Here's the link to the post, and the answer posted below. robably don't need too many guesses to work out why, but it's a real shame that The Insider doesn't post any more...

https://landroverforums.com/forum/20...e3/#post820697

"I'm going to address this since there seems to be a great deal of interest. The decision to not offer a roof rack has absolutely NOTHING to do with design or marketing. Marketing is shouting at the top of their lungs right now for a roof rack. Some retailers are shouting for a roof rack. This whole situation has been argued at the board level with the CEO himself. The organisation as a whole wants a roof rack. It's purely for engineering reasons that the rack is not available.

There are dynamic certification tests that must be cleared before we allow someone to strap over 100 kilos to the roof. The V8 is VERY heavy and it has imposed limitations because of the weigh increase combined with heightened handling limits.

It would be very costly to make the roof rack work at the moment, so its all a big mess. The choice was don't offer the V8, or offer the V8 without the roof capability. We assumed it's easier for everyone to find a way to put their own roof rack on than install their own V8. The fact that the V8 is even allowed in the Defender is a triumph itself given the resistance to fuel guzzling vehicles in the world right now and the low volumes.

Keep telling the retailers (sales managers, owners, etc) you want one offered. Keep emailing executives and tell them you would have purchased a V8 if they had offered the rack. Eventually we'll give a green light to engineering to address the problem at great cost if enough people create enough noise."

 

Lots of opinions... but my 2 cents is that it's design not engineering. I TOTALLY AGREE with your last point, that JLR dealers should have made it clearer to those interested in buying the V8, what a V8 engine is about and how it limits what is something a Defender driver may be interested in having. If you want to go off road for a week, a strong roof would be an asset for those that load it with gear. The V8 seems like marketing sizzle for someone that may be tempted to buy a G Wagon. G Wagons are great on paper, but after spending $150k to buy it, are you likely to then take it camping?! G seems more about selling "potential" - displayed in 3 shiny silver lockers center dash - not about expected use. Same for the JLR V8 - I view that as the "city slicker" version. The high profile tires that may accompany the V8 are pure showmanship. Off road, the big rims are likely to be a constant worry from flats. I think it's about what you plan to do with the Defender. Personally, if I were thinking V8 Defender, maybe I would test a RR Sport - those are intended to be fast and fun and dynamic. Nobody looking at the RR Sport thinks it's a slouch - it's great and it's fast. By contrast, not much about the Defender necessarily needs to be fast. Defender features should lead with durable, functional, capable, and reliable. The V8 crowds out, and makes the Defender a "performance" SUV, which is really not on the criteria list for someone looking to do something with it off road for an extended period of time. I'm sure I'll get alot of flames on this, but I think JLR should not be selling Defenders with V8s and low profile tires - I'd rather they spent their time figuring out how to get 18" rims & bigger wheel arches for banging around. V8s are wonderful on RR Sport, and I agree there's likely a communication missing at the dealer level as to where these things are designed for (street and nights out on the town). IF you have not taken delivery of the V8 Defender, maybe ask to switch it for the V6, so you can have a functional roof rack. I know there are folks that may suggest you load a V8, but if JLR is saying no, I'd go with that. Buy the Defender that fits your purpose and needs. Note that many off road SUVs did have V8 engines - but you can't load the Defender V8 likely because of how it's geared and what it's paired with for handling, suspension, etc. It's not just because it's a V8, so I'd buy the Defender geared the way you want to use it. The old LC had a non-turbo V8, and Nissan has a V8. There's probably a number of factors that all play in the load factor, and the answer from your dealer should have been clear to you as a big ticket buyer: "If you want to get out and do something in your Defender, look at the 6 for versatility and an all-arounder; if you care about on-road performance numbers and love the style and image of G Wagons, but don't plan on taking it off road much, look at the V8 Defender." Given how popular Defender is, I think the dealer should take the V8 and get you what you want. For $85k I think you deserve to drive what you want. I'm holding out myself until they bring back a solid roof option. Today's models all have a glass roof as the only option, and I'm not taking a glass top SUV off road on trips. It's like they didn't consider what happens when you park an SUV in the woods for a week, or how careful you have to be when loading a roof that has glass underneath the roof rack? I have to wait for a fully solid metal roof, which I'm sure after a while they will bring back, then I'll order my Defender .

