Land Rover facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Land Rover (marque)

Owner	Jaguar Land Rover (since 2013)
Country	United Kingdom
Introduced	1948; 77 years ago (1948)
Related brands	Jaguar
Markets	Worldwide
Previous owners	Rover Company (1948–1967) Leyland Motor Corporation (1967–1968) British Leyland (1968–1978) Land Rover Ltd. (1978–2012)
Tagline	"Above & Beyond"

Land Rover Limited

Industry	Automotive
Fate	Car manufacturing merged with Jaguar Cars in 2013 as Jaguar Land Rover
Predecessor	British Leyland
Founded	1978; 47 years ago (1978)
Founder	British Leyland
Defunct	2012
Headquarters	Solihull, West Midlands (1978–2012)
Parent	British Leyland (1978–1986) Rover Group (1986–1994) BMW (1994–2000) Ford Motor Company (2000–2008) Tata Motors (2008–2012)

Land Rover is a famous British brand known for its tough, four-wheel drive vehicles. These cars are great for driving off-road, meaning they can handle rough terrain like dirt tracks or rocky paths. Since 2008, Land Rover has been owned by Jaguar Land Rover (JLR), which is part of India's Tata Motors company. Today, JLR builds Land Rovers in several countries, including Brazil, China, India, Slovakia, and the United Kingdom.

The Land Rover name first appeared in 1948. It was created by the Rover Company for a practical, four-wheel drive vehicle designed for farms and tough jobs. Over time, Land Rover cars became more luxurious. Now, the brand mostly sells fancy sport utility vehicles (SUVs).

Land Rover has received special recognition. In 1951, King George VI gave it a Royal Warrant, which is a special award from the British royal family. Fifty years later, in 2001, it won a Queen's Awards for Enterprise for its great work in international trade.

Over the years, Land Rover grew into its own brand. It started with the original tough vehicle, then added more upscale models like the Range Rover in 1970. Later came the mid-range Discovery (in 1989) and the smaller Freelander (in 1997). The classic Land Rover Defender also got an update in 1990. Today, Land Rover offers several models, including two types of Discovery, four different Range Rover models, and a new generation of Defenders that started production in 2020.

For a long time, Land Rovers and Range Rovers were built on strong, box-shaped metal frames. This design made them very sturdy. The original Defender models used these frames until 2016. However, newer models like the third generation Discovery (from 2017) now use a different design called a monocoque. This means the body and frame are built as one strong unit, making the cars lighter and often more comfortable to drive.

Since 2010, Land Rover has also started making some models with only two-wheel drive, like the Freelander and Evoque. Before this, for 62 years, they only made four-wheel drive cars. The two-wheel drive Freelander has now been replaced by a two-wheel drive Discovery Sport in some places.

Land Rover's Journey Through Time

Originally, these vehicles were just called 'Land Rover' and were a specific model from the Rover Company. As 'Land Rover' became a well-known brand, the older models were later called 'Series' to tell them apart. The first Range Rover came out in 1970. In 1978, Land Rover became a separate company under British Leyland. In the 1980s, the long and short versions of the Land Rover were named the One Ten and the Ninety. In 1990, these became known as the Defender models, after the new Discovery was introduced in 1989.

The Early Rover Years

This is a Series I Land Rover from January 1949, nicknamed "HUE166," which was one of the first ever made. You can also see pictures of Spencer and Maurice Wilks, who helped design it.

A long-wheelbase Series IIA Land Rover.

The dashboard of a Series IIA Land Rover.

A Land Rover converted to fight forest fires in Cascina, Italy (August 2016).

The idea for the first Land Rover started in 1947 with Maurice Wilks. He was the chief designer at the Rover Company. He worked with his brother Spencer, who was the managing director. They worked on Maurice's farm in Newborough, Anglesey. The design might have been inspired by the Jeep, and the first test car was even built on a Jeep frame. Early Land Rovers were often light green because the company used leftover military aircraft paint. All early models, like the Series I, had strong, box-shaped ladder frames. They were designed to be easy to fix, even out in the field.

After Land Rover Limited was formed in 1978, the hyphen in "Land-Rover" (which was in the old logo) started to be removed.

Land Rover as a Company

Land Rover became its own company in 1978. Before that, it was just a line of vehicles made by the Rover Company. The Rover Company later joined British Leyland. Because the Land Rover and Range Rover models were so successful in the 1970s, even when British Leyland had problems, it made sense to create a separate Land Rover company. It remained part of the Rover Group until 1988, when British Aerospace took over.

