History of the Land Rover brand. Full history of the Land Rover brand Who produces Land Rover country of origin

Range Rover is a legendary SUV produced by Land Rover, the flagship vehicle of the concern. Range Rover's country of origin is Great Britain. The car began to be produced in 1970. During this time, it managed to appear in many films. The model's series of films about James Bond brought worldwide fame. Currently, the Land Rover concern is the manufacturer of the fourth generation Evoque and Sport models. These cars are very popular. The company produces up to 50 thousand cars per year.

Development of the first car models

The company began attempts to create an SUV back in 1951. The Willys army SUV was taken as the basis. The engineers wanted to create an equally reliable all-terrain vehicle for the needs of British farmers. During the war years, the company's plant produced engines for aircraft. What remained from this production were many sheets of aluminum, which were used for the bodies of new cars for the needs of the country. Rover, a manufacturer of military equipment, was thus provided with a high-quality aluminum alloy that was resistant to corrosion, which increased the service life of the vehicles.

In parallel with the production of cars for farmers, the company was developing a more comfortable SUV. But the first models of such cars were too expensive and were not popular. It took several decades to create the future legend.

First generation

The Range Rover Classic model was produced by an English company from 1970 to 1996. During this time, more than 300 thousand copies were sold. The first cars were intended for test drives. Real sales started in September 1970. The model was constantly improved and refined. Since 1971, the company began producing 250 cars per week.

The car had a unique design for its time. For some time it was exhibited in the Louvre as one of the exhibits. The model was in great demand, and its price rose rapidly. Until 1981, the car was only available in a 3-door version. Such cars were considered the safest and most durable. In addition, the model fully complied with US export requirements.

Disc brakes were installed on all wheels of the car. The aluminum hood was replaced with a steel one, which increased the overall weight of the car. The model was equipped with a powerful and reliable engine from Buick. The machine was developed to enter the American market. At the same time, the country of origin of the Range Rover is Great Britain.

In 1972, a 4-door model was developed. But it never entered the market. Then came the SUV with 5 doors.

In 1981, the Range Rover Monteverdi was released. The car was designed for wealthy buyers. It had a new leather interior and air conditioning installed. The success of this model allowed the company to begin developing a car with four doors. The new model was equipped with a 3.5 liter engine, an injection system and two carburetors. The car could accelerate to 160 km/h. This set a new record for SUVs. Polyester bumpers, original body paint, interior trim made from the best types of wood and other features distinguished the new model from others. The cars were equipped with carburetor and injection engines.

The company developed the Discovery car for family use. The model received a cheaper body. The disadvantages of first-generation cars include their high cost and lack of automatic transmission. generations did not sell.

Second generation

Production of the Range Rover P38A began in 1994, that is, 24 years after the appearance of the first cars. In 1993, the company became the property of BMW. At the same time, the country of manufacture of the Range Rover was still called England.

More than 200 thousand copies of this five-door SUV were sold. The models were equipped with an updated version of the V8 petrol engine, an inline six-cylinder diesel engine BMW's M51 2.5-liter turbocharged engine. The car was offered in an improved configuration.

Its advantages include stylish design, spacious interior, excellent specifications, safety. Disadvantages of the model - fuel consumption, high cost of repairs and spare parts, failure electronic systems.

Third generation

The Range Rover L322 appeared in 2002 and was produced until 2012. This model was devoid of a frame structure. It was developed jointly with BMW. The model contains common components and systems (electronics, power supplies) with BMW E38 cars. But the country of origin of the Range Rover is still England.

In 2006, official sales of the company's cars began in Russia. The model was updated in 2006 and 2009. The exterior of the car was changed, the interior was redesigned, the engines were modernized, and the list of available options was expanded.

Fourth generation

The Range Rover L405 was presented at the Paris International Motor Show in 2012. The car is equipped with an aluminum body. When creating this machine, engineers used the latest technology. The model is equipped with a comfortable and roomy body. Currently, the British company continues to develop new car models. Few people have a question about the country of origin of the Range Rover. Tradition remains tradition.

