Range rover: history. Land Rover history Auto Land Rover who is the manufacturer
Since the release of the first Range rover in 1970, this car was continuously improved. The most luxurious SUV is characterized by excellence, unrivaled performance and impressive design, which, when combined with technological features, make it stand out from the competition. We want to freshen up the history of luxury SUVs known as the Range Rover family.
1969 - Range Rover Velar prototype
To keep the prototype of the first-ever Range Rover a secret, the designers and engineers working on this revolutionary car named it ‘Velar’, from the Italian ‘velare’, meaning “shroud” or “veil”. The first 26 prototypes even had a badge with the same logo to hide the brand.
1970 - first production 3-door Range Rover
After the successful testing of the Velar Concept, the first Range Rover is brought to the world. With a rare combination of unrivaled performance and elegant design, it has been warmly received by the public. This first car with permanent all-wheel drive also featured a double-leaf door. luggage compartment, sculpted bonnet and continuous centerline.
1981 - Range Rover 4-door
Eleven years later, the Range Rover Classic, a four-door version, was introduced to the market, allowing fans of the brand to even more fully appreciate the benefits of the car.
1994 - second generation Range Rover
The second generation cars were even more luxurious than their predecessors. Unique design features such as a distinctive silhouette and rectangular headlights instead of round ones have stood the test of time and remain an integral part of our vehicles to this day.
2001 - third generation Range Rover
Even more sophisticated, this Range Rover is the first ever to have a monocoque body. The exterior designers were inspired by the stretched, high-speed Italian Riva, while the metallic trims were inspired by the pulleys of a luxury yacht.
2004 - Range Stormer Concept
The Stormer Concept is renowned for redefining Range Rover's design and approach to bringing innovative technologies to the vehicle.
2005 - Range Rover Sport production
The launch of the first sport utility vehicle in the Range Rover family reflects a commitment to Land Rover to improve vehicle performance. Among available engines A supercharged 4.2-liter petrol unit with high performance was introduced. Range Rover sport It was also equipped with a cross-linked air suspension that allowed height adjustment and guaranteed optimum all-wheel drive comfort, both on and off the road. The height adjustment is one of the many functions that reflect the dynamic characteristics of the vehicle's appearance.
2008 - LRX concept
This cross-coupe concept was an ambitious and progressive decision by the design team. Land rover... Aimed at seldom off-road drivers, this concept still retains legendary capabilities. Car Land Rover, and journalists immediately called its interior "futuristic".
2011 - Range Rover Evoque production
Car of the Year according to numerous retailers, Range Rover evoque rocked the public by appearing at the 2010 Paris Motor Show. Many of the features featured in the LRX Concept complement the luxurious cross-coupe. For example, it has inherited a fresh interpretation of the classic Range Rover design.
2012 - fourth generation Range Rover
Range rover fourth generation for the first time received an all-aluminum body and stood out with an extended wheelbase and a descending roof. The car has also been equipped with an improved adaptation system for road conditions Terrain Response ® by Land Rover. This integrated driving assistance technology automatically adjusts settings according to road conditions.
2013 - Range Rover Hybrid
The first hybrid in the Range Rover range not only provided an increase fuel efficiency and reduced emissions, but not inferior to its predecessors in terms of performance. To prove it, the vehicle set off on a long journey from Solihull to Mumbai, covering 16,000 km, ruthless off-road and the Himalayas.
Left The first Range Rover Hybrid delivers reduced emissions without sacrificing performance Right The luxurious features common to all Range Rovers are retained in the Hybrid
2013 - second generation Range Rover Sport
Several streets of New York were blocked off to unveil the revamped Range Rover Sport, powered by an efficient 3.0-liter V6 engine, and Daniel Craig, best known for his role as Agent 007, was honored to present the new product.
2015 - Range Rover Sport SVR launched
The Range Rover Sport SVR, a high-performance SUV that delivers optimum performance, is the first vehicle built by the Special Vehicle Operations team. The fastest Land Rover delivers the ultimate driving experience. Power is reflected in the appearance, in elements such as double exhaust pipes and a unique rear spoiler.
