied to it even though the default on that trim was alloys, that's why I say I downgraded. Really though I loved the steelies, the only time I regretted them is when I got appraisals from carmax there was a guy there I'm convinced was trying to tell his colleagues to lowball the offer a bit, he pointed the wheel out twice on different appraisals. They had a hell of a time generating offers back then because there weren't many around and they overpaid for many that they already had in the system at that time, I was a little late and missed that boat of a huge offer, I got a decent offer from them and then a few months later offers from them dropped significantly. Anyway, longwinded but I do think there's some truth to the lowballing for steelies. I think it's mostly by people not having a clue but that's life. They suspect it's a really really base trim level even though I had cold climate pack, adaptive, wifi etc, I had everything I needed in it, but it had those steelies soo must = base model.

 

It’s fair to say the folks at LR are very good at selling Defenders that are completely castrated by the owners spec. Let them eat 22” cake.

No doubting that. Sales are good.


LR generously offer a variety of ways to glam up that now uselessly shod vehicle.

The whole premise of a Defender in the lineup was to replace the retired old Defender.

now it’s becoming more and more a member of the bloated RR lineup.

A city car that can tackle a gravel road or flood from time to time. They already have loads of those.

grumble grumble.

As to early comments about stuff being available aftermarket. Thank you captain obvious.

that misses the point of the thread. Ie. What’s available from LR. Not what do I have to spend and do to get the vehicle I want because they no longer build it in my market.

 

lt's clearly what most people want though.

There's a lot of new Defenders round here and mine is the only one on steel wheels. Most have all the gear, and all in black.

There's nothing wrong with it, but it seems that's what people want.

None of these Defenders ever have mud up the sides or show any signs of off-road use.

 

wouldn't that be fantastic news! If the rumors of a KO3 tire fitting a 19" Defender rim are true, awesome news for folks looking to buy the "off road ready" Defender trim. It's only the S Trim remaining where JLR allows any sidewall. You can't have a sidewall without the S trim, and the S trim is pretty lonely as JLR is more hyped to sell the X trim. In the most bizarre act of self-loathing, JLR has worked really hard to eliminate all benefits, comfort, cushion, and protection of sidewalls, almost ensuring that folks won't want to drive Defender off road. If you want to be a fancy gym marketing an awesome tennis court that is NEVER busy, simply build an awesome looking court, then tilt ever so slightly the ground underneath. To the eye it will look great and never be busy. But that's only because if you play tennis on an uneven surface it's not that fun. This is JLR: they build an awesome Defender, then change one little thing just enough to ruin the entire experience....Why they build an off road icon and then restrict it's use as an off roader? Very frustrating for sure, but if you put 22" rims on there and pair it with a V8, you've agreed to pay JLR a boatload of your money to simply be a parking lot icon intent on enhancing JLR branding. Those Defenders are an extension of their marketing arm, and I can't imagine it's going to be a fun drive, particularly if you hit stuff. The big rim Defenders are clearly intended by JLR to be parked at Whole Foods and nothing further. To make sure you have zero fun off road, JLR sells you 22" rims - that will teach you to buy an off roader from us!? JLR must imagine Defender between a G Wagon and a Lexus LX. Why can't JLR realize that some of us would park Defender between a Bronco and Wrangler? They have a bit of a snob problem, for sure. What's so wrong with using an off road equipped SUV as an off road SUV? I don't get JLR fears about allowing Defender owners to fit proper tires on there, but clearly they don't want that. Bye bye 18" rims... On the other hand, all this is banter if the news on the new KO3 is true; a Defender with 19" rims and KO3s would be a HUGE winner for the segment of Defender owners that want to do stuff besides showing off to neighbors. The Goodyear Wrangler All Terrain Adventures with Kevlar also seem sturdy & have good reviews, so there will be at least 2 choices for the 19"s.

 

I think it's a chicken and egg thing. It's not like JLR couldn't build more off road ready SUVs if they wanted to. But that's the crux: you see few 18" steel wheel Defenders because JLR has worked really hard at making it impossible to order a Defender trim with 18" rims. JLR clearly doesn't want to sell an off road ready Defender.... For inexplicable reasons, JLR may not want to see Defender go head to head with Bronco and Wrangler. They don't want those comparisons, and they don't want the owner to contemplate it either. If you want an off road rig from the factory, JLR is pretty much telling you: buy a Bronco and Wrangler, we don't want your type of buyer. Look what they did initially: the only way to get the 18" rims was to accept the under powered 2.0L engine. It's not bad - it's had a long life in other LRs. It's likely still in today's Discovery Sport. But picture the size Disco Sport vs. 110 Defender. There's another ton to Defender and no bigger engine? Not even a 2.0L hybrid? If JLR wanted Defenders in the mud, they would been willing to configure a brake pad and caliper that fit with an 18" rims and the more appropriate powered engine, the 3.0L mild hybrid. It's not rocket science: LC, GX OT, 4Runners, and Grenadiers all do it: how do you sell to an off road crowd? Simple, put 18"s and go from there... That's the ante for the table. If you want a mud ready Defender, JLR would rather you configure it aftermarket, or maybe just buy the GX OT instead. Who knows why, but JLR doesn't see Defender as a purposeful off roader the way LC or GX OT are designed. It's a shame, and IMO the reverse is true: IF JLR wanted to make Defenders ready for off road, and built them that way, many folks would buy them; then you'd see them all about town. The reason you see so few off road ready Defenders is because that's not a trim line JLR wants to sell you. They want you to buy a V8 with no roof rack riding 22" rims to your local grocery store. Jeep sells one trim with a steel front bumper. Is that right for every Jeep owner? Certainly not. But for those that need a steel front front bumper, Jeep will sell it. It's that willingness to meet the off road market that JLR refuses to do. It's a very weird love/hate relationship: JLR wants the image of being an off road icon without feeling any obligation to allow suitable Defender configurations to make the image work in the real world. Oh well, maybe more tire companies will board the 19" rim bus, then things will surely change in a good way.

 

Anybody see the odd commercial with a Defender on 22's with the music producer? Basically says the Defender is "capable of great things" but mostly intended for a wealthy successful music producer to drive from his home to the recording studio. Thankfully those of us that want to use that capability can add better tires, a winch, air compressor, roof rack, bike rack, ski box and drive it as we wish through the woods, in the mountains, through deep snow, soft sand, etc.