An SUV that we love.

Each car manufacturer has its own preferences, its own principles, which the company follows when developing the next model. Elegant design, indestructible engine power, elegance or the desire to set another record in acceleration from 0 to 100 km/h.

English company Land Rover decided on the main direction in production in the middle of the last century.

The world needs cars that can overcome even the most difficult roads. SUVs are what the consumer is ready for.
Maurice Wilkes, founder of Range Rover.

So in 1948, the Land Rover trademark was registered and the company began its long and eventful journey towards building an automotive “all-terrain future.”

Land Rover history

The mid-40s were a difficult post-war time for all branches of production. There was a catastrophic shortage of resources, the English economy was in decline, and the production of ultra-fast high-speed cars, in which the company specialized Rover before the start of the war, there was no question. The time has come for completely different cars, cars with clearly defined tasks: endurance, readiness for tough use and cross-country ability.

At the time, Maurice Wilkes was working as chief designer at Rover, and his brother was chief executive of the same company. In a word, the guys had a great understanding of cars. Among the Wilkes' main favorites was American SUV Willys.

This car model was used exclusively for military purposes and was a joint development Willys-Overland Motors And Ford. The passenger reconnaissance vehicle met the most stringent standards, and its production was directly controlled by the US government. In 1945, the production of the SUV was suspended, and the enterprising brothers came up with an idea that would very soon turn into one of the most successful cars of the post-war era.

The British government relied on the automotive industry and the newly created Land Rover could not disappoint.

The shortage of metal for production ended in 1947. The military industry slowed down, and a year later, at a car exhibition in Amsterdam, the first-born of Land Rover, the concern’s first SUV, was on display.

The transmission and engine were borrowed from a Rover passenger car; the body was made of lightweight aluminum alloy, corrosion-resistant and inexpensive to manufacture. For the manufacture of the chassis, they chose steel scrap, abandoning pressing. So Land Rover received a reliable and durable load-bearing support. The exterior still echoed the echoes of the war - green paint, angular shapes.

And although the Wilkes brothers positioned the new model as an “intermediate class for farmers,” the crazy demand for Land Rover forced the company to reconsider its plans to produce its first SUV. By 1949, the Land Rover SUV outsold the established Rover sedan.

1.5 liter engine 48 Horse power and all-wheel drive with a top speed of up to 75 km/h - this is the first Land Rover to go on sale in 68 countries in just a few months. And the main thing that attracted buyers in the first place - four-wheel drive.

The first SUV opened up new opportunities for the company. The car could boast excellent sales, and the Land Rover concern could use the proceeds for new developments. Published in 1950 new model Land Rover with a modified drive system: now the driver could independently decide whether to continue the journey on front, rear or all-wheel drive. A number of options appeared with different wheelbase lengths, and the body began to take on new shapes.

Seven years later, in 1957, Land Rover began installing diesel units and completely abandoned the “soft body”, replacing canvas parts with aluminum ones. It was in this year that the Land Rover was designed, which became a true classic of the era. Today this is a model Land Rover Defender.

Gradually, Land Rover is turning from a “car for farmers” into a symbiosis of a car with excellent cross-country ability and comfort at the level of sedans. Inspired by the launch of a seven-seater Station Wagon with “full stuffing”, Land Rover engineers begin experiments with interior equipment.

The vector was chosen correctly. Interior heater, soft door upholstery, leather interior - all these are the nuances that distinguished a premium car of that time from just a car “for everyone.” The first model was released in 1970 Range Rover, which will enter the American market under the project Project Eagle.

Benzie new motor Buick V8, acceleration to hundreds in 11.9 seconds, maximum speed at 160 km/h - these characteristics have become a new standard in the world of cars. It became the main exhibit in the Louvre and received the title of “reference piece of industrial design.”

With the release of the Range Rover, a new page in history opens for Land Rover. Ahead are 45 years of amazing experiments, developments and improvements, three global generations of SUVs and dozens of prestigious awards.

