A HERITAGE OF INNOVATION: MILESTONES OF LAND ROVER’S HISTORY
1947 While using a Jeep on his farm in Anglesey, Rover’s Technical Director Maurice Wilks and his brother Spencer Wilks, Rover’s Managing Director see a gap in the vehicle market. They sketch the outline of a vehicle in the sand of a Welsh beach and the ‘Land Rover’ is born.
Development commences using a Jeep chassis with a Rover car engine. Simple body panels made from light alloy and a chassis fabricated from off-cuts avoid the use of rationed steel and the need for complex and expensive press tools.
1948 The first Land Rover is launched at Amsterdam motor show and is an instant success.
Rover soon realises that the ‘stop gap’ product is set to out sell its cars and by the end of the year is exporting the Land Rover to nearly 70 countries.
1949 The first Land Rovers are exported to the USA.
1950 The Land Rover is fitted with new, larger and more powerful headlamps that now shine through apertures in the grille. A hard top is offered.
The four wheel drive system is changed. Drive to the front axle in high range is now engaged by pressing down on a one lever while low range is selected by pulling another lever rearward. Selecting low range automatically engages four-wheel drive.
1951 The 1.6-litre engine is replaced by a larger-bore 2.0-litre unit.
1953 To improve the load space area, the wheelbase is extended to 86 inches while a new long wheel base Pick Up version and a Station Wagon appear.
1955 Based on a new engine in production for Rover saloon cars, a new power unit is introduced.
1956 The 10-seater 107-inch wheelbase Station Wagon is introduced.
The wheelbase is extended to 88 and 109 inches to make room for a new diesel engine under development.
1957 The new 2.0-litre diesel engine is introduced. Featuring overhead valves, it is the start of a whole new engine family.
1958 Ten years after the launch of the first Land Rover and at the same event – the Amsterdam Motor Show - the Land Rover Series II, featuring a wider body with barrelled sides and sills to conceal the chassis is unveiled. It also debuts a new 2.25-litre petrol engine.
1959 After 11 years in production, the 250,000th Land Rover rolls off the line.
1961 The capacity of the diesel engine is increased in capacity giving a greater power output. The Land Rover range is now known as the Series IIA.
1962 The 12-seat Station Wagon is introduced.
1965 The Rover Company completes negotiations with General Motors to acquire the rights to an all-alloy lightweight 3.5-litre V8 petrol engine.
1966 In April, Land Rover production reaches the half million mark.
1967 The six-cylinder 2.6-litre engine is made available as an option on 109 inch wheelbase models.
The Rover Company merges with truck manufacturer Leyland which had acquired the rival Coventry-based car maker Triumph.
1968 Following a three-year development period, the 'Truck Utility ½ Ton' – better known as the 'Lightweight' enters service with the British Army.
Two major British vehicle manufacturing groups merge. Leyland, including Rover and Triumph join the British Motor Corporation (BMC), incorporating Austin, Morris and Jaguar to unite British vehicle manufacture in one company, British Leyland.
1969 To comply with new lighting regulations, the headlamps are moved to the front wings.
1970 In June, Land Rover launches a major new model line – the Range Rover. Suspension is by long-travel coil springs, endowing the vehicle with good road manners as well as remarkable articulation for off-road agility. Power comes from the new all-alloy, 3.5-litre petrol engine giving the big vehicle a top speed of nearly 100 mph. The Range Rover features permanent four wheel drive to cope with the power and torque output of the V8 engine. The Rover-designed two-speed transfer box shares a common case with the four-speed manual gearbox and has a vacuum-operated centre differential. The braking system has innovative dual-circuit hydraulics with all-round disc brakes. The two-door body features Land Rover’s trademark aluminium panels on a steel frame and embodies Rover’s latest safety technology including seat belts integrated with the folding front seats. The trim reflects the vehicle’s utility roots with its easily cleaned PVC coverings.
The Range Rover is awarded gold medal for its coach-work while its safety features are recognised by the award of the Don safety trophy.
1971 The Range Rover receives the RAC Dewar award for outstanding technical achievement.
The 750,000th Land Rover is produced.
September sees the launch of the Land Rover Series III. The vehicles now feature an all-synchromesh gearbox and more powerful brakes with the long wheelbase 109 inch versions receiving servo assistance. The interior is updated with a revised instrument pack placed in front of the driver and a new top roll to the facia. Externally, the Series III introduces a new front end treatment with a revised lighting layout in a styled wing-front recess. This is complemented with a new plastic radiator grille.
Using two Range Rovers, the British Trans-Americas Expedition leaves Alaska in December heading for Tierra del Fuego. One of the last great car journeys of the world left to be done, the real challenge lies in the jungles of the Darien Gap in Central America.
1972 The Land Rover 1-tonne Forward Control is announced. Designed to a British Army specification, it is powered by a de-tuned, militarised version of the 3.5-litre V8 petrol engine used in the Range Rover.
1975 Following years of industrial disruption, British Leyland is taken under state control to prevent its bankruptcy and the loss of tens of thousands of jobs.
1976 The production of an 88-inch Station Wagon at Solihull marks the millionth Land Rover built.
1978 Industrialist, Michael Edwardes, brought in by the Government to manage British Leyland, creates Land Rover Limited as a separate operating company. For the first time in its history, Land Rover is under independent management and government funding is promised to allow for a doubling of production by the 1980s.
1979 A new version of the Land Rover 109-inch powered by the V8 petrol engine is launched.
1981 The four-door version of the Range Rover is launched.
1982 Range Rover production reaches 100,000. Following the introduction of the four-door a year earlier, the company introduces an automatic gearbox option to the Range Rover using the three-speed Chrysler ‘Torqueflite’.
The Land Rover ‘County’ Station Wagon variant is launched with improved interior comfort. The High Capacity Pick Up is introduced on the Land Rover 109.
1983 Land Rover’s new Managing Director, Tony Gilroy begins a programme to concentrate production at the main Solihull plant.
The Land Rover One Ten is launched. The new vehicle uses the coil spring suspension of the Range Rover in a new stronger chassis frame. Other features include a five-speed gearbox, front disc brakes, a one piece windscreen and optional power steering. The extended wheelbase, Land Rover 127 also appears in Crew Cab form.
The Range Rover is upgraded with a five speed manual gearbox and other improvements. Annual production now tops 12,000 vehicles.
1984 The Land Rover Ninety debuts, featuring new doors with wind-up windows.
Following a successful limited edition, the ‘Range Rover Vogue’ is introduced at the top of the model’s line-up.
1985 The refinement of Range Rover’s automatic option is improved by the introduction of a ZF 4-speed gearbox.
Land Rover vehicles are now being sold in 120 countries with plans for even more expansion.
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