Land Rover Timeline |
Land Rover Timeline from Ford Media with some minor updates |
| 1948: | The first production Land Rover is introduced at the Amsterdam Auto Show on April 30th. The vehicle is equipped with 80" wheelbase, permanent four-wheel drive, canvas roof and optional doors. |
| 1950: | The metal hardtop is offered as an alternative to the canvas roof. |
| 1954: | The first long wheelbase is offered (107"). The short wheelbase model becomes 86". |
| 1956: | Both short and long wheelbase models gain two inches (88" and 109"). |
| 1957: | The first diesel-powered Land Rover is produced. |
| 1958: | "Series II" is launched with more refined styling. Earlier vehicles are now referred to as "Series I." |
| 1959: | November: the 250,000th Land Rover is produced. |
| 1962: | Land Rover Series IIA is launched. |
| 1968: | Headlamps are moved from the radiator grill to the front fenders. |
| 1970: | Two-door Range Rover is introduced with a 3.5 liter V8 engine. |
| 1971: | The "Series III" Land Rover is launched in October with synchromesh gearbox, new radiator grill and new interior. |
| 1978: | Land Rover Ltd. is formed with plans to double production by the 1980s. |
| 1979: | The 109" Land Rover V8 is launched. |
| 1981: | Land Rover vehicles are chosen as the only vehicles to be used in future Camel Trophy competitions. The four-door Range Rover is introduced. |
| 1982: | The Land Rover "County" station wagon is launched, featuring a more refined interior. |
| 1983: | The Land Rover 110 model is introduced. |
| 1984: | The Land Rover 90 is launched. |
| 1986: | Range Rover of North America, Inc. establishes its headquarters in Lanham, Maryland with Charles R. Hughes as President and CEO. |
| 1987: | The first U.S. specification Range Rovers go on sale in the United States on March 16th. |
| 1988: | Land Rover is bestowed with its 4th Royal Warrant. Land Rover is the only vehicle manufacturer to possess all four Royal Warrants. Rover Group is purchased by British Aerospace, August 11th, 1988. |
| 1989: | Discovery is launched in Europe at the Frankfurt Auto Show. Range Rover is honored as "Four Wheeler of the Year" by Four Wheeler magazine. Range Rover of North America conducts The Great Divide Expedition. |
| 1990: | The Defender Range, based on the Land Rover 90 and 110 series, is introduced. |
| 1991: | Four-door Discovery is launched in Europe. |
| 1992: | Range Rover of North America, Inc. becomes Land Rover North America, Inc. October: Range Rover County LWB (108" wheelbase) is launched. |
| 1993: | November: Defender 90 soft top with V8 power is launched as a 1994 model. |
| 1994: | February: The Rover Group is purchased by BMW.
April: Land Rover Discovery goes on sale. October: The first all-new Range Rover in 25 years is launched at the Paris Motor Show.
The first Land Rover Centre opens. |
| 1995: | The Range Rover County Classic is launched in North America, and is briefly sold along side the new Range Rover. |
| 1996: | The 1997 model year Defender 90 with an automatic transmission is announced at the New York Auto Show. The first TReK competition for Retailer teams is held. |
| 1997: | Land Rover launches Freelander in Europe at the Frankfurt Motor Show. Land Rover North America's new Corporate Headquarters building and Land Rover University are dedicated. |
| 1998: | Discovery Series II is launched on September 29th at the Paris Motor Show. |
| 1999: | Discovery Series II enters the North American market in January with the first redesign of Land Rover's popular Discovery model. Land Rover North America sets an all-time sales record, reaching 29,380 vehicles, a 37% increase over calendar year 1998. |
| 2000: | Land Rover Group, Ltd., a newly created company separate from Rover Group, is purchased from BMW AG by Ford Motor Company on June 30th, 2000. Robert A. Dover is named Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Land Rover Group, Ltd. |
| 2001: | Ford Motor Company's Premier Automotive Group forms a new North American sales and marketing organization, consisting of Aston Martin, Jaguar, Land Rover, Lincoln Mercury and Volvo. The five-door, V6 Freelander is launched in North America. October: First Global TReK. |
| 2002: | Third generation Range Rover is launched. This is only the third redesign of the model in thirty years.
July: Discovery 4.6 is launched with substantial improvements, including styling, power, mechanical refinement and interior comfort. December: Freelander SE3, the 3-door version, is launched. Freelander is named one of Automobile Magazine's "All Stars". |
| 2003: | March: Land Rover launches inaugural adventure competition, the Land Rover G4 Challenge. The 2003 Range Rover receives high acclaim in the media and was named one of Automobile Magazine's "All Stars", Money magazine's Best Large SUV, one of Edmunds.com "Editor's Most Wanted Vehicles for 2003", Robb Report's "Car of the Year 2003" - second place, and recognized for the innovative interior in Architectural Digest's "Great Design Issue". |
| 2004: |
January: 100,000th Range Rover sold in North America.
January: Range Rover is named most delightful SUV by Strategic Vision, a California-based consumer research company, for the second consecutive year.
January: Range Stormer, Land Rover’s first-ever concept car, is unveiled at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit.
March: Range Rover is named one of Automobile Magazine’s ‘All-Stars’ for the second consecutive year.
April: North American introduction of LR3 at the New York International Auto Show.
LR3 immediately sets a new benchmark within the industry, and is the first vehicle to offer Land Rover’s patented Terrain Response™ system. The new technology allows a driver to choose one of five terrain settings while driving, which optimizes drivability and control. Settings include: general driving, grass/gravel/snow, mud/ruts, sand and rock crawl.
June: Land Rover Experience Driving School launches at Biltmore Estate in Asheville, N.C.
November: The all-new LR3 goes on sale.
LR3 receives multiple awards from the media and is named Motor Trend’s SUV of the Year, Money magazine’sTruck of the Year and Best SUV, Texas Auto Writers Association SUV of Texas and Automundo magazine’s SUV of the Year. |
| 2005: |
January: Land Rover reveals the all-new Range Rover Sport at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit. Range Rover Sport is Land Rover’s first ‘sport tourer’, and features Dynamic Response. Standard on the Supercharged model, this computer-controlled active anti-roll system senses cornering forces, and acts to enhance body control and handling.
June: Range Rover 2006 and Range Rover Sport go on sale.
August: Land Rover Experience Driving School launches its first West Coast school at Quail Lodge in Carmel Valley, Calif.
Land Rover announces a multi-year relationship with golf legend Greg Norman. |
| 2006 |
Updated Defender is launched
January: Land Rover reports 2005 as a record sales year for North America, up 30 percent from 2004. North America becomes Land Rover's largest market.
April: Land Rover announces a multi-year relationship with Wimbledon Champion Maria Sharapova.
April: Land Rover announces North American debut of Land_e, Land Rover's e-Terrain technology exhibit. Land_e showcases a catalog of innovative technologies with environmental initiatives. |
| 2007 |
May: 2007 Range Rover is announced. Changes include interior design enhancements and the addition of Land Rover's Terrain Response™ system.
June: The all-new Land Rover LR2 is announced. LR2 enters the premium compact SUV market with outstanding breadth of capability and Land Rover's signature technologies. New from the ground up, LR2 delivers outstanding on-road performance as well as the class-leading off-road ability of a Land Rover. |
