History of Land Rover

 

Six decades equates to 60 years, or 720 months, or 21 900 days. During that period, Land Rover has grown from little more than a sketched outline of a vehicle on a beach to a global brand selling hundreds of thousands of vehicles. It’s been a journey filled with adventure, courage, engineering excellence and, above all, many thousands of content and loyal Land Rover Owners. The first Land Rover SERIES I, called the 'farmer's friend, was introduced in post-war Britain in 1948, The 1950s saw Land Rovers moving toward increased power and refinement. Launched in 1958, the Series II offered added horsepower and a somewhat less rudimentary exterior, with sills designed to disguise the exhaust and chassis. The first diesel-powered Rover was also produced during these years. The Series IIA came next, in a production run that lasted from 1961-'71. As the '60s drew to a close, Rover was acquired by Leyland Motors Ltd. (which would later become British Leyland). Land Rover's storied Range Rover made its debut in 1970. Equipped with a V8 engine and a body made mostly of aluminum, the stylish vehicle was more consumer-oriented than its predecessors. In the mid-'70s, British Leyland was nationalized; by the mid-'80s, the company — renamed the Rover Group — had been acquired by British Aerospace. The automaker officially entered the U.S. automotive market in 1987 when the Range Rover made its debut on American shores. It was followed in 1989 by the Discovery, which was initially offered only in two-door form. The Discovery was the first all-new Land Rover in 19 years. The Land Rover DISCOVERY was launched in 1989 with the DEFENDER coming in 1990. The future of Land Rover is previewed by the LRX CONCEPT that was premiered at the 2008 NAIAS show in Detroit this January. Land Rover Press Release: From our earliest days, the desire to create a vehicle that will tackle any terrain has made Land Rover famous around the world. Over the past 60 years, the Land Rover family has grown into the highly respected range of vehicles that are sold in record numbers today. As Land Rover continues to go from strength to strength, we thought it was time look back at the milestones in our history that have got us here.