[quote="]- I live in a French ski resort and millions of Europeans drive up to the Alps/Pyrenees/Jura etc every year and probably 30% plus are in 4x4s - ..[/quote]

I agree however, after a few trips to the Alps/Pyrenees my wife has taken a liking to a Fiat Panda 4x4 which seem to be everywhere. Help!

Yes, Land Rover are doing very well, but only time will tell if this can continue. For now they are very fashionable, the Ewoke did well with a certain group who were forced into feeling guilty at having a RRS/RR and so downsized. Many moved across from BMW and Audi into what was deemed most fashionable, BUT fashions change.
Land Rover have nothing left for the 25K to 30K market, a huge market which the GS Freelander fitted into perfectly. So, as has been said, we basically have a whole set of Range Rovers but without the iconic Land Rover filling a necessary gap.

Lots more interesting perspectives here.

It's obviously true that Tata are vastly superior as owners of Jaguar / LandRover than either BMW or Ford who seemed more interested in pirating any good technical features that LR had developed; and somewhat starved Jaguar / LR of investing essential R&D and new plant & machinery. Tata have done the opposite; exploiting the strengths of the brands in lucrative newer markets, and investing heavily for the future.

No, for me the deficiency is closer to home; too much emphasis in technological gizmos and bling. Whilst that clearly attracts many, it also turns off many others. However sound the approach is for their new markets and customers, I can't see why any manufacturer would throw away a very loyal customer base by effectively pricing them out reach, or by dropping the utility sector.

Like many others I have paid a deposit for potential DS purchase in 2015 to replace my ageing FL2; right now I think that money would be better invested in premium bonds while I drive my FL2 until a more suitable model appears, from LR or ...!! Life is not a dress rehearsal!

I agree with most of that,Nick, but it's perhaps a bit unfair on Ford. The FL2 is a result of the Ford years, and the Evoque is an evolution of that so Ford are, directly or indirectly, responsible for LR's two best selling models. Under Tata the emphasis is too much on profit, and I think it's a pity Ford are no longer in charge.

Ford did try to improve reliability and introduce new models, unlike BMW who managed to almost destroy the Discovery by penny pinching on the alloy/steel joints, hence the all steel TD5. With Jaguar they introduced new engines and stole the AM body designs with a couple of tweaks. How much Tatra lets the JLR get on with producing cars they want for the modern world I don't know, but reliability has improved, they are selling cars to new customers want ( and some old customers) Should LR be after the BMW market then they are going in the right direction and the more agricultural vehicles may well fall by the wayside. CG doesn't have a Beemer but one does wonder how long JLR will manufacture vehicles he can legit ably claim the VAT and tax on as farm vehicles  my PC is slightly to the right of Genghis
2012 HSE SD4 In Orkney Grey now gone, best car ever.

I spoke to a salesman at my local LR dealer who said that orders for Discovery Sport are already coming in in huge numbers. I told him that I will NOT be ordering one. He said that most of the Freelander 2 sales were of high specification vehicles, and that they were not concerned about GS level customers as they were always the bargain hunters! I suppose that after launch there will be a huge surge in demand for the vehicle, and GS bargain hunters can only hope that LR will eventually launch a GS with 5 seats!

Your Salesman seems a little stuck up his own arse tbh.

We've been told in Australia that the Discovery Sport will be priced "at the same level as the Freelander 2" but prices are generally higher here than in the UK. The cheapest TD4 is ~$44'000 or ~£23'500

Funny that no-one has mentioned the Jaguar C-X17 in this discussion. It will be going to production and you'd think it'll be competing with LR products such as the Discovery Sport and the Evoque, or maybe even the RRS?

Who knows yet, but you should think about where the C-X17 will sit in the mix, after all, it's the same company... 2008 Freelander 2 HSE Si6 Black/Black - Hers
2009 Jaguar XKR 4.2 S/C Portfolio
2005 Jaguar XJR 4.2 S/C Black/Cranberry
2005 Jaguar X-Type 3.0L AWD - Gone

The comments from GSauto07 ring a bell.
Last year when I enquired about a new GS the dealers were trying to push the XS & HSE saying that the S & GS were a little basic even though it fitted my available budget. They didn’t want to know basically especially when I said I didn’t need finance. That’s the reason I went for my current ex demo model. Let’s see what LR do with regards to more affordable models in the next couple of years.
I’ve always been a LR fan since I was a kid (I remember a neighbour buying a new Series 2, 1967 I think, that set me off), but like others, I may look at other makes when it’s time to change.
So what, I’m a ‘Bargain Hunter’. Gone:
2002 FL1 TD4 GS Zambezi Silver
2007 FL2 TD4 GS Izmir Blue

Yesterdays Paris launch video:

&feature=youtu.be Foraging near Gaydon....
——————————————
MY13 HSE Lux SD4, Baltic Blue - current, 30,000> miles without fault
MY12 HSE 2.2 SD4, Sumatra Black - gone after 10 months/43,000 fault-free miles

Oh dear!

Now we know why the Sport is so expensive, - that must have cost a fortune to stage!

stopped watching the cars as soon as Rosie Huntington-Whiteley stepped out  Former Mod/Member, with the most post & Chicken George Arch nemesis

That's when I started

I am still amazed at how many people are saying it's too expensive, it's not made for YOU, it's made for a wide demographic of people that have money burning holes in their pockets and want the latest trendy gizmo, be it an iPhone6 or the latest LR must have product.
People whined ( oh how the whined) that the Evoque was silly and not for them, did LR care, not a not, they sold and continue to sell shed loads of them. What have LR done now, they have built a car which answers most of the issues with the Evoque, will it sell...you bet your chrome arse it will.
If LR sold 500,000 Freelanders (hypothetical before the fact flames start) do you beleive they will make a vehicle for those 500,000 people to move into...nah, they are looking at the millions of other drivers who would potentially buy the product, that is their market goal.
Will I buy one, probably, I like it but not as an early adopter, give it a couple of years and the time will be right, which leads me to believe that it may be the right time for many existing owners, prices will be discounted, new models will be in the line up, LR already have you as a customer, they can afford to loose a few sure but the new 'Discovery' is designed to get new business.

Ps. Who is this Rosie anyway

Good point!

The problem is, people don't like "change" of any description. Look at the furore when the FL2 was launched? Look again when they revised the front grill in 2010, and gave it a chrome arse piece? Then changed the interior and lights for MY2013? Just because it's something new ( and technologically more advanced), the "die-hards" will not accept it perhaps as readily as some who are looking at the bigger picture.

Be an interesting demographic to view in a few years as to who from here has migrated into the DS, and who has stubbornly refused to accept "change"....my betting is there won't be many of the latter! Foraging near Gaydon....
——————————————
MY13 HSE Lux SD4, Baltic Blue - current, 30,000> miles without fault
MY12 HSE 2.2 SD4, Sumatra Black - gone after 10 months/43,000 fault-free miles