The History of Land Rover

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The History of Land Rover

The first Land Rover was designed by Maurice Wilks in 1947, in Wales in the United Kingdom. The vehicle was produced as a farm vehicle that could be used for everything from plowing fields to driving in town. It is said that he was inspired by an American World War II Jeep that he used on his estate. The first prototype was built on a Jeep chassis. A distinctive feature of the Rover has been their bodies, constructed of a lightweight rustproof proprietary alloy of aluminum and magnesium, called Birmabright. This metal’s resistance to corrosion was one factor that built up the Land Rover’s reputation for longevity in the toughest conditions. The early choice of color was dictated by army surplus supplies of paint—early vehicles only came in various shades of green. The Freelander, Discovery (LR3) and the Range Rover now use the more usual monocoque body construction.

A decade after its introduction, the Series I design fell to the Series II. By 1959, a quarter-million Land Rovers were on the road. By 1966, it was a half million. Rovers were taking on the world’s most treacherous and unforgiving territories...and winning. Then, in 1970, the Range Rover debuted. It was designed for serious off-road use (and it can be hosed clean inside & out), but it added an element of luxury for the country gentlemen market it sought to attract. It was an idea ahead of its time.

The 70’s inspired a number of innovations. In 1971, the Series III debuted, and a year later, the 101" followed. Originally designed as a gun tractor for the British Army, it became popular as a large, overbuilt long-range camper.

In 1976, Land Rover sales hit the 1 million mark; not exactly Ford and Chevy numbers, but a testament to the fierce loyalty this vehicle inspires in its legion of fans worldwide.

The idea of the Range Rover took off, and 1989 sales exceeded 1988 sales by 41%. Four Wheeler magazine awarded the Range Rover its coveted "Four Wheeler of the Year" award due to its overwhelming success and appeal.

Despite its success, Range Rover was still considered a landed gentry vehicle. Rover engineers searched for a design to fit the needs of the family, and created the Discovery, with more room and less expensive luxury features. In 1990, Discovery won Off Road & 4 Wheel Drive magazine’s 4 x 4 of the year before it was officially launched! Still more awards followed. In 1994, the Defender won Four Wheeler of the Year by Four Wheeler magazine, and a year later, the Discovery won Four Wheeler’s Four Wheeler of the Year award.

In 1996, the last Range Rover Classic rolled off the assembly line. The Vogue SE was loaded—a heady compilation of over 10,000 parts. The beautiful new 4.0 became the unquestioned king of the SUV hill.

Following the trend towards small, sporty SUV’s, the engineers created the Freelander, which debuted officially in 1997. The following year, the Freelander won 4 x 4 of the Year by Off Road & 4 Wheel Drive magazine, and went on to become the best-selling SUV in all of Europe!

In 2000, Range Rover enthusiasts gathered at the Heritage Motor Centre in Gaydon, England to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Range Rover. 605 Range Rovers attended, from prototype "Velar" models to the rare 6x6 stretched versions. A fitting tribute to the one and only—the original and still champion Range Rover.

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Interesting info