Washington DC Prototype Tour

[d1rty]

I reserved a time slot this week for the Washington DC prototype viewing.  Anyone on the forum going to be there?

I'm a big guy, and my primary focus will be to see how I fit behind the wheel.  Anything else folks would like me to look at get a feel or maybe pictures of?

 

[Elijah]

Rear backup cam! It’s under the rear tire, just not a lot of pictures of it. Ask them about the turning radius maybe? They said it used to be 3.5 wheel turn to stop. A couple of people driving on prototype tour complained about it and they have said they’re updating it. 

 

[d1rty]

Viewing date is 31 March, so little over a week out.  Keep the ideas coming.

I'll try to get a picture of the rear camera - if the prototypes have it!
Will ask about turning radius and turns-to-stop.

 

[Stu_Barnes]

Ask about heated steering wheel as well, Greg said that if enough customer interest was there then they would look into it. 

 

[d1rty]

Heated steering wheel added to the list.  Thursday is getting close!

 

[Ipe]

Did I miss something? What happened at the viewing? Any report? 

 

[mkennedy009]

If you can remember, ask about the F/R lockers, type and brand.  Also in the testing videos, did they have F/R lockers installed or was it just the central locker?

 

[Elijah]

[QUOTE username=Michael Kennedy  mkennedy009 userid=8949828 postid=1332334960]If you can remember, ask about the F/R lockers, type and brand.  Also in the testing videos, did they have F/R lockers installed or was it just the central locker?[/QUOTE]

They are Eaton E-Lockers. Prototypes have only had Central 

 

[grenadierguy]

Did you get any info on the heated steering wheel? Thanks!

Heated steering wheel added to the list.  Thursday is getting close!

 

[d1rty]

@grenadierguy Nothing direct about the heated wheel.  It was mentioned that when the configurator goes live, you'll likely see three trim tiers.  At the bottom will be the base truck - no options, no frills.  Step up with be the work/adventure trim that will include the kind of functional options to work and play hard - to me that means lockers?  Maybe snorkel/ladder/etc?  And the top trim will be "lifestyle" trim, with carpets/leather/all-season tires etc.  For the posh soccer mom set.

It was also said that the options will be available across trims.  I guess that means you could take a base and make it a lifestyle?  I wonder if there will be discounts to the trim levels to incentivize and streamline the production line orders in batches of stuff?

We should know a lot more soon.  Configurator and European pricing due any day now, right?

 

[grenadierguy]

@d1rty yeah I briefly got a little info about trims, I wasn't sure exactly how to read it. I asked about the horrible piano black plastic interior parts, I was told you could get rid of it if you choose a different trim... so I am not sure the adventure will have locker I think its more of an option. Maybe they throw in the altimeter and its wood trim instead of black piano plastic for adventure with the brown leather steering wheel. Hope we find out this Friday! ?

 

[d1rty]

@grenadierguy Oh, I may have totally mis-heard the part about trims.  It seemed to me that there was also some packaging of mechanical bits, but in retrospect, your point about it being mostly about interior appearance makes more sense.

I love the black/gray checkered cloth patterns we've seen on the prototypes.  And I love the idea of the saddle leather wheel and the patina it would take on.  But it always seemed out of place with the rest of the colors/textures.  Looking forward to see what they do to tie it all together.  Some kind of nice walnut open pore trim would look excellent with the saddle leather touches.  And if sticking with the black wheel, some kind of brushed or otherwise textured aluminium trim would be a nice upgrade from the piano black.

I had always figured I'd just do some kind of vinyl wrap over the piano black.  Excited to see what have in store for us.

 

[grenadierguy]

@d1rty exactly. A brown steering wheel in a mostly darker colored car. It's odd. If it stays in these tones I'll stick with black wheel especially if brown costs more. 
I'm hoping we find out tomorrow!

 

[ADVAW8S]

Big fan of saddle leather.  My family owns a bicycle store and the brooks leather saddle screams classic.   

 

[Guru]

I know it’s very personal….

I love saddle brown where it’s appropriate. e.g. On horse saddles and old school bicycles, looks imho really tacky in the Grenadier.
Sort of reminiscent of all those very expensive and pimped out Defenders in the US.
(My shop is in the US & we have a 110 arriving from UK this week that’s going to be “pimped” out somewhat, but I refuse to put ghastly seats in it ?)

Each to their own…??
whittamengineering.com

 

[d1rty]

@Guru I feel you.  I loved the idea and the story behind it (I'm a sucker for patina that shows loving use).  But yeah, it did look a bit out of place, especially with the gorgeous black/white/grey check pattern on the seats.

I've been staring at the release UK brochure very hard, and it looks like they toned down the color to be  a much darker brown, and looks like the updated the passenger "oh crap" handle on the dash to be in matching saddle leather.  Can't wait to see more pics of it, we're lucky that in the US we have some time for all the colors and trims to get out there before we have to pick.

 

[Spjnr]

@Guru I feel you.  I loved the idea and the story behind it (I'm a sucker for patina that shows loving use).  But yeah, it did look a bit out of place, especially with the gorgeous black/white/grey check pattern on the seats.

I've been staring at the release UK brochure very hard, and it looks like they toned down the color to be  a much darker brown, and looks like the updated the passenger "oh crap" handle on the dash to be in matching saddle leather.  Can't wait to see more pics of it, we're lucky that in the US we have some time for all the colors and trims to get out there before we have to pick.

I noticed that as well, although it doesn't seem to be consistent across all media atm. I like the darker brown quite a lot, but not sure ill pay the price bump for it.

 

[d1rty]

@Spjnr 620 GBP is no joke.  I hope the passenger grab handle gets the saddle leather treatment.  I'd like to see some more use of it, maybe on the transmission shift boot, maybe wrapping some of the piano black interior bits?

If it's just wheel and handbrake and (maybe) passenger grab handle, I'm gonna have to think long and hard.

 

[ADVAW8S]

I've been looking a marine grade interior wrap to cover the piano black, a scratch will show in a heartbeat, I dash.