Land Rover's History
Maurice Wilks, Rover's chief engineer and brother of company Chairman Spencer Wilks, used an army surplus Jeep on his estate in Anglesey, North Wales. It was this vehicle which inspired the notion of producing an adaptable workhorse for farmers, and very soon the first prototype 'Land Rovers' (based on the WWII Willys Overland Jeep) including the centre-steer prototype, were built. The Rover car company only thought it had found a short-term solution to post-war shortages: The Land Rover's body was of 'Birmabright' aluminium alloy at a time when steel was in short supply. But over 60 years later, Land Rovers continue to be produced for customers around the world, and the 4x4 utility vehicle is a much copied concept.
Land Rover Centre Steer Prototype.
Land Rover Centre Steer Prototype.
1948 to 1958
Series I Land Rover
The 80 inch SWB Land Rover, with a 1.6 litre petrol engine, made it's world debut at the Amsterdam motor show 30 April 1948. It featured full-time 4WD with a front free-wheel mechanism which could be locked by a "ring-pull" control.
The headlights were mounted behind the radiator grille, which made them hard to clean. The side lights were mounted on the bulkhead.
1949: 80 inch Station-wagon model.
1949: Headlights "through" the radiator grille.
1950: Selectable 2WD or 4WD - the free-wheel mechanism is dropped.
1951: 2.0 litre petrol engine. 80 inch station wagon discontinued.
1952: Exterior door handles, new inverted-T radiator grill, side lights on wings.
50,000th Land Rover. Exact Date Unknown.
1952 May: Land Rover signs a licence deal with Minerva of Belgium.
1953: Tempo of Germany begin building 'Tempo Land Rovers' under licence.
1953: 107 inch model introduced; SWB lengthened to 86 inches.
1954: Station wagon reintroduced.
1954 Autumn: 100,000th Land Rover produced.
1955: 10-seater LWB station wagon introduced.
1956: Wheelbases increased by 2 inches (88 inch and 109 inch), except 107 inch Station Wagon.
1956: Land Rover signs a licence deal with Metalurgica de Santa Ana, Spain.
1957: Optional 2.0 litre diesel engine. Fully-floating half shafts on LWB.
1958 to 1961
Series II Land Rover
1958: (April) Series II introduced with 2.25 litre petrol engine.
Some early machines had the old 2 litre petrol engine fitted.
1958: Austin launch their Series I look-alike, the Austin Gypsy.
1959: 109 inch 10 seater station wagon introduced.
1959: November, 250,000th Land Rover produced.
250,000th Land Rover.
1961 to 1970
1961: 2.25 litre diesel engine introduced.
1961: Series IIA Land Rover introduced, with 2.25 litre petrol or 2.25 litre diesel engine.
1962: 12-seater LWB station wagon
1962: Forward Control Land Rover introduced.
1965: (approx) prototypes of the Military Lightweight.
1966: Optional 2.6 litre 6 cylinder petrol engine on LWB and FC.
Improved FC (series IIb).
1966: 500,000th Land Rover produced.
500,001st Land Rover.
1967: New dashboard, single concealed wiper motor.
1968: Headlights move to wings on export models.
1968: Military Lightweight 88 inch air-transportable released.
1968: Land Rover Becomes part of the British Leyland Motor Corporation (B.M.C.).
1968: Austin (also now part of B.M.C.) cease production of the Gypsy.
1969: Stronger Salisbury rear axle on 6 cylinder models.
1970: Headlights move to wings on all models.
1970: Range Rover released.
1971 to 1979
Series III Land Rover
1971: (Oct) Series III introduced. New all synchromesh gearbox.
1971: 750,000th Land Rover produced.
1972: Stronger Salisbury rear axle standard on all 109 inch models.
1972: Series III version of the Military Lightweight introduced.
1972: Military 101 inch Forward Control production begins - 3.5 litre V8 petrol engine, LT95 4-speed gearbox, permanent 4WD.
1974: End of 'Land Rover' imports into USA (Range Rover imports started 1987).
1976 June: 1,000,000th Land Rover produced.
1,000,000th Land Rover.
1979 to 1989
1979: Land Rover Stage 1, leaf-sprung LWB (109 inch), 3.5 litre V8, LT95 4-speed gearbox, permanent 4WD.
1981: Camel Trophy switches to Land Rover products - Range Rover in this instance.
1981 Late: Stage 1 Hi-Capacity Pickup introduced.
1983: Land Rover 110, coil sprung, LWB (110 inch)
1984: Land Rover 90, coil sprung, SWB (actually 92.9 inches).
1985: Land Rover Stage 1 production ends - the last of the series Land Rovers.