BMW and Ford Ownership

On January 31, 1994, the Rover Group, including Land Rover, was bought by BMW. In 2000, BMW sold Land Rover to Ford Motor Company. Land Rover became part of Ford's luxury car group. During BMW's ownership, the second-generation Range Rover was introduced. Also, Land Rover's first car with a unibody (where the body and frame are one piece), the Freelander, came out in 1997. BMW also helped a lot with the design of the Range Rover III, which was the first Range Rover to have a monocoque structure and independent suspension. This model was launched under Ford in late 2001.

After the new Range Rover came out in 2001, Ford continued to move Land Rover away from its traditional strong ladder frames. In 2004, they introduced a new generation Discovery with an "Integrated Body Frame." From then on, only the Defender still used the traditional Land Rover underpinnings from 1948.

In 2006, Ford also bought the Rover brand name from BMW. On June 11, 2007, Ford announced that it planned to sell Land Rover along with Jaguar Cars. Many companies showed interest in buying them. On January 1, 2008, Ford said that Tata Motors was the top choice. On March 26, 2008, Ford agreed to sell Jaguar and Land Rover to Tata Motors.

The Tata Motors Era

On January 18, 2008, Tata Motors, which is part of the Tata Group, created a new company called Jaguar Land Rover Limited. This new company was set up to buy Jaguar Cars and Land Rover from Ford. The deal was completed on June 2, 2008, for about £1.7 billion. The deal also included the rights to three other British brands: Daimler, and two older brands, Lanchester and Rover.

On January 1, 2013, Jaguar Land Rover changed its structure. The main company was renamed Jaguar Land Rover Automotive PLC. Jaguar Cars Limited was renamed Jaguar Land Rover Limited, and Land Rover's assets were moved to it. This meant that Jaguar Land Rover Limited became responsible for designing, making, and selling both Jaguar and Land Rover cars in the UK. Land Rover and Jaguar Cars stopped being separate car-making companies.

Key Moments in Land Rover History

• 1947: Maurice Wilks, Rover's chief designer, creates a first version using Jeep parts.
• 1948: The first Land Rover is officially shown on April 30 at the Amsterdam Motor Show.
• 1958: The Series II is launched.
• 1961: Series IIA production begins.
• 1967: Rover joins Leyland Motors, later becoming part of British Leyland (BL).
• 1970: The first Range Rover is introduced.
• 1971: The Series III is launched.
• 1978: Land Rover Limited is formed as a separate company under British Leyland.
• 1980: Car production at the Solihull plant stops, making it only for Land Rover vehicles. A 5-door Range Rover is introduced.
• 1983: The Land Rover 90 (Ninety)/110 (One-Ten)/127 models are introduced (they became the Defender in 1990).
• 1987: The Range Rover finally comes to the US market.
• 1989: The Discovery is introduced.
• 1994: BMW buys the Rover Group, including Land Rover. The second-generation Range Rover is introduced.
• 1997: The Freelander is introduced.
• 2000: BMW sells Land Rover to Ford for £1.8 billion.
• 2002: The third-generation Range Rover is introduced.
• 2004: The second-generation Discovery (called Discovery 3 or LR3) is introduced.
• 2005: The Range Rover Sport is introduced.
• 2008: Ford agrees to sell Land Rover and Jaguar to Tata Motors.
• 2010: The Discovery 4 / LR4 is introduced.
• 2011: The Range Rover Evoque is introduced.
• 2013: Land Rover and Jaguar Cars merge to form a single company, Jaguar Land Rover Limited.
• 2017: The Range Rover Velar is shown in London.
• 2019: Land Rover announces work on a remote control system for the new Defender.
• 2020: The new Land Rover Defender (L663) is released.

Where Land Rovers are Built

Jaguar Land Rover makes Land Rover cars in factories in five different countries.

In the United Kingdom:

• The Range Rover, Range Rover Sport, and Range Rover Velar are built at the Solihull plant near Birmingham.
• The Discovery Sport and Evoque are built at the Halewood plant near Liverpool.

Other countries:

• In October 2018, JLR opened a new factory in Nitra, Slovakia, to build the Discovery and the 2020 Defender.
• In Brazil, the company builds the Discovery Sport and Evoque at its factory in Itatiaia, which opened in June 2016.
• JLR has been building cars in Pune, India, since 2011. They currently make the Discovery Sport and Evoque there.
• In China, Discovery Sports and Evoques are also built through a partnership with Chery at Changshu.

Historically, most Land Rovers were made at the Solihull plant. However, production of the Freelander moved to the Halewood plant. Some Defender models were also put together in other countries under a special agreement, including Spain, Iran, Brazil, and Turkey.

How Many Land Rovers are Sold

Worldwide sales of Land Rover cars have grown a lot over the years. From 2008 to 2015, sales tripled! They reached their highest point in 2015-2017, but have gone down a bit since then.

Europe is the biggest market for Land Rover, usually buying 40% to 50% of all cars sold globally. About half of those sales are in the United Kingdom. Sales in the UK and the US are usually similar. However, since 2012, China has become Land Rover's biggest single country market, except for 2018-2019.