2015 - Range Rover SVAutobiography
The ultimate in luxury and excellence, the Range Rover SVAutobiography redefines Range Rover vehicles. The attention to detail accentuated by the Brushed Aluminum trim finishers and the exclusive seats are impossible to miss. The unique choice of exterior colors ensures that every customer gets the expectedly unique and luxurious Range Rover. SVAutobiography Dynamic was introduced soon after. The sleek design, powerful V8 engine and attractive steel reflected its power and agility.
Official website: www.landrover.com
Headquarters: Germany
"Land Rover" (Land Rover), a subsidiary of the English company Rover Group ("Rover Group"), purchased in 1994 German concern BMW ("BMW"). Produces off-road vehicles famous brand Land Rover ("Land Rover"). It is headquartered in Solihull near Birmingham.
After World War II, a subsidiary of the British company Rover (the "Rover" Land Rover Group ("Land Rover Group") became the first firm to take a position in the growing market of off-road vehicles.
The first Land Rover arrived in post-war Britain in 1948, during a time of severe steel shortages. It was an ingeniously simple, ingenious workhorse made of aluminum. Brothers Spencer & Maurice Wilks, who worked for the British carmaker Rover, created a new symbolic car that combined pragmatic simplicity and rude reliability. The car was an instant success, as a result of which, by the mid-fifties of the last century, the Land Rover brand had already become clearly associated with the concept of sturdiness, durability and phenomenal off-road qualities. Military and agricultural workers, as well as rescue and recovery workers have found in Land Rover exactly the qualities that they needed in a car. By 1959. With the 250,000th Land Rover leaving the Solihull plant in West Midlands, the foundation for future market dominance was fully laid.
The iconic Defender, Land Rover's long wheelbase model, conceived as a versatile reliable car of the post-war period, has been produced practically unchanged for 50 years and its appearance reminds all the same post-war model. The model is still considered the best all-wheel drive SUV.
In the 1960s, the demand for four-wheel drive vehicles and Land Rover is at the forefront of an emerging new market segment. Trying to find the best solution the problem that arose, Rover engineers sat down to develop vehicle that would combine comfort and driving performance family car with the off-road capabilities of Land Rover.
The result of their work was the Range Rover, launched in 1970. and instantly aroused general stormy admiration. The famous design of this model has reached a unique level of recognition when it was exhibited at the Louvre Gallery in Paris. However, the car's merits went far beyond comfort and attractiveness. appearance while maintaining the unique off-road driving qualities.
Throughout the 1970s and 80s, Land Rover and Range Rover continued to evolve and recognition for Land Rover vehicles grew with events such as the Paris-Dakar Rally, which demonstrated the brand's outstanding resilience.
V the lineup Land Rover includes two more models. The Discovery was first shown at the 1989 Frankfurt Motor Show, marking the creation of a new niche for the 4x4 family car.
In 1997. followed by the Freelander - more compact car focused on sports and leisure applications and has taken the lead in Europe in terms of sales in the 4x4 class.
In 1994, the BMW concern acquired the English company Rover Group ("Rover Group"), and with it its subsidiary Land Rover, which has always specialized in SUVs.
Currently, the prestige of the department is still very high. The renowned Range Rover is unrivaled and the standard of luxury all-terrain vehicle. In 1994 it was updated for the last time. It is offered with three types of engine - V-shaped 8-cylinder with a displacement of 4.0 or 4.6 liters with a capacity of 190 or 224 hp, as well as a turbocharged diesel bmw a volume of 2.5 liters and a power of 136 hp.
For middle-class buyers, a compact Land Rover - Freelander is produced. This model has an independent suspension of all wheels and a transverse engine arrangement. It has 4-cylinder petrol and diesel engines with a working volume of 1.8-2.0 liters.
Discoveri and Defender continue to be produced unchanged. The last, the workhorse of all other models, the most practical and reliable, although not very comfortable, is offered with an aluminum station wagon. In the UK, Defender is sold in three base versions - 90, 110 and 130. They are equipped with a turbocharged diesel engine and a V8 gasoline engine with a displacement of 2.5 and 4.0 liters, respectively. These vehicles are very popular with farmers and are used as police and fire trucks.
