To be fair, the larger single-row IMSB of the M97 (2006-2008) was the most robust of the 986/987 engines. The 2001-2005 Boxster and 911 (I had a 2004S) used the first of the single-row bearing engines, and it was smaller. In settling the class action lawsuit about the M96 engine failures Porsche themselves admitted to 1.5% failure rate in the double-row cars (1997-2000) and a whopping 10% failure rate in the early, small single-row cars (like mine). They never gave stats on the M97 (like yours), so I’m just going on anecdotal reports on Rennlist that the cars in your date range had very little trouble with the IMSB. But if I were buying a 2004 today you can bet I’d only get one with an aftermmarket IMSB replacement, or at least priced to included me doing that.

I now have a 2016 Cayman and the 9A1 engine has been flawless, save for a bad coil pack that went out at 18,000 miles, weirdly.

 

the GX is not JLR?! It's Lexus (Toyota). The GX has been selling a bit more than Defender in the US, so you should see them out if you look around.

 

I think you're impatient, entirely wrong, and (more likely) someone that works for an "aftermarket" supplier that's trying to drum up business without identifying yourself as an aftermarket salesperson. Instead of making stuff up to juice your sales pipeline... try reading: in 2019 LR bought an off road 4x4 racing company (Bowler). Bowler Motors wasn't putting low profile street treads on Defenders before LR bought them. The LR4 - which was big, boxy, and substantially similar to who may buy today's Defender - was popular in the US. But the Defender is twice the volume of the LR4. You must have missed that? What could overwhelming demand for Defenders have done to limit trim configurations? No connection, right? Then there was covid, a worldwide chip shortage, market confusion with EV transition (hybrid vs full EV), and here you are suggesting that JLR doesn't want to offer at least one configuration of Defender that's off road ready to go? Rome wasn't built in a day, and the Defender line is something JLR will have forever. The initial Defenders - motivated by a long-used and well tested 2.0L turbo engine - is likely stressed as hell moving 5,5000 lbs, but it met the needs of early adopters. Suggesting it's the model that is the be-all and end all of production design is silly. The new Octa is not looking to be a limited production offering (like JLR will do often for the RR, when they make a very limited number of Westminster - or whatever - models). The Octa badge may develop like the AMG, TRD, or Raptor tags, and maybe folks will get a chance to configure a 110 Defender with tire/rim options similar to what the GX is now offering with OT (and for that matter, even Gs will offer in 2025). An 18" rim alone doesn't make Defenders into Wildtrack Broncos or lifted Rubicons - but they do make them excellent choices for folks in the middle that want some off road drive + a luxury interior.

 

You should test drive a 4 cylinder, you might be pleasantly surprised. I have the 4 cylinder and never feel like I wish it had more power, but I have the 90 which is obviously lighter. You might hate the 4 cylinder, but should at least give it a test drive.

 

I have! First, that was the test car at my dealer, so I went and drove that a bit - loved it. Also, I'm quite familiar with the engine already: my LR2 is a 2.0L 4 cylinder with a turbo (single). It's fantastic - love it. It has almost 100k miles on it, and it has given no issues what-so-ever (the turbo failed and I replaced it. But that was at 85k miles, so figures). If I get Defender, I'm not selling or trading my LR2 - I'll keep it for sure. My issues with the engine I have now, but attached to a Defender is that the Defender is way bigger. When I load up my LR2, and strap stuff to the roof, the engine whines - I can hear it, it struggles. I have done 4 hour road trips - highway speeds - filled with passengers and luggage and sometimes bikes on a tow hitch. It's not bad for the LR2, but the LR2 is small. I don't want that same size engine for my next LR - I want a bigger engine. I've found the 2.0L single turbo to be very dependable. But at the end of the day, you load up Defender, I can't imagine how you'd not stress the hell out of it? Driving - just me - is completely different than when I've got a packed car, and so that's the angle that's making me hold out for the 3.0L engine with the additional power/torque from a battery.

 

Lol, what a ridiculous rambling post. Yes you caught me the secret aftermarket accessory sales person. 🙄

My point is that Land Rover spent a lot of money to understand their market and customer base and how to make the most money with the new Defender. That base included people like you and your desires. They then looked at the results of that research and said we don't think it makes financial/engineering sense to target the market you're harping about, let's keep the S trim for those people and let the aftermarket do the rest.