1987: Land Rover signs a licence deal with Turkish company Otokar.
1988: British Aerospace buys Rover Group for £150 million.
1989: Land Rover Discovery Launched.
A G-WAC Discovery.
1989 Dec: Rover announced that the hyphen in Land-Rover was being dropped.
1990 to 1999
1990: Camel Trophy adopts the Land Rover Discovery.
1990: Land Rover Defender 90, Defender 110, Defender 130, including crew cab introduced. (new marketing name for updated Land Rover 90 / 110 / 127).
1994 11 Jan: Last 2-door Range Rover built.
1994: Rover Group sold to BMW.
1994 Sept: New Range Rover (P38) released. Original Range Rover continues as the Classic.
1996: UK Ministry of Defence orders 8000 Land Rover Defender XD110 and XD90 (XD - eXtra Duty) 4WDs to be delivered 1996-2000, and 800 Defender XD130 ambulances.
1996 Feb: Last Range Rover Classic built.
1997: Modern, small Land Rover, code name CB40, finally revealed and christened Freelander. On sale in UK late 1997. Also used in the 1998 Camel Trophy.
1998 Sept: Updated Discovery 2 launched (5 September) - 4.0 litre V8i petrol or 5-cylinder Td5 diesel, longer and wider than Discovery 1.
1999 Sept: BMW states that the 'Rover Group' name is to disappear.
2000 to 2009
2000 March: BMW decides to sell Land Rover to Ford for about 2.7bn US dollars, and later Rover cars to a management group 'Phoenix'.
2000, July 1: Ford takes control of Land Rover.
2001 late: New Range Rover III based on the BMW X5 with all independent suspension, BMW V8 petrol, and diesel.
2004: Discovery 3 (LR3 in some markets) Launched.
2005: Range Rover Sport released. Smaller than Range Rover III, based on Discovery 3s 'T5' chassis.
2005, April: Rover cars close down, halting supplies of the 1.8 litre petrol engine for Freelander.
2005: Range Rover III engine options changed to Jaguar-derived 4.4 litre V8 petrol, giving 300 hp, and a supercharged version of the Jaguar 4.2 litre V8 developing 400 hp.
2006 June: Defender reprieved to 2010, with new engine and upgrade package to be revealed soon.
2006 June: Range Rover III gains a Twin-turbo V8 diesel engine option, TDV8.
2006 July: Freelander 2 (LR2 in some markets) is launched at the British International Motor Show in London.
2006 September: A new engine (Ford DuraTorq) and trim package is announced on Defenders for 2007, extending the design life to 2010.
2007 March: Land Rover for sale?
Ford seeks buyers for Land Rover and Jaguar, on a backdrop of a third year of record sales for Land Rover.
2007, May 8: 4,000,000th Land Rover built, a Discovery 3 (LR3).
2007 November: Land Rover announce special 60th anniversary Defender model, the Defender SVX.
The Defender SVX will be available in 90 soft top and 90 station wagon versions, distinguished by unique silver SVX
badges against metallic black paintwork and satin black graphic details.
New features include 'diamond-turned' five-spoke alloy wheels and clear LED rear lights. Only 200 will be sold in the UK - 140 two-seater soft tops, and 60 of the four-seat station wagons.
2008: Land Rover's 60th anniversary year.
2008, January: LRX cross-coupe concept unveiled.
2008, March: Ford say Tata to Land Rover (and Jaguar)in a reputed £1.15 billion deal (2.3bn US dollars).
Ford has agreed to continue supplies of engines and other technologies to Tata Motors.
2009 Jaguar Land Rover announce that a midlands factory may close.
2009 LRX concept given production green light as a 'Baby Range Rover'.
2009 September: Discovery 4 launched on UK roads.
2009 Project 'Icon' revealed. This will be the eventual replacement (expected 2012) for the much loved Defender, which is being killed off by new euro motoring design laws.
It is expected that the new vehicle will be based on the Discovery 3 (LR 3) / Range Rover Sport 'T5' chassis.
2010
2010 January: Chief executive of Jaguar Land Rover, David Smith, quits after union talks break down.
Forward Control
1962-1966: SIIa Forward Control 109 inch, 4-speed manual, 2.25 litre 4 cylinder petrol or diesel.
1966-1972: SIIb Forward Control 110 inch, 4-speed manual, 2.25 litre 4 cylinder petrol or diesel, 2.6 litre 6 cylinder petrol.
1972-1978: FC-101 Military Forward Control 101 inch, 4-speed manual, 3.5 litre V8 Petrol, Permanent 4WD.
Built in 4 main variants : GS (general service), Ambulance, Radio Body, Vampire.
(total production 2667)
1982: SMC launch Stage 1 based FC-82 Forward control.
