7 MOST SIGNIFICANT LAND ROVERS OF THE PAST 70 YEARS
Land Rover is celebrating 70 years today, and in honor, we’ve picked seven of the most significant builds of all time.
Happy birthday, Land Rover; the British brand is celebrating 70 adventurous years, all starting with the debut of the first Land Rover product at the Amsterdam Motor Show in 1948. In honor of that impressive achievement – and considering today is World Land Rover Day – we thought it only appropriate to pick seven of what we believe to be the most significant Land Rover products of the past 70 years. From the classic Discovery Series 1, to the modern Range Rover Evoque, these SUVs and crossovers helped solidify Land Rover’s place in off-road history.
1970 Range Rover Classic
Land Rover introduced the Range Rover in 1970, and it created the luxury SUV segment that has become so popular since then. The carbureted 3.5-liter wasn’t a powerhouse with just 132 horsepower, but the cabin was incredibly by the standards of SUVs at the time. Initially, Land Rover prioritized the Range Rover’s style by over only offering it as a three-door with large windows and skinny pillars. The five-door didn’t arrive until 1981, but some markets continued to receive the three-door variant until the 1990s.
1983 Land Rover 110
Few Land Rover products are as memorable as the iconic Defender 110. The Defender kicked off production in 1983, and was named for its wheelbase, which measured in at 110-inch (2,800 mm) in length, compared to the smaller Defender 90 which had a 93-inch (2,362 mm) wheelbase. Only 500 units made their way to the U.S., making them more collectible than some of their counterparts, with power coming from a 3.9-liter V8 paired to a five-speed manual transmission. The 110 also featured an external roll cage, coil springs for the first time ever, and a permanent all-wheel-drive system – borrowed from the Range Rover – with a two-speed transfer box. Needless to say, the 110 was one of the best Land Rover products ever built, and remains an icon to this day.
1989 Land Rover 90
After Land Rover introduced the Defender 100 in 1983, the company followed it up with the Defender 90 a year later, which derived its name from its shorter wheelbase measuring 93 inches (2,362 mm). The Defender became known for its stubby, two-door appearance that exemplified the no-nonsense mentality of a serious off-road vehicle. This was when land Rover made its mark as a private recreational vehicle, embracing its new-found notoriety through its marketing.
1989 Land Rover Discovery Series 1
Until the launch of the Discovery, someone that wanted a Land Rover had to make a very difficult decision. The Defender’s utilitarian nature meant it lacked much luxury. Conversely, the Range Rover was more expensive but quite comfy for regular use. The Disco was a welcome compromise by bringing some of the RR’s plushness to a more affordable package, while still retaining off-road capability.
2003 Range Rover
More than 30 years after the first Range Rover was launched, the third-generation – kicking off with the 2002 model year – marked a significant upgrade for the SUV. It was the first Range Rover built under BMW ownership, and shared nearly all of its electrical components with the E39 5 Series. It even wielded BMW's 4.4-liter M62 V8 alongside a supercharged 4.2-liter JLR V8. It was also the first Range Rover generation to receive a dramatically new design, too – the third-gen ditched many of the rugged components found in the first two generations in place of a more luxurious look, helping it become one of the most successful Land Rover products ever built in terms of sales.
2011 Range Rover Evoque
It may not have been as rugged or as authentically adventurous as some of its siblings, but the Range Rover Evoque transformed the brand. The smallest SUV offering to date, the Evoque appealed to a much broader audience – even more so than the Range Rover and Range Rover Sport before it. The compact crossover came powered by a two-liter inline-four engine, and though it was built using a unibody construction, it still maintained some of the brand’s signature off-road chops. The current generation carries on, but a new model should be here in 2019.
2014 Range Rover Sport SVR
In 2014, Land Rover announced the Range Rover SVR (Special Vehicle Racing), designed to be the pinnacle of performance for the brand. The Range Rover SVR debuted with a 550-horsepower, 5.0-liter V8, which helped propel the large luxury SUV to 60 miles per hour in under five second with a top speed of 162 mph.The Range Rover SVR is the future of the brand as it distinguishes itself as offering something more than just off-road luxury vehicles.
Source: Motor1
1970 Range Rover Classic
Land Rover introduced the Range Rover in 1970, and it created the luxury SUV segment that has become so popular since then. The carbureted 3.5-liter wasn’t a powerhouse with just 132 horsepower, but the cabin was incredibly by the standards of SUVs at the time. Initially, Land Rover prioritized the Range Rover’s style by over only offering it as a three-door with large windows and skinny pillars. The five-door didn’t arrive until 1981, but some markets continued to receive the three-door variant until the 1990s.
1983 Land Rover 110
Few Land Rover products are as memorable as the iconic Defender 110. The Defender kicked off production in 1983, and was named for its wheelbase, which measured in at 110-inch (2,800 mm) in length, compared to the smaller Defender 90 which had a 93-inch (2,362 mm) wheelbase. Only 500 units made their way to the U.S., making them more collectible than some of their counterparts, with power coming from a 3.9-liter V8 paired to a five-speed manual transmission. The 110 also featured an external roll cage, coil springs for the first time ever, and a permanent all-wheel-drive system – borrowed from the Range Rover – with a two-speed transfer box. Needless to say, the 110 was one of the best Land Rover products ever built, and remains an icon to this day.
1989 Land Rover 90
After Land Rover introduced the Defender 100 in 1983, the company followed it up with the Defender 90 a year later, which derived its name from its shorter wheelbase measuring 93 inches (2,362 mm). The Defender became known for its stubby, two-door appearance that exemplified the no-nonsense mentality of a serious off-road vehicle. This was when land Rover made its mark as a private recreational vehicle, embracing its new-found notoriety through its marketing.
1989 Land Rover Discovery Series 1
Until the launch of the Discovery, someone that wanted a Land Rover had to make a very difficult decision. The Defender’s utilitarian nature meant it lacked much luxury. Conversely, the Range Rover was more expensive but quite comfy for regular use. The Disco was a welcome compromise by bringing some of the RR’s plushness to a more affordable package, while still retaining off-road capability.
2003 Range Rover
More than 30 years after the first Range Rover was launched, the third-generation – kicking off with the 2002 model year – marked a significant upgrade for the SUV. It was the first Range Rover built under BMW ownership, and shared nearly all of its electrical components with the E39 5 Series. It even wielded BMW's 4.4-liter M62 V8 alongside a supercharged 4.2-liter JLR V8. It was also the first Range Rover generation to receive a dramatically new design, too – the third-gen ditched many of the rugged components found in the first two generations in place of a more luxurious look, helping it become one of the most successful Land Rover products ever built in terms of sales.
2011 Range Rover Evoque
It may not have been as rugged or as authentically adventurous as some of its siblings, but the Range Rover Evoque transformed the brand. The smallest SUV offering to date, the Evoque appealed to a much broader audience – even more so than the Range Rover and Range Rover Sport before it. The compact crossover came powered by a two-liter inline-four engine, and though it was built using a unibody construction, it still maintained some of the brand’s signature off-road chops. The current generation carries on, but a new model should be here in 2019.
2014 Range Rover Sport SVR
In 2014, Land Rover announced the Range Rover SVR (Special Vehicle Racing), designed to be the pinnacle of performance for the brand. The Range Rover SVR debuted with a 550-horsepower, 5.0-liter V8, which helped propel the large luxury SUV to 60 miles per hour in under five second with a top speed of 162 mph.The Range Rover SVR is the future of the brand as it distinguishes itself as offering something more than just off-road luxury vehicles.
Source: Motor1
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