In 1989, a family SUV entered the market Discovery. A more affordable modification of the Range Rover received a simplified body.

Nine years later, the SUV will get a second wind and its reincarnation will be embodied in Range Rover Discovery Series II: 5-cylinder diesel with patented injection system.

In 1993, the 1.5 millionth Land Rover car rolled off the concern's assembly line, and the Bavarian automaker BMW AG took on the further design of a new generation of SUV.

In 1997, a compact SUV version was introduced Land Rover Freelander. This is the smallest car in the company’s lineup, which was often called a “souvenir SUV”

In just five years of existence, Freelander becomes the best-selling four-wheel drive vehicle in Europe.

The rapid development and impressive demand for Land Rover SUV models gives rise to the release of more and more new models.

Throughout the evolution of SUVs, Land Rover has patented a series of technologies that have made driving on challenging roads a pleasure:

• HDC downhill driving system;
• independent air suspension of all wheels with electronic control (when installing a monocoque body and a transverse engine);
• Range Rover was the first SUV with an all-aluminum body;
• The first electronic traction control system.

And where there are high-tech patents, there are also worthy victories. The element of an SUV is expeditions through difficult places, crazy long runs and points at which a classic sedan would have a heart attack. Military experience came in handy, and Land Rover’s treasury of achievements was replenished with new trophies:

• In 1972, Range Rover becomes the first car to successfully complete the 29,000-kilometre trans-American mileage.
• In 1974, a Range Rover crossed the Sahara Desert. The length of the journey, which took 100 days to cover, was 12,000 km.
• In 1977, the SUV easily completed the 30,175-kilometer London-Sydney race.
• 1979 and 1981 were record years for Range Rover: 27 speed records in the diesel Range Rover model and two victories in one of the most difficult races of the Paris-Dakar Rally in 79 and 81.
• The updated and modified Range Rover hybrid model successfully traveled the Great Silk Road from Great Britain to India. The length of this bumpy route is 16,000 kilometers.

The main advantage of all Range Rover SUVs is the ability to combine technological power and reliability with premium finishes and upscale interiors.

The range of Land Rover vehicles is represented by an impressive model line, which covers almost all the tastes and preferences of the modern driver, for whom reliability is a priority quality.

In 2005, the market was conquered by the flagship Range Rover Sport, who received the title " best car throughout the history of the company." Sales of the crossover began in 2011 Range Rover Evoque and concern in Once again managed to combine the incompatible, presenting a city car with the character of an SUV.

Over the 45-year history of Range Rover models, the manufacturer has managed to turn “just an SUV” into a premium car. Going on a long trip through difficult terrain and at the same time feeling in the cradle of comfort is the main task of Land Rover, which the company successfully copes with.

In the mid-1960s, the British company Rover began creating a universal SUV with an all-metal body - a more comfortable alternative to the Land Rover, which could also be offered on the American market. The production car presented at the 1970 Geneva Motor Show was called Range Rover. It had a three-door body with aluminum panels, spring suspension(instead of leaf springs in the then utilitarian “”), disc brakes and permanent all-wheel drive. Under the hood stood Gas engine V8 with a volume of 3.5 liters and a power of 135 hp. With.

In all subsequent years, Range Rover has been constantly modernized. In 1981, they began producing a five-door modification of the SUV, and over time, versions with higher quality and more expensive interior trim appeared. In 1984, the engine was modernized and received a fuel injection system, and its output increased to 155 horsepower. In 1986, the Range Rover began to be equipped with an Italian 2.4-liter VM turbodiesel (112 hp), and later its volume was increased to 2.5 liters (power increased to 119 hp) In 1992 this unit was replaced by a 2.5-liter Rover turbodiesel engine developing 111–122 hp. With. Gasoline versions also underwent improvements: in 1990, the SUV received a new 3.9 V8 engine, and in 1992 - a 4.2-liter V8.

