1940's

1940's
The inspiration to LandRover came from the Willy's Jeep, which did a proper job during world war 2

1948

The first Land Rover ever was build over a two week project, and here shown without paint. it was not ready to Geneva car show.

But shown to the audience at tha Amsterdam car show in 1948.
NB: The shape of the front wings has changed since the prototype.

1952

The step towards the Range Rover, was the idea of a Road Rover in the early 1950's.
The prototype was build in 1952 with 2 wheel-drive and had the nickname "Greenhouse" but it never reached production.

1958

In the late 1950's another Road Rover project came forward, but it didn't reach production either.
The project was scrapped in 1958.

8 vehicles vere build of which 1 had 4 wheel-drive and the rest had 2  wheel-drive.

1964-1970

In 1964 the managing director of Rover: William Martin-Hurst bought the rights to an alloy V8 Buick engine, and the Road Rover project came up again with a new 100inch prototype.

1967

In late 1967 the Road Rover project came up again with a new 100inch  prototype. It was still called Road Rover, and it is the prototype of what we know today as the Range Rover.

1968

Range Rover Prototype "Velar" - 1968.
VELAR equals:
Vee Eight LAnd Rover
The 1. were build in 1967 and six more in the periode from 1967 to 1970

1970

CLASSIC, 1. generation RANGE ROVER:

Range Rover here seen at the Launch presentation at the Amsterdam Motorshow

The official lauch to the public of the Range Rover was
the 17. june 1970.

The first production-line Range Rovers were available from the 30. september 1970

Range Rover prototypes was tested in 1969 and 1970 in Canada and Finland.
25 preproduction cars called Velar was ready
in the period from january to march 1970.
20 Range Rovers was ready for evaluation in may 1970.

The Range Rover was the first 4x4 with equal abillities on the road and off the road.
It was the founder of a new area and tested as the best 4x4 by the press, and still is.

3.5 litre V8 petrol engine.
4 speed gearbox, permanently 4 wheel drive

It receaved very good critic from the AutoMagazine's all over the world.
A danish magazine "Bilen og Baaden"
"Car and Boat" wrote:
"You can drive with 60 mls/h (100 km/h) from asphalt road to rough field without feeling any difference"
The Range Rover was 4 cars in one:
 - a luxury car
 - a performance car
 - an estate car
 - a cross-country car

1972

Two Range Rovers were the first vehicles ever to travel from Alaska in North America to Chigorodo in South America. This Darien Cap expedition took 99 days.

1979

In The first Paris Dakar rally took place in 1979.
There was no difference between Bikes and cars. 
The Range Rover was the first car to reach goal. 
The first vehicle was a Yamaha bike.

1980

In 1980 the Compagny Monteverdi in Sweitz were ordered to build an even more luxury Range Rover with four doors and leather interior.

1981

In 1981 Range Rover Wins Paris Dakar Rallye.
Here a model of the vehicle from Vitesse, now taken over by IXO.
NB: see modelcar section.

1982

In july 1982 Land Rover started to produce the four door version in their own compagny.

3 speed automatic gearbox is introduced.

1983

5 speed manual gearbox is introduced.
Vogue line was introduced

1984

3.5 litre V8 petrol engine, EFI,  is introduced.

1986

in 1986 the 2.6 litre Turbo diesel engine  is introduced.
Range Rover Launched in North America

1987

Facelifted with changes to both exterior and interior

1988

Classic:
3.9 litre V8 petrol engine  is introduced.

P38A designstudie

In 1988 the work began on the 2. generation Range Rover, Also calle project 38A and in dayly speek: the P38A

Above picture from the design competition in Solihull with models from:
Ital Design, Bertone and Hefferman/Greenley

1992

Classic:

In 1992 the LSE version with .2 litre V8 petrol engine was introduced, and gave more leg room to the passengers in the back.

In late 1994 the interior changed to "Soft dash" with 2 airbags.

The first generation of Range Rover was produced from 1970 to 1996, and was called 

the Classic Range Rover from 1994.

P38A prototype:

The  prototype (Pegasus)  was finaly selected as the P38A. One of the criteria was, that You schould be able to recognise taht it was a Range Rover

1994

P38A, Project 38 A, 2. generation RANGE ROVER:

The second generation was lauched the 29.september 1994. It was a complete new construction and the model was called 38A or mk2.

Interior of the 38A.

2001

NEW RANGE ROVER:
7. november: Press release of the new mkIII Range 3. generation Range Rover

2002

The third generation Range Rover was lauched 
the 11.  january 2002 at the car show in Detroit.

Again thwere was a complete new construction. this time without chassicframe but selfbearing body.

Interior had its own stylish design.

2004

The concept vehicle Range Stormer (the first concept vehicle Land Rover has built since 1960's) was presented the 5.  january 2004 at the car show  NAIAS in Detroit.

2005

2006 Range Rover Sport at NAIAS:
Managing Director of Land Rover Matthew Taylor introduces the Range Rover Sport (FRONT) and the Range Rover for 2006 (BACK) at the North

American International Auto Show in Detroit, Michigan Monday 10 January 2005
Range Rover Sport, is powered by a 390bhp, 4.2-liter supercharged V8 engine producing a top speed of 140mph. A normally aspirated 4.4-liter, 300bhp V8 engine is also available.

Matthew Taylor with the 2006 Range Rover:
Detroit Mi., Janurary 11, 2005. Matthew Taylor, Land Rover Managing Director, at the 2005 North American International Autoshow posing with

the 2006 Range Rover.
Under the hood is a supercharged 400bhp 4.2-liter V8 engine. It offers 35 percent more power than the outgoing V8 and over 25 percent more torque, contributing to a more refined vehicle. The normally aspirated 4.4-liter V8 engine produces 305bhp and is also more powerful than the outgoing V8.