LAND ROVER

Land Rover is a motoring legend - an icon for enthusiasts the world over, with its reputation for seeming indestructibility and rugged style.

Since the very first design appeared in 1948, the Land Rover name has become universally identified with four-wheel drive vehicles. The Land Rover story is a remarkable one that reads like a history of the 4x4 itself.

LAND ROVER HISTORY

The first Land Rover appeared in 1948 - a simple and inventive working vehicle. Brothers Spencer and Maurice Wilks, Land Rover's creators, developed the iconic vehicle that combined utilitarian simplicity with rugged, dependable quality. The earliest models were designed to be serviced in the field and were manufactured as a range of four-wheel drive vehicles.

From the 1970s onwards, Land Rovers came under increasing competition as manufacturers the world over entered the off-road four-wheel drive arena. Land Rover has been owned by various organisations, including British Leyland, British Aerospace and BMW. In 2000, Land Rover was sold by BMW to Ford but was recently bought by the Indian company, Tata Motors.

LAND ROVER FACTS

• Type: Subsidiary
• Founded: 1948
• Founder: Rover
• Headquarters: Solihull, England
• Key People: Geoff Polites, CEO
• Industry: Automotive
• Products: Automobiles
• Parent: Tata Motor Company

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LAND ROVER FEATURED MODELS

• LAND ROVER DEFENDER - a four-wheel drive off-road utility vehicle available with a variety of body types, often used in agricultural, industrial and military roles, Increasingly, the Defender is being used as a private car.
• LAND ROVER DISCOVERY - an on and off-road four-wheel drive vehicle, the Discovery is the most popular Land Rover model and is now in its third generation.
• LAND ROVER FREELANDER - currently in its second generation, the Freelander is a compact crossover SUV. Launched in 1997, it quickly became the best selling compact 4x4 in Europe.
• LAND ROVER RANGE ROVER - a full size luxury four-wheel SUV, the Range Rover has been in production since 1970 undergoing a wide range of changes in three different generations.
• LAND ROVER RANGE ROVER SPORT - A sports - rather than off-road - orientated SUV.

DID YOU KNOW?

• Early Land Rovers were constructed of a lightweight rustproof alloy of aluminium and magnesium called Birmabright which was used due to post war steel shortages and the plentiful supply of post-war aircraft aluminium. Birmabright's resistance to rust helped Land Rovers build a reputation for being long-lasting even in the toughest conditions. In fact, it is estimated that around 75% of all Land Rovers ever built are still in use.
• The early colour of Land Rover was actually due to to the military having excess supplies of aircraft cockpit paint after that were used in the war - so light green was the only shade available.
• Early advertisements for Land Rovers bragged that the vehicles could be driven for thousands of miles on banana oil!

LAND ROVERS AT AUTO TRADER

Here at Auto Trader we have a wide variety of new & used Landrover models available. If you are selling or buying a Landrover, visit Auto Trader today.