Again, it's a really straightforward explanation and a reasonable one to me.

 

At least you have a good sense of humor! Very good indeed... IMO JLR lacks capacity - it's not at all about marketing analysis. The market analysis says my "holdout" features are growing in popularity, not marginal. One need only look at the continued sales of Wranglers to see that off road ready to go is a huge seller. And if you've driven a Wrangler for a bit, you can also understand why someone may want a luxury SUV on the inside. Instead, I think JLR figured the customer base is already big enough - and limiting configurations is intentional. If JLR wants to expand the base, it need only look to the $85k some Broncos cost - and realize that to attract Bronco shoppers they simply have to pair a reasonably sized engine to their existing 18"s. Bronco sold more units in 2023 than Defender has sold over almost all production years in the US - attracting that many consumers is not realistic. JLR can increase the base by taking from Toyota too. Right now the GX is going to have the spotlight with the 18" rims and big tire offerings - the only luxury mobile out there able to bring that to market. Good for them - enjoy the singularity. For JLR to compete, if JLR puts the correct engine to the 18"s demand for Defender goes way up again. But can JLR then meet demand? Probably not... so limiting configurations is about restricting their market, which I suspect is intentional until they can manufacture more. More configuration choices would broaden their market, and I suspect when they can, they will. Look at it from another angle: who really prefers the 2.0L if they can have the 3.0L with those 18" steel wheels? The 2.0L has 1/3 less torque, lower fuel economy, and lower towing and GVWR - it's worse in every and all directions. Whatever JLR sold of the 2.0L/18", that number would likely go way down if they instead offered the 3.0L/18". The solid roof is still available in other markets, like the UK and Australia. Note they also have the Commercial Defender, so that maybe has something to do with it. The US did have the solid roof, but then Defender sales exploded and I think JLR couldn't run the manufacturing plants turning out all the different configurations some people may want. We're a huge and diverse market, and I think demand swamped supply, and JLR had to limit what they produced. I think the imbalance will pass, and when manufacturing plants get some capacity back, the solid roof may reappear as an option in the US. May be awhile, as Defender sales are cruising. As for the 18" steel wheels paired to the 2.0L engine, I think JLR will eventually figure out how they can also fit the steelies to the mild hybrid, because I don't find it believable that the 2.0L engine is the ideal choice for a good sized SUV. If you do want the steel rims for off road adventures, wouldn't the increase in torque - only provided if you have the hybrid - be a benefit? Certainly would think so, and so I think long term, the winner will be the 18" on the stronger engine. The side glass along the roof line suggests the initial Defender design was for a solid roof - hence the reason and benefit to the top windows. BUT, production demand got in the way, and to sell to the demand, JLR streamlined production. Even though I don't want a full glass roof and a set of 19" rims, I may end up buying it as I do need a new SUV and Defender is about as good as you get.

 

Your posts would be a lot easier to read with some punctuation.

Just saying

 

I'll also address some of your points:

I think what you are missing is that JLR is a global corporation and North America is just a small part of the market. Jeep and Ford (at least in the Wrangler and Bronco ranges) are entirely a north American phenomena. The 4Runner is also only a North American product (for the large part). So the Defender needs to serve markets around the world and Wrangler, Bronco and 4Runner do not - which is why the latter can be more "tuned" to the peculiar wants and desires of the North American car market.

Second point - with the possible exception of Australia and maybe parts of the Middle East (I don't really know that area well) - there is no market for "off-road accessories" for new vehicles. While driving around with all the off-road kit is popular in areas like the UK, NZ, and Australia it is limited to second, third, and fourth hand vehicles that are ten or more years from new. In my experience, it's only North America that buys new vehicles and then immediately adds another $10-25,000 in accessories, in most cases voiding the warranty.

JLR, like all car companies, markets to the people that buy their vehicles new. Nobody plans for the 2nd or 3rd owner that may pick up the car after the warranty is expired. Ford, Jeep, and Toyota can all cater to the specialized limited North American accessory market - other manufacturers cannot and will not

 

Leaving this here

https://www.motortrend.com/reviews/2...n-test-review/