Land Rover is a British car manufacturer that produces premium all-wheel drive off-road vehicles. Owned by Indian Tata Motors and is part of the Jaguar Land Rover group. The headquarters are located in Wheatley, Coventry.
The brand appeared in 1948, and the company of the same name was formed only in 1978. Prior to this, the brand was part of the Rover product line.
In the post-war years, British industry was in decline. Strategic materials were distributed according to quotas among enterprises capable of producing competitive products intended for export. Before the war under by the Rover brand fast and elegant cars were going, but now they were not in demand. The market was longing for something simpler and more reliable. In addition, there were difficulties in obtaining the necessary spare parts. The head of the company, Spencer Wilkes, was looking for something to load the idle facilities of his enterprise.
During this time, his brother Maurice Wilkes could not find spare parts to repair his Army Willys. Then the brothers came up with the idea to create an alternative Willys, an inexpensive and undemanding all-terrain vehicle that would be useful to farmers. The automotive industry has been a priority in the recovery of the British economy. The Wilkes brothers received government approval to restart civilian production and settled in the new Meteor Works in Solihull. During the Second World War, this enterprise produced engines for aircraft and tanks. Therefore, many sheets of aluminum accumulated here, which were later used for the body of the first Land Rover car.
The American Willis Jeep was taken as the basis for its development. For the bodywork, Birmabright aluminum alloy was used, a lightweight, easy-to-process material that reduced costs. In addition, it was resistant to corrosion, making the brand's machines durable under the harshest conditions. The design of the car was also as simple as possible. Instead of extruded steel parts for the chassis, the designers chose to weld pieces of scrap steel together and then assemble and use them as a supporting frame. The result is a sturdy and reliable chassis that is inexpensive to manufacture.
The assembly of the first prototype was completed in the summer of 1947. It received the name Center Steer. A pre-production sample was shown in the spring of 1948 at an exhibition in Amsterdam. Its hood bore a new name for the automotive industry - Land Rover. The novelty aroused great public interest, much to the surprise of its creators.
The first cars were ascetic. They received the green paint used for aircraft, a ladder-type frame, a centrally located rudder, a 48-horsepower 1.5-liter engine, a special galvanized frame, four-wheel drive. Reliable and simple machines were in demand. Just three months after the start of production, the new SUV was on sale in 68 countries. The maximum speed was only 75 km / h. It was a noisy and tough machine, which nevertheless became a favorite of farmers.
Land Rover Series I (1948-1985)
Initially, the Wilkes brothers considered their new brainchild as a kind of "intermediate" option, which will help the company to survive difficult times, but already in 1949 the number of SUVs produced exceeded the number of Rover sedans.
The novelty brought in income, which allowed the introduction of a number of improvements. Since 1950, cars have been equipped with an upgraded drive system that allows the driver to choose between front and rear wheel drive... Several wheelbase lengths and body variations were introduced. The car was very popular with the military: it was listed in the armed forces of several countries.
Since 1957, Land Rover vehicles could be equipped with diesel engines... Then came a closed aluminum body and a thermally insulated roof. The spring suspension has been replaced by a spring suspension. The first classic Land Rover has survived to this day. Since 1990, it has been known as the Defender.
In parallel with the release of utilitarian all-terrain vehicles, the company was developing a car that could combine the comfort of a sedan and the cross-country ability of an SUV. A year after the launch of the first Land Rover, the Station Wagon was introduced with a closed seven-seater body. The list of its equipment included a heater, a wiper with two brushes, soft door trim, leather seats, a protective spare wheel cover. The timber-framed, aluminum-skinned body was designed by Tickford. However, the car turned out to be too expensive and did not have the success that its creators hoped for. But the next model has become a real legend.
The Range Rover appeared in 1970 and was designed primarily for the American market. It was equipped gasoline engine Buick V8 with constant system all-wheel drive and long-stroke spring suspension... The car became an exhibit in the Louvre as an outstanding achievement in the field automotive design... For many years to come, this model has become a leader in its class, setting new quality standards.
The launch program for the machine in the North American market was named Project Eagle. The model was equipped with a forced motor, thanks to which the maximum speed exceeded 160 km / h, and the acceleration time to 100 km / h was 11.9 seconds. In 1985 the Range Rover of North America company is created. The car was designed for wealthy buyers, so in standard configuration equipped with cruise control, air conditioning and automatic transmission gear.