For a long time, all Range Rovers were equipped with four-speed mechanical boxes transmission In 1982, customers began to be offered a three-speed Chrysler automatic as an option, and since 1985, a four-speed one. The previous “mechanics” was replaced in 1983 by a new, five-speed one.

In 1992, a version appeared with a wheelbase extended by 203 mm. In recent years, after the debut of the second-generation car, the SUV was sold under the name Range Rover Classic and could be equipped with air suspension from the new model. In total, until 1996, 317 thousand first-generation cars rolled off the Solihull plant assembly line.

2nd generation, 1994

The second generation Range Rover began production in 1994. The SUV, offered only with a five-door body, has become more comfortable, more luxurious, more powerful and more expensive. They installed "Rover" ones on it gasoline engines V8 4.0 and V8 4.6 with 190 and 225 hp. With. respectively. Turbodiesel Range Rover received an inline six-cylinder BMW engine volume 2.5 liters. Transmissions are five-speed manual or four-speed automatic. All versions had permanent all-wheel drive and air suspension. The second Range Rover left the market at the end of 2001; a total of 167 thousand vehicles were produced.

3rd generation, 2002

The third generation of the SUV, which entered production in 2002, was created with the participation of BMW, which then owned the British brand. The Range Rover had a steel monocoque body with aluminum attachments, fully independent air suspension, only automatic transmissions and a lot of electronic systems.

Under the hood of the car were Bavarian engines: an in-line six-cylinder turbodiesel with a volume of 2.9 liters (177 hp) or a petrol V-shaped eight with a volume of 4.4 liters and a power of 286 hp. With. Both were combined with a five-speed automatic transmission. In 2005, after Land Rover was sold to Ford, power units BMW was replaced with Jaguar V8 petrol engines: the 4.4-liter developed 306 hp. s., and the 4.2-liter with a compressor - 390 hp. The automatic transmission has become six-speed. At the same time, the Range Rover received an updated design, and a year later they began installing a new diesel engine on the SUV - V8 3.6 with a capacity of 272 hp. With.

In 2009, another restyling of the model was carried out. The range of engines has been completely updated. The five-liter gasoline “eight” in the naturally aspirated version developed 375 hp. s., and in the compressor - 510 forces. The new TDV8 turbodiesel with a volume of 4.4 liters (313 hp), unlike other engines, was equipped with an eight-speed automatic transmission transmission

The world owes the existence of the Land Rover brand to the Wilkes brothers - chief designer and executive director. car company Rover, which created an unpretentious and inexpensive “jeep” with an aluminum body in the difficult post-war years. With the appearance of the first prototype of this model in 1947, the history of the world-famous English manufacturer of premium SUVs began.

The history of the creation of the Land Rover brand

The Land Rover brand name refers to the Rover company, founded in 1887. One of the founders of this company, John Camp Starley, is known for having developed and patented a bicycle model with chain drive to the rear wheel. The design he invented is still used today, almost a century and a half later, and in some countries the words “bicycle” and “Rover” are synonymous.

Equipment manufacturers in Britain, weakened after World War II, had to survive with all accessible ways. Government orders for aircraft and other military equipment dried up, and the country had strict quotas on steel use. At the same time, after the end of aircraft production, huge amounts of aluminum accumulated in warehouses. The Wilkes brothers decided to make it inexpensive SUVs, to help the company hold out until steel becomes available for free circulation on the market.

Aluminum also had one more advantage - it was perfectly suited for the production of cars intended for use in difficult conditions, since this metal does not rust, and the body made from it is lightweight, which allows saving fuel despite the impressive dimensions of the “jeep” .

In the spring of 1948, the first 25 cars were shown at an exhibition in Amsterdam and aroused great interest.

However, the “jeep” was not destined to become a temporary help for the company - already in 1949, the number of Land Rovers sold exceeded the total number of passenger cars sold by the company.

The first modifications of Land Rover did not even have their own name - numbers were added to the brand name, for example Land Rover 109.