Range Rover / Range Rover Sport
1970: Range Rover - 3.5 litre V8 petrol engine, 100 inch wheelbase, 4-speed manual, full-time 4WD, locking centre diff, coil springs, self-levelling.
(On very early models the centre diff was also limited-slip but this feature was dropped as unnecessary.)
1981: 4 door Range Rover introduced.
1982: 3-speed auto option (various conversions before this).
1983: 5-speed manual gearbox.
1985: fuel-injected 3.5 litre V8 introduced.
1986: VM 2.4 litre 4-cyl turbo-diesel option.
1987: Imports into USA begin
1989: Imports into Canada begin
1989: 3.9 litre V8 introduced.
1990: VM 2.5 litre turbo-diesel option available.
1992: electronic air suspension, ABS, electronic traction control, silent chain transfer case with viscous coupling centre diff. (200Tdi engine replaces VM diesel option.)
1992: Vogue SE, 3.9 litre V8, 2540mm (100 inch), Vogue LSE, 3.9 litre V8, 2743mm (108 inch)(4.2 litre V8 in UK). Morse chain, or silent chain, transfer case with viscous coupling instead of diff' lock. Air suspension on top models.
1994: Driver and passenger air-bags. 300Tdi is the new diesel option.
1994 Sept 29: New Range Rover (P38) released, code name Pegasus) 108",
electronic air suspension, ABS, traction control, 5-speed manual transmission (R380) or 4-speed auto, semi-floating hubs, rear axle located by Panhard rod and composite radius arms (no A-frame), more rounded styling.
4.0 V8, base and SE.
2.5 TD, base and DSE, (6 cylinder BMW turbo diesel).
4.6 V8 HSE (automatic only).
1995: The original Range Rover continued as the Classic until its end was announced in November 1995.
1996 Feb: Last Range Rover Classic (No.317,615) made.
2001 late: New Range Rover III (L322) based on the BMW X5 with all independent suspension, BMW V8 petrol, and TD6, 6 cylinder diesel.
2002 January: Range Rover III at Detroit Motor Show.
2002, July 17: 500,000th Range Rover built (total of all models).
2005: Range Rover Sport released.
Smaller than Range Rover III, based around Discovery 3 chassis.
2005: Range Rover III engine options changed to Jaguar 4.4 litre V8 petrol, giving 300 hp, and a supercharged version of the Jaguar 4.2 litre V8 developing 400 hp.
2006 June: Range Rover III gains a Twin-turbo V8 diesel engine option, TDV8.
Land Rover Discovery
1989: Land Rover Discovery is unveiled at the Frankfurt Motor Show, Tuesday 12 September.
Coil sprung, full-time 4WD, 5-speed manual LT77 gearbox, LT230T transfer case, locking centre diff, 100 inch wheelbase.
Initially 3.5 V8 and 2.5 (4cyl) Tdi, 2 door.
1993: 1994cc MPi petrol 4cyl option.
1994: 3.9 V8i and 2.5 (4cyl) Tdi, 2 door and 4 door, 5-speed manual (R380) and 4-speed auto, driver's air-bag and optional passenger air-bag.
1998 Sept: Updated Discovery 2, Code-name Tempest, finally launched (5 September) - 4.0 V8i or 5-cylinder Td5 diesel longer and wider than old car.
2004: Discovery 3 (LR3 in some markets) Launched.
Jaguar 4.4 litre V8 petrol, 2.7-litre V6 turbodiesel, 4.0-litre V6 petrol. Full-time four-wheel drive.
Both petrol derivatives are matched to a six-speed automatic ‘intelligent shift’ transmission, also available with the diesel though this has a six-speed manual as standard.
2009 September: Discovery 4 launched on UK roads.
Land Rover Freelander
1997: CB40 is revealed and named as Freelander
The new small Land Rover with monocoque (body shell) construction, transversely mounted engine and no low-ratio or "proper" transfer-case.
Nevertheless it takes on the Toyota RAV4 and Honda CR-V head-on in the lifestyle SUV market.
1.8i, petrol, 2.0di diesel 3 door Soft back, 3 door Hardback and 5 door Station Wagon options. Full time front biased 4WD.
2000 August: 2.5 V6 petrol and 2.0 Td4 diesel versions released.
2001: Freelander is launched in the US (but sales prove to be poor).
2004: Freelander removed from North American markets with the launch of Discovery 3.
2005, April: Rover cars close down, halting supplies of the 1.8 litre petrol engine for Freelander.
2006: Freelander Replacement spy shots in the press.
2006 July: Freelander 2 (LR2 in some markets) is launched at the British International Motor Show in London.
Land Rover History
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