 

Hmmm, I find the statement from JLR, "Defender V8 models have no dynamic roof loading capacity. Static roof load allows for up to 661 lbs", to be both amusing and confusing. So, does that mean that there IS a rating for the roof of 661 lbs, as long as it is not driven? It’ll look great sitting in the driveway with the roof racks loaded, you just can’t drive it like that. SMH.

 

Well, to the best of everyone's knowledge, the member who posted that it's engineering and not design works for JLR...

There's really no reason to doubt the info they provided, as pretty much everything they have ever posted has panned out.

 

It makes sense it would still have a static load. The roof is the same design as all the others so will have a static load rating. It's independent of what's under the hood.

Dynamic load is governed by a world of other parameters.

The reason given by The insider makes perfect sense.

The onus is on the buyer to do their homework on their chosen vehicle. Worldwide there are 9 engine types/tunes available (if you include the discontinued D200),many specs including base, S, SE, HSE, SX, X-dynamic, X, first edition and Carpathian edition. 90, 110,130 wheel bases and a hard-top commercial.

The additional choices available on the builder are astounding. I really can't understand the attitude of the dealer should inform the buyer etc of this and that. Sales people sell cars and don't typically know much past the broad strokes of the spec. If that. Mine sure as **** didn't. I don't expect them to know much past sales stuff.

If there is a feature you don't like or want on the model, change it after or change the spec/engine.

If I was getting a V8 and wanted rails, I'd buy them, fit them and use them as many others have done. A simple task.

 

Two dealers in SoCal told me they were not allowed to sell me the rails, based on the VIN number of the car. My primary dealer also told me the warranty for many parts of the vehicle would likely be void if I brought it in with self-installed rails. Had I bought the V8 without knowing (I was about ten minutes from signing) I likely would have found a way to put rails on for my skybox, but it just seems so wrong to buy a $130K off-road vehicle and then have to worry about voiding some of the warranty for putting on rails.

The online marketing material and the dealers should make this more clear. To me this isn't like "option A doesn't work with option B". This is major miss, like if you buy a V8 you can't use a tow bar or if you buy a V8 you can't put down the seats for cargo room -- it is that big. I was very close to buying a V8 and had no idea, even after doing a lot of research and talking to three dealers. Also, one dealer I called to double check insisted I could put rails on a V8. I told him to check with his service dept and he said, "of course you can" - then I sent him a screen grab of the build note for the V8 showing the dynamic and static loads and he replied, "well, I guess you can't put anything on the V8 roof"... Sales guys are clueless.

 

You can buy parts without a VIN. Very easy to do.

The nonsense about voiding a warranty because there are rails on the car is complete bunk.

" We're sorry Mr. M Desert. Looks like your engine has broken because you installed roof rails".

Yeah. That's not going to fly. There are laws very specific to this nonsense. Sounds like your dealer is completely clueless. No surprise. I have a very low expectation for the veracity of anything said to me at dealerships.

Glad you dodged this error. You'll enjoy your inline 6 just fine. Load up that roof and tow to your heart's content.

 

So true...with the P400 you can add a roof box, pack it with heavy rolled-up rugs, add a hitch rack, fold down the seats and pack the inside to the headliner. Typical college move-in trip if you have daughters. Somehow boys show up to college with a duffle bag.

 

Agree on the P400. We’ve been loaded down, DW, dog, cat, coolers, bags, insanely large Thule cargo roof carrier. Two trips between Albuquerque and San Diego, one each thru the northern AZ mountains I-40, the other via the “flats” I-10, and our MPG have stayed within 1 MPG diff from no load. I’m impressed. While I can feel the extra weight, it’s stable and smooth.

 

You will be more than fine.... SOO many people are doing this. Just look at lucky8 they have racks on all their V8s with tons of stuff on it and its fine.