Land Rover Range Rover (1970)
In the 80s, the company also implemented another large-scale project, which resulted in the famous Discovery, intended for family use. The car was based on the Range Rover, but received a simpler and cheaper body. Its debut took place at the 1989 Frankfurt Motor Show.
In 1993, the 1.5 millionth Land Rover was released, and a year later the Rover Group was bought by BMW AG. The Bavarian automaker immediately set to work designing a new Range Rover model that would be fundamentally different from its predecessors. The car received a chassis specially created for it and a reconfigured V8 engine. In addition, it could be equipped with a 2.5-liter diesel BMW engine... Electronics controlled everything in the new product - from safety systems to self-leveling suspension.
In 1997, the smallest car, the Freelander, appeared in the company's lineup. Then there was a joke that Land Rover, in addition to SUVs, produces a variety of souvenirs: badges, baseball caps, T-shirts and Freelander. However, despite the skepticism, when it appeared, the "baby" quickly became popular: already in 1998, 70,000 units of the model were sold. For five years, until 2002, the Freelander remained Europe's most popular four-wheel drive vehicle.
He earned the love of the public not only for the good size and all-terrain characteristics inherent in the brand, but also for a large number of unique patented technologies. So, he was the first to receive the HDC controlled downhill movement system, which allowed him to safely descend on an incline. It became the first model of the brand with independent all-wheel suspension, monocoque body and transverse engine. In 2003, the Freelander was refreshed, changing the bumpers and interior, as well as offering new optics.
Land Rover freelander (1997-2014)
In 1998, the updated Discovery Series II was introduced with an improved chassis, a new five-cylinder diesel engine and an innovative system. direct injection pump injectors.
In 2003, the flagship New Range Rover comes out with a monocoque body, independent suspension and a new power unit... It immediately becomes one of the leaders among luxury SUVs.
In the spring of 2004, the Discovery 3 model is presented, created from scratch. It was equipped with an independent suspension, as well as an electronic assistant Terrain Responce, which changes settings depending on the type of road surface. The frame, integrated into the body, lowered the center of mass.
In 2005, a new flagship appears on the market - Range Rover Sport, which is called by many the best car v Land stories Rover in handling and dynamic performance. They fell in love with him for his compactness, maneuverability and excellent all-terrain qualities.
Land Rover Range Rover Sport (2005)
In 2006 began official sales car brands in Russia. Buyers have come to love the British models for their reliability, handling and quality, paying tribute to their off-road performance and ride comfort. The best-selling models in Russia are Range Rover Evoque, Freelander, Discovery and Range Rover Sport.
In 2008, the Indian company Tata Motors bought the brand together with Jaguar.
Debuted in 2011 compact crossover Range Rover Evoque. It is offered in three and five door versions, with two or four wheel drive. The Range Rover Evoque has been designed for city driving. One of the main tasks in its design was to reduce CO2 emissions and high fuel efficiency. In the first year of production, 88,000 units of the model were sold. The car was warmly received automotive experts and journalists. It was named Car of the Year by the authoritative Auto Express, as well as Motor Trend and Top Gear's Car of the Year.
Land Rover now continues to develop its vehicle lineup and improve its models. Not least in R&D is emission reduction and hybrid technologies, which continue the technological evolution of one of the world's most respected car brands.
The car owes its appearance to two engineers of the British company Rover, the Wilkes brothers, a classic military Jeep Willys and the post-war situation in England. Although, as you know, the country escaped a direct enemy invasion, many years of air raids, bombing by V-1 projectiles and V-2 ballistic missiles, the work of industry and agriculture turned the island into a state with a pretty deformed economy. England desperately needed the export of its products. But what could it offer a destroyed Europe?
The Rover Group, founded back in 1884 and creating, among other things, the bicycle in its modern form, moved from the bombed Coventry to Solihull, where it established the production of pre-war car models. However, both the British themselves and their neighbors on the continent needed something else that would meet the simplicity of design and maintenance, and most importantly, the versatility of the realities of those harsh times.
