The world's first fully capable luxury 4x4, the Range Rover, has enjoyed a brief but eminent history at the peak of premium off-road motoring.
"Land Rover has a unique history of product innovation," said Land Rover managing director, Phil Popham. "But the Range Rover probably remains the most historically significant vehicle we have ever launched. It is one of the most important vehicles in the history of motoring. "
Spanning four decades and three complete model lines, the Range Rover remains one of the motoring world's most recognisable characters, representing a collage of luxury, leisure, performance and ability genres.
"The Range Rover is really four vehicles in one," explained Popham. "It's a seven-days-a-week luxury motor car; a leisure vehicle that will range far and wide on the highways and noways of the world; a high performance car for long distance travel; and a working cross-country vehicle."
The original Range Rover, now referred to as the 'Classic', was first introduced in 1970, and continued in production for 25 years, seeing numerous upgrades and a multiplicity of variants before being replaced by the second generation P38a in 1994. The new model continued the brand's success story until its own replacement in 2001 by the third, and current-generation model, the L322.
Launching a second model line in 2005, the Discovery-based Range Rover Sport quickly proved a popular addition to the line-up, and in 2007, became the Land Rover brand's best selling model worldwide -- and still enjoys higher annual sales than any previous model.
Always at the forefront of all-terrain technology, the Range Rover has defined the 4x4 sector since its conception, and is now exported to over 140 countries across the globe. Appealing to a wide-ranging cross section of buyers, the Range Rover has become the vehicle of choice for a diverse group of customers -- customary, celebrity and royalty alike.
Range Rover will celebrate the big 4-0 on June 17 and is expected to expand its portfolio when it unveils a third model line at the Paris Motor Show in September. The newest member of the Range Rover family -- the LRX -- becoming the smallest, lightest and most fuel efficient model to date.
A brief history:
- 1966 Work began on the first Range Rover prototype, known as the '100-inch
station wagon'
- 1970 The original two-door Range Rover -- known as the Classic -- goes on sale
- 1971 Range Rover receives the RAC Dewar award for outstanding technical
achievement
- 1972 The Range Rover is the first vehicle to cross the Darien Gap on a British
Army Trans-America expedition
- 1974 Range Rover completes west to east Sahara desert expedition -- 7,500
miles in 100 days
- 1977 A modified Range Rover wins the 4x4 class in the London-Sydney
Marathon, a gruelling 30,000km (18,750 miles) event and the longest ever
speed-based car rally
- 1979 A specially modified Range Rover wins the first Paris-Dakar rally
(a Range Rover wins again in 1981)
- 1981 First production four-door Range Rover appears along with the first
factory-produced limited-edition Range Rover -- the 'In Vogue'
- 1982 Automatic transmission becomes available on Range Rover
- 1983 Range Rover five-speed manual gearbox is introduced
- 1985 The diesel-powered Range Rover 'Bullet' breaks 27 speed records,
including a diesel record for averaging more than 100mph for 24 hours
- 1987 Range Rover launched in North America
- 1989 Range Rover is the world's first 4x4 to be fitted with ABS anti-lock brakes
- 1990 Limited Edition CSK -- named after founder Charles Spencer King -- is
launched as a sportier Range Rover
- 1992 Range Rover Classic is the world's first 4x4 to be fitted with electronic
traction control (ETC)
- 1992 Long-wheelbase LSE (known as County LWB in the US) launched
- 1992 Automatic electronic air suspension introduced, a world first for a 4x4
- 1994 Second-generation (P38a) Range Rover goes on sale
- 1996 Range Rover Classic bows out after total production of 317,615 units
- 1999 Limited Edition Range Rover Linley appears at London Motor Show
- 2001 All-New Range Rover (L322) launched
- 2002 Half-millionth Range Rover produced at the Solihull plant
- 2005 Second model line -- the Range Rover Sport -- launched
- 2006 Terrain Response and TDV8 diesel introduced
- 2009 Range Rover features all-new LR-V8 5.0 and 5.0 supercharged petrol
engines and technology updates
- 2010 Range Rover celebrates its 40th anniversary
- 2010 All-New compact Range Rover to be revealed at Paris Motor Show
Read the latest Carsales Network news and reviews on your mobile, iPhone or PDA at www.carsales.mobi