I caught a glimpse of a Blue Defender on Thursday morning. It was travelling in the opposite direction so I didn't get a good look. Anyhow, the front grille was slighly more proud than standard and it had what looked like the Renault logo on the front.
Can anyone throw any light on this?
The Santana badge looks fairly similar to the Renault logo
...and Derek spake unto the tribes of Usenet, saying...
Must have been a Santana - the description fits. Coincidentally, the other day a PS-10 was parked by the pub up the road from me. Had a good look, and it seemed pretty impressive, if a bit plasticky inside. It had advertising for a local Pug garage on the sides, making me wonder if they are going to start importing them. I've heard nothing locally, though.
Thanks for that guys. Absolutely spot on. I had no idea they were available in the UK.
NP Martin could be an import but there are UK dealers and god help us a website
How much of a Santana has LandRover content in it?
Richard
"Richard" wrote
About I------------I that much.
No Land Rover content at all although there is a common ancestry going back to the 60's and early 70's of the previous Century.
Huw
Not strictly true - the gearbox and transfer box are Land Rover, and I believe quite a lot of other bits are Land Rover, as in LR desgned/have IPR on them. I don't know about this model, but for example previous Santana's had LR parabolibc springs (they had LR part numbers, hence they can be used in ALRC trials) despite LR never actually using them. The interrelationships between LR/Santan/OKtar are quite complex and with different A surfaces applied a part can actually be LR but not look the same - that sort of thing. I'll bet quite a lot is made under licence.
Richard
The gearbox is Santana and they have indeed supplied gearboxes to Land Rover although I have no recollection of LR supplying Santana in the last 25 years
They were pure Santana.
The interrelationships between LR/Santan/OKtar
Once upon a time.................
Huw
Santana may have made them, but the design was in cooperation with, and approved by, Land Rover.
Not so - LR experimented with parabolics many moons ago on the "Large Lightweight" - they were allegedly an option for the Stage I, but it was postponed to Stage 2 which never realy happened (or, as some commentators observe it did - Santana's), as Wedgi Benn injected sufficient capital into Leyland to allow the 110, later Defender, project to be started. The cash, or at least some of it, was specificaly given to LR and not the group as a whole to promote exports.
Unfortunately Maggie then pulled a stunner in about 1980 and withdrew the subsidy paid by the Government on vehciles supplied to NGO's. No one else did, so the result was somewhat perdicatable to the extent that there was talk of Land Rover (not Range Rover) being sold to JCB.
Octar are definately very tied into Land Rover, though a lot of components are manufactured locally under licence. Some on my software is used by them for production of a significant sub assembly.
The "all new" Santana is still Santana, any licencing deals are still extant (unless explicity ended, obviously) - all they have done is wipe the slate clean and sold all the "Series" parts to Britpart so they can clear he stores and start over. I've never heard what happened to their Suzuki venture, except that it closed some time ago.
Richard
>"beamendsltd" wrote in message news:3417ab94e% snipped-for-privacy@btconnect.com...
I do not believe Santana needed approval to design and build their own gearbox by the early 1980's. They supplied their gearbox to Land Rover for use in V8 Defender from very late 84 or early 85.
AFAIK they are only suppliers of components and parts for long obsolete LR models such as parts for their gearboxes. LR supplies then with few, if any, parts.
There is no licence needed to build Santana vehicles or any parts that they produce for their existing vehicles or for any parts and hasn't been for a very very long time. Santana is not some kind of junior partner in any venture that is known about today. They are an independent company long able to produce vehicles without answering to anyone.
I tested a couple in mixed conditions last Spring and while being worthy enough they were very basic and exceptionally poorly assembled with appalling quality control by today's standards. The engine is probably the best part though the installation makes it particularly noisy for the passengers. The most surprising aspect is the rather OK ride and good axle articulation which I assessed as being superior as a load carrier to the rear coil set-up used by LR since 83. The gearbox was notchy but OK while the worst dynamic aspect was the steering which despite being power assisted and modified from a SeriesIII still feels as appallingly vague as a series. This is unacceptable IMO on a vehicle with such power if not performance. The rear axle is not a Dana clone like the Salisbury used by LR but a seemingly larger version of the LR unit used by short wheelbase Defenders. The front is very similar to a Series with no CV joints in the swivels. The transfer box is part time but with a modern gate to the lever. No refinements like synchromesh to change from low to high like an Isuzu though. As far as the body goes it is made from steel and I don't remember whether it had a separate chassis or not but something tells me that it is an unibody. Anyhow the load area is severely compromised by the wheel boxes, a legacy from LR which is no more acceptable than it is practical. There is no Hi-cap available AFAIK. The rear tailgate on pick-up's is strong but when lowered there is a massive gap between the body and tailgate. Although I did seriously consider buying a pick-up there are just far too many rough edges to the design and build to make it a serious contender against the modern Eastern pick-ups or even a new Defender Hi-cap, which is itself seriously in need of a major update and improved quality and chassis corrosion protection.
Huw
Passed a dealer today who has two Santana's in stock. Seperate chassis with apparently very good rustproofing. Vinyl seats don't look as if they will last long but otherwise good.
Huge drawback is that the pick-up gives only a saving of around 8% on the price of a Defender 110. Nowhere near enough considering unknown resale value etc.
Huw
I looked at a Santana in Morrisons car park in Leek. No sun roof or alpine lights left the interior very dark and gloomy. It the roof had recieved clouts like my 110 I get the distinct impression it would not take it as well (or, rather not at all). The general interior, and to some extent exterior, had "cheap" written all over it.
Richard
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