FWIW, slobs come in both genders.

 

luckily I did not assign a gender to the culprit…

 

That seems a reasonable possibility. I also considered they just standardized on a caliper size and fit based on HP/engine size as I”m guessing they are the same calipers on my 110x as what’ was on the V8 for example. Or perhaps a standard size for multiple Land Rover models? In any event it was a brain fart of a design decision by LR that would be easy and cheaper to correct at time of ordering the vehicle.

I, like many others have done already, am in the process of having to pay extra $’s to swap that stuff out to get 18” TuffAnt wheels and better rubber on my 110x. Frustrating but who needs to pay the mortgage or buy groceries or whisk(e)y or - or - or ….I suppose we can setup house in our trailer in a nice remote off grid location

 

I am all too familiar with the rear caliper design and the hoops to jump through to fit 18"s on the P400. *panhandling intensifies

A royal PITA that could have, and should have, so easily been avoided. Maybe I get to spend more quality time with my angle grinder.

3 rotor sizes on these Defenders. X trim (only if fitted with 22"), and V8 trims have the largest of the 3....20" minimum size rim
P300 D200 D240 D250 the smallest of the three rotors....18" minimum now no longer offered.
P400 and D300 have the medium.....19" minimum

Insanely complicated.

It's like the cheesecake factory menu. Endless choices. Nothing I want.

 

I don't think JLR deciding to use the wrong size brake calipers on the P400 has anything to do with trying to increase towing. The Toyota Land Cruisers I saw around the US (circa 2018 models), were tow machines. The LC had 285/60/R18. Toyota wanted the LC to tow, and made the tire about an inch wider than what JLR does with Defender. Defender can tow, for sure, but JLR didn't have to preclude 18" rims to get you there. JLR doesn't want folks comparing Defender to LC, GX OT, Wrangler, Bronco, or Grenadiers... The best way JLR figures it can keep Defender at Whole Foods parking lots is to make Defender intentionally defective for folks that wanted to use it (from the factory) as an off road adventure SUV. There will be those pitching JLR propaganda saying "oh, well a 20" rim can do so much off road!" Yes, I'm sure it can, but as someone paying JLR $85k for a Defender, why do they get to tell me what tires I can put on Defender? Why can't they be like every other company and let the consumer choose? If you want to go all crazy with tires on your Wrangler, a Jeep dealer will surely help you. Most don't, and I spotted a 4 door Wrangler today with 255/65/18 using KO2s. (That exact rim size used on the 18" Defender, now no longer available, and never made available paired with the stronger engine, the 3.0L). The new LC is NOT the old LC. The older one had tires that were substantially wider, by like 40mm. Somewhere along the shrinking, I'm sure the new LC does alot less towing... In sum, what's keeping JLR from offering a Defender many of us would like is JLR not wanting to make a Defender that is easy to compare with other off road SUV choices. By keeping the tire size away from 18"s, JLR eliminates any direct comparing.

 

I feel like you've commented this to death. I think the best advice is to write a letter to LRNA and let your complaints be heard to someone who can actually make a difference. Or perhaps buy one of the other trucks you mentioned.

 

Has anyone seen the Silicon Silver on a defender in person? Many of the pics I've seen make it appear gold rather than a pure silver or gray color. How's it look IRL?

 

I’ve seen it in person. The pictures are very deceiving. If I went off pics alone I wouldn’t have ordered it for my own D110X. Some describe it as gold or champagne it can appear that way in certain lighting, especially in pictures. The best way I can describe it is a light grey beige/goldish color. That's the best way I can describe it. I really like it a lot. It was my 3rd choice going off pics alone. Eiger grey and Carpathian were my top two. Eiger is now discontinued and Carpathian is way darker than I wanted. Eiger was still my first, but Silcon jumped to second after I saw it in person.

 

HA that's spot on

 

I think for 2025 ALL Defender Trims have the Meridian Surround Sound. It was formerly a pay-for-it upgrade on the X-dynamic, but it was NOT available (at any price) on the S trim??! That made zero sense, and now the better stereo is standard, from S Trim on up. It's a major improvement if you have a DJ in the car: 380 watts on Meridian Sound and 825 watts on the Surround. Wow....