In 1970, the Range Rover premium SUV was created.

In the early eighties, the company began developing a mid-priced SUV. It was based on the Range Rover chassis combined with a more modest and not so large body. was introduced in 1989 at car showroom in Frankfurt.

In 1991, the “numbered” models came to an end, giving life to the equally uncompromising Defender SUV.

According to one version, the idea for the logo was inspired by an incident with a sardine can that was forgotten in the drawings by one of the engineers. An oval oil mark remained on the paper, which became the prototype of the oval framing the inscription in the company logo.

Change of brand owners

Land Rover's headquarters are located in English city Gaydon, Warwickshire. Modern models - Defender, Discovery, Freelander, Range Rover, Range Rover Sport and Evoque are assembled at two factories in Solihull and Hallwood.

The company gained relative independence only in 1978. Until this point, Land Rover was a division of Rover, part of the large automobile holding Leyland Motor Corporation.

The division later became part of the JLR Group. In 1994, the Rover Group, together with JLR, acquired the German.

In 2000, BMW sold part of the business, as a result of which Ford became the owner of Land Rover.

The chain of changes of owners ended only in 2008, when Jaguar and Land Rover were acquired by the Indian company Tata.

Land Rover technologies.

Speaking about technologies that have become the hallmark of the brand, one cannot fail to mention Land engine Rover V8. In the classic modification, its volume was 3.5 liters with an effective power of 156 hp. It is characterized by simplicity of design.

The Range Rover was one of the world's very first premium diesel vehicles.

Land Rover's aluminum body is also noteworthy, durable and corrosion-resistant.

Among latest technologies Range Rover, dual image screen and (Hill descent control).

Land Rover in motorsport

For the first time in 1979, a French crew won the Paris-Dakar rally in a special modification of the Range Rover. Range Rover won the rally again in 1981.

It is impossible not to mention the Camel Trophy, an international automobile competition that took place over difficult terrain in Brazil, Chile and Argentina from 1980 to 2000. Teams from all over the world took part in the competition using Land Rover SUVs.

Key models

Unlike “numbered” models with leaf spring suspension, Range Rover axles are supported by springs. The car was initially aimed at the American market and operation primarily on asphalt.

The design of the new model turned out to be so successful that in 1971 the Range Rover Classic was exhibited at the Louvre Museum as an example of high art.

The third generation Range Rover of today is the product of a long evolution, during which the car was constantly acquiring more and more new options aimed at increasing comfort: air suspension, hill descent assist system, etc.

The top model of the modern one is equipped with a traditional V8 petrol engine with a volume of 5 liters and a power of 510 horsepower with a mechanical supercharger. The maximum torque is 625 Nm.

Land Rover Defender

The successor to the “registered” models remains one of the few mass-produced “true” SUVs with a ladder-type frame, two axles and a six-speed transmission with constant all-wheel drive, two-speed transfer case and lockable center differential. – according to the length of the wheelbase in inches. Of all the early models and later Defenders released, 70% still serve their owners to this day.

Land Rover in Russia

In Russia, Land Rover has a unique image: rumors persist that this car is unreliable, but its fans are growing every year. The main demand in Russia is for the most expensive models - Range Rover and Discovery.

Sales of Land Rover in Russia began in 1996. In 2001, an official representative office was opened. In 2006, Land Rover sold 6,299 cars in our market, and in 2010 - 9,970. Every day more and more cars are stolen in Russia, including Land Rover. Discovery and Freelander are most often attacked by hijackers.

At the beginning of November, sales of a new model from Land Rover began in Russia - a compact SUV called. The company plans to open a plant in Russia.

The Defender SUV owes its signature paint to military reserves - a large amount of paint was left in warehouses after the end of World War II, which was used to paint aircraft fuselages in a protective color.

There are many famous people among Land Rover owners: Queen Elizabeth, Prince Charles, Paul McCartney. Singer Madonna once chose a Range Rover as the lead car of her wedding procession. James Bond also drove a Land Rover on several occasions.