Spencer and Maurice Wilkes opted for an extremely simple and passable car based on Jeep Willys, but civilian. Fortunately, they knew for certain that they were not planning anything like this in their native Rover. Than killed two birds with one stone. First, by replacing steel with "flying metal", we achieved a significant lightening of the machine. And secondly, they found a worthy replacement for the then scarce steel sheet by purchasing duralumin, which was full from the aircraft industry, which had sharply declined after the war. She also adopted the connection of body parts with rivets. As for the other units, engine, transmission, they were taken from both the faithful Jeep Willys and the then Rover models.
An interesting detail. The brothers, apparently so confident that foreign customers, including those from neighboring left-hand drive Europe, will also buy the car, have placed the driver's seat of their car not on the right, in English, or on the left, in European, but in the middle. In order not to bother with rearranging the chair on special export copies.
The prototype, while unnamed, was ready six months later. And it got its name during the full testing of the machine. It was invented by Maurice, combining the name of the company in which he served, and the purpose of the novelty, it turned out to be Land Rover, something like a "rural Rover".
At the end of April 1948, the car was presented at a show in Amsterdam. A resounding success. Until the end of the year, the brothers are building a trial batch of forty-eight cars with motors, gearboxes and retrofitted axles from Rover passenger cars and sell them for 450 pounds each. Just three months after the start of mass production, the SUV was sold to 68 countries of the world. You can imagine this: out of 48 pre-production cars produced in late 1947 - early 1948, eighteen are in good health to this day!
A car with a 48-horsepower, and a little later, a 50-horsepower engine, weighing 1.2 tons, with brick aerodynamics developed maximum speed 75 kilometers per hour. With almost complete absence of what is called comfort. Open, at best with a soft top-awning, no doors, bouncing on bumps and extremely noisy. But demanded by farmers, artisans, hunters and just people who happened to live in areas with bad roads.
The Land Rover name has long been associated with four-wheel drive vehicles. Despite continuous improvement and development, the entire history behind Land Rover's unique vehicles clearly demonstrates the consistency of the core idea of a combination of unchanging goals and values and a strictly focused approach to development.
Already at the end of the 50s. The 250,000th Land Rover leaves the Solihull plant.
The 1960s saw a significant increase in demand for 4WD vehicles and Land Rover was at the forefront of an emerging new market segment. In an effort to find the best solution to the challenge, Rover engineers set out to design a vehicle that would combine the comfort and driveability of a family car with the off-road capabilities of Land Rover.
The result of their work was the Range Rover, launched in 1970. and instantly aroused general stormy admiration. The famous design of this model achieved a unique level of recognition when it was exhibited at the Paris Louvre. In addition to the unique comfort, the car possessed outstanding off-road qualities.
Throughout the 1970s and 80s, Land Rover and Range Rover continued to evolve and recognition for Land Rover vehicles grew with events such as the Paris-Dakar Rally, which demonstrated the brand's outstanding resilience. Since 1990 The car, which millions of people recognized at first sight as a classic Land Rover SUV, has been renamed Defender. The famous Defender, a long-wheelbase Land Rover model, conceived as a versatile reliable car of the post-war period, has been produced almost unchanged for 50 years and its appearance resembles the same post-war model. The model is still considered the best all-wheel drive SUV.
In the late 80s, Land Rover amazes the world with another premiere. The Discovery was first shown at the 1989 Frankfurt Motor Show, marking the creation of a new niche - the comfortable 4x4 family car with excellent off-road performance. Deprived of the Spartan utility of its predecessor, it fell in love with various categories of consumers. In Europe, the most budgetary version goes on sale - with a 2-liter gasoline engine.
By the mid-90s, the famous Range Rover is still out of competition and is the universally recognized benchmark for the luxury all-terrain vehicle. In 1994 new owner of the company, the BMW concern is carrying out its radical renewal. The car was offered with three types of engine - V-shaped 8-cylinder with a displacement of 4.0 or 4.6 liters, as well as a turbocharged diesel BMW with a volume of 2.5 liters. By the late 90s, Range Rover is getting improved fuel injection from BOSCH, an improved interior and new optics.
