LAND ROVER LAND MARKS

1948

  • Land Rover launched at Amsterdam Motor show.
  • The vehicle is equipped with permanent four wheel drive, canvas roof and optional doors.
  • Doors become standard within months .




1949

  • First station wagon available


1950

  • The metal hardtop is offered as an alternative to the canvas roof.
  • Free wheel feature replaced by selectable 2/4 wheel drive.


1952

  • 1997 cc engine introduced


1954

  • First Series I 86 and Series I 107 Land Rovers (the Series I 107 is the first long wheelbase).


1956

  • Both long and short wheel bases gain two inches.


1958

  • The Series II Land Rover, with more refined styling and 2.25 litre petrol engine is launched.


1959

  • November - the 250,000th Land Rover produced.


1962

  • The Series III 109" forward control version is introduced.


1966

  • April - the 500,000th Land Rover completed.


1968

  • The air portable 88" lightweight model is introduced.


1969

  • Headlamps removed from the radiator grill to front fenders.


1970

  • June - the first Range Rover is launched at Blue Hills Mine, Cornwall. It is available as a three door estate with a four speed manual gearbox only.


1971

  • 750,000th Land Rover is completed.
  • October - series III 88" and 109" Land rovers are launched with synchromesh gear box, new radiator grill and new interior.


1972

  • The 101 military forward control model is launched.
  • Range Rover is the first vehicle to cross the Darien Gap.


1974

  • Range Rover completes West to East Sahara Desert expedition 7,500 miles in 100 days.


1976

  • 1,000,000th Land Rover completed in June.


1978

  • Land Rover Ltd is formed with a plan to double production by the 1980s.


1979

  • March - launch of the 109" Land Rover V8.


1981

  • January - Range Rover wins the Paris-Dakar Rally.


1982

  • Camel Trophy - Papua New Guinea expedition starts.
  • Automatic transmission is introduced on Range Rover.
  • July - Range Rover 4-door version is launched.


1983

  • March - Land Rover 110 is introduced with new coil spring suspension, five speed gearbox, one piece windscreen and power steering.


1984

  • June - Land Rover 90 launched.
  • The 2.5 litre diesel engine introduced.


1985

  • A V8 engine option for Land Rover 90.
  • Launch of the Ninety, including all 110 refinements; vehicles being sold in 120 countries.


1986

  • October - a 2.5 litre diesel turbo charged engine is introduced offering 28 per cent more torque and 25 per cent increase in power over the naturally aspirated version.


1987

  • March - the Range Rover is launched in North America.
  • The Range Rover Turbo D is used for Camel Trophy Madagascar.


1988

  • October - the Range Rover chain driven transfer box and viscous control unit is introduced.
  • 40thAnniversary of the Land Rover. Over 1.6 million vehicles sold worldwide.


1989

  • October - Range Rover is launched in the UK with 3.9 litre engine. Anti-lock brakes option introduced.
  • November - Land Rover Discovery launched at Frankfurt Motor Show with the new Turbo Charged, direct injection diesel engine. This is the first all-new vehicle since 1970.


1990

  • Land Rover is renamed Defender. All diesel Defenders are given the new 2.5 litre direct injection Turbo charged diesel engine.
  • 20th Anniversary of Range Rover.


1991

  • Four door Discovery introduced in Europe.


1992

  • Land Rover Defender 110 with 3.9 litre engine is shown at North America International Automobile Show. A limited production run of 500 goes on sale in the USA on 1 August.
  • October - Range Rover country LWB introduced to glowing reviews and automotive awards, leading Land Rover North America to successive monthly sales records.
  • Range Rover LSE introduced with 4.2 V8 litre engine, electronic traction control and electronic air suspension - a world first for a 4 x 4 vehicle.
  • Range Rover Tdi launched with Land Rover's 200 Tdi Turbocharged direct injection engine.


1993

  • 45th Anniversary of Land Rover.
  • October - Defender 90 soft top with V8 power is introduced.


1994

  • New Range Rover launched.


1995

  • March - Range Rover 4.0 SE launched in the USA.
  • September - Range Rover 4.6 HSE introduced to the USA.
  • Discovery, and two door hard top station wagon Defender 90 join US line up.
  • Land Rover production tops 100,0000 units for the first time.


1997

  • Freelander launched in the United kingdom.


1998

  • April - 50th Anniversary of Land Rover April - Freelander to be launched in New Zealand.
Last Updated on Sunday, 09 August 2009 17:06