The Range Rover is a 4×4 full-size luxury SUV produced by Land Rover, a marque and sub-brand of Jaguar Land Rover. The Range Rover line was launched in 1970 by British Leyland and is now in its fifth generation.
Additional models have been launched under the Range Rover name, including the Range Rover Sport, Range Rover Evoque, and Range Rover Velar.
“RANGE ROVER 40TH ANNIVERSARY
There have been three generations of Range Rover. The original, now known as the Classic, went on sale in 1970 and continued in production, with numerous upgrades and a multiplicity of variants, for just over 25 years.
The second-generation vehicle, known as the P38a, went on sale in 1994 and was replaced in 2001 by the current model. The continuing success of the Range Rover ensured that other premium makers jumped into the booming luxury SUV market. The latest version has enjoyed higher annual sales than any previous models and continues to be popular around the world. Sold around the world, from London to Los Angeles, Sydney to Shanghai, Turin to Tokyo, the Range Rover remains the ultimate choice for the luxury SUV customer.
“The Range Rover is really four vehicles in one,” says managing director Phil 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.”
From princes to politicians, from rock gods to rock climbers, from footballers to farmers, the Range Rover has always appealed to a diverse group of customers.
A second model line, the Range Rover Sport, was launched in 2005, aimed at more sports-oriented driver-focused customers. It has been a great success, and in 2007 was Land Rover’s biggest selling vehicle worldwide.
Later this year, a further member of the Range Rover family will be added, taking the portfolio to three model lines. The new vehicle will be smaller, lighter and more fuel efficient, tying in perfectly with the Range Rover brand’s commitment to environmental sustainability. Yet it will be no less premium, no less luxurious, and no less special than the other Range Rover models.
| 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 4×4 class in the London-Sydney Marathon, a gruelling 30,000 km (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 5-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 4×4 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 4×4 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 4×4 |
| 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” |
*Information from Landrover.com
**Video published on YouTube by “ Donut Media“