In 1997. Introduced the Freelander, a more compact vehicle with a focus on sports and leisure applications that has taken the lead in Europe in terms of sales in the 4 × 4 class. Freelander becomes the ancestor of the now popular SUV platform from BMW. This is the first Land Rover model to feature a monocoque body, all-wheel independent suspension and a transverse engine arrangement. Equipped with 4-cylinder petrol and diesel engines working volume 1.8-2.0 liters. In 2003, the model underwent significant changes in appearance, and received new optics, bumpers and interior trim. There was such a joke: the Land Rover company, in addition to SUVs, produces souvenirs - badges, T-shirts, baseball caps and Freelander. Although the smallest Landy was looked down upon and scolded for its lack of a downshift, sales rose to 70,000 a year in 1998. And for five years in a row - until 2002 - Friel remained the most popular four-wheel drive in Europe. The car lasted almost 10 years on the assembly line. The car lasted almost 10 years on the assembly line. The larger Freelander 2 on the EUCD platform shared with the Volvo XC60 was shown in 2006 in London.
Since 1998, the updated Discovery Series II has been produced. The car received an improved chassis, a unique 5-cylinder diesel engine, with a revolutionary (at that time) system of direct injection of pump nozzles. The problem of body corrosion resistance has also been resolved. In 2003, Discovery II undergoes a face-lift and acquires the modern "brand" features that make it akin to the new Range Rover family.
And since the end of 2002, Land Rover begins production of a new flagship, New Range Rover, which carries the stylistic heritage of its predecessors, but technically differs from them in a revolutionary way. The abandonment of the frame, dependent suspension and the already archaic lower-shaft V8 model of the 50s makes the New Range Rover the leader in the range of modern luxury SUVs.
In the spring of 2004, Land Rover introduced the all-new Discovery 3. While the New Range Rover had similarities with its predecessors, in the case of Discovery 3, the current brand owner, Ford, decided to create a car from scratch. A completely new third generation of the Disco with a Range style design has received an independent suspension. The frame integrated into the body allows the center of mass to be lowered. Off-road assistance to the driver electronic assistant Terrain Responce, sharpened for various types of coverage.
Then, in 2005, a new favorite among Land Rover SUVs emerged - the Range Rover Sport, with impeccable dynamics and handling characteristics. The company needed a car lighter and faster than the Range, able to race on an equal footing with the Tuareg, Cayenne and BMW X5. It is 8.5 cm shorter and 17.5 cm shorter than the regular Range, but the five-liter V8 compressor engine propels the car to a hundred in less than six seconds. According to motorists, it is the most successful decision of the developers of the Land Rover company in its entire history. At least until the latest model, the Range Rover Evoque, a new addition to 2010, combining superb sports car performance with truly stunning design performance.
Since the 60s of the last century, Land Rover has changed a lot and often from hand to hand: British Leyland (1968-1998), British Aerospace (1988-1994), BMW (1994-2000), Ford (2000-2008). And finally, the Indian TATA, which bought the British SUV maker complete with Jaguar. Indians paid $ 2.3 billion, but minus $ 600 million for Jaguar and Land Rover's retirement plans, the Blue Oval received $ 1.7 billion. In addition, the Ford concern has pledged to help engines, platforms, other components and technologies - during the transition period, Ford has pledged to fund Jaguar and Land Rover dealers around the world.
It is safe to say that Land Rover has gone from a simple and utilitarian product of the 1948 model to an automobile legend. Very few competitors can boast the same level of recognition and respect that Land Rover vehicles generate. However, the main confirmation of Land Rover's values is the cars themselves: it sounds incredible, but two-thirds of all Land Rover vehicles ever produced are still in service!
Mr. Ratan Tata, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Tata Sons and Tata Motors, has promised that both companies will keep their unique distinctive features... However, SUVs will consume less fuel thanks to the widespread use of aluminum and the introduction of hybrid technologies... In addition, the Land Rovers are working to replace the legendary Defender with a more modern SUV, codenamed Project Icon. What will come of all this, time will tell. Although the Land Rover company did not lose face even with bad owners.
Land Rover is currently the only company exclusively manufacturing 4x4 permanent-wheel drive vehicles. This sheer dedication to the idea is perhaps the main reason why Land Rover's values - freedom, adventure, fortitude and, above all, self-confidence - are so vividly manifested in all of the company's vehicles.