Sales by Calendar Year:

Sales by Model Year and Region:

Top Selling Models

The Discovery Sport is the most popular Land Rover model. In 2018, 95,520 units were sold worldwide. The Range Rover Sport was the second most popular, with 77,847 units sold. The Discovery Sport replaced the Freelander model, which was Europe's best-selling small SUV for five years after it came out in 1997.

Land Rover Models

A Land Rover Freelander.

The 1997 Land Rover Defender 90.

A Series IIB Forward Control Land Rover.

A Series II 109-inch Land Rover from 1959.

A special 6-wheel Land Rover Defender used by the Hong Kong Police Bomb Disposal team.

The front of a 2016 Land Rover Discovery 4.

The rear of a 2016 Land Rover Discovery 4.

A 2016 Land Rover Defender 110 Station Wagon.

The rear of a 2015 Land Rover Defender 110 XS TD DC.

A 2016 Range Rover Autobiography.

Past Models

• Series I, II, IIA and III: These are the original, classic Land Rovers.
• Freelander (also known as LR2 in some places): A smaller SUV that was popular for many years.

Current Models

• Defender: The modern version of the classic tough off-roader.
• Discovery: A versatile and capable SUV.
• Discovery Sport: A compact and sporty SUV.
• Range Rover: The original luxury SUV.
• Range Rover Sport: A sportier version of the Range Rover.
• Range Rover Velar: A stylish and modern luxury SUV.
• Range Rover Evoque: A compact and fashionable luxury SUV.

Concept Cars

Land Rover has also created special "concept cars" to show off new ideas and designs.

• Range Stormer: This was Land Rover's first concept car, shown in 2004. It later became the Range Rover Sport.
• Land Rover LRX: This concept car was shown in 2008. It was designed to use electric power at low speeds. The production version was launched in 2011 as the Range Rover Evoque.
• Land Rover DC100: Shown in 2011, this concept was meant to be a possible replacement for the Land Rover Defender.
• Land Rover Discovery Vision Concept: This concept was shown in 2014 and was designed to be a replacement for the Land Rover Discovery. It featured cool ideas like a "Transparent Bonnet" (hood) and laser lights.

Military Use of Land Rovers

A British Land Rover near Pyongyang in November 1950, during the Korean War.

A Land Rover from the 1st Armoured Division stuck in mud during the Gulf War.

An old Australian Army Land Rover Series 2 "gunbuggy" with a powerful M40 recoilless rifle for anti-tank use, at the Australian War Memorial.

Defenders used by the Bermuda Regiment in 1994.

Land Rovers on parade with the Italian Army, Navy, and Air Force in June 2007.

Many Land Rover models have been used by armies around the world, especially by the British and Australian armies. These military versions often have special features like "blackout" lights, stronger suspension, better brakes, and mounts for weapons.

Some Land Rover models were designed specifically for military use:

• The Land Rover 101 Forward Control from the early 1970s.
• The Land Rover 1/2 ton Lightweight from the late 1960s, which could be carried by a helicopter.

"Pink Panther" Land Rovers

A famous military version is the "Pink Panther." About 100 Series IIA models were changed for reconnaissance (scouting) by the British special forces, the SAS. For desert missions, they were often painted pink to blend in with the sand at dawn and dusk, which is how they got their nickname. These vehicles had special equipment like a sun compass, machine guns, bigger fuel tanks, and smoke launchers. Similar changes were made to later Series III and Defender models.

The Australian Army also made their own special versions, like the Long Range Patrol Vehicle and an anti-tank "gunbuggy" with a powerful rifle. The 75th Ranger Regiment of the United States Army also used special Land Rover versions called Ranger Special Operations Vehicles.

Some Land Rovers have also been armored to protect soldiers. The "Shorts Shorland" was one of the first, built in 1965 for the police in Northern Ireland. The British Army has used various armored Land Rovers in different conflicts. One well-known armored version is called the Snatch.

Land Rovers in Competitions

Land Rovers have been used in many tough competitions. Highly modified Land Rovers have raced in the famous Dakar Rally. They have also won the Macmillan UK Challenge almost every year. Land Rovers were also the main vehicles used in the Camel Trophy, a challenging off-road adventure. Now, Land Rover has its own competition called the G4 Challenge.

Driver Training

Land Rover Experience was started in 1990. It's a network of centers around the world that teach customers how to get the most out of their vehicles, both on and off the road. They offer courses on off-road driving, using winches, and handling trailers. You can also take tours of the factories where Land Rovers are made.

Safety of Land Rovers

Statistics from the UK Department for Transport show that the Land Rover Defender is one of the safest cars on British roads. This is based on the chance of someone being killed in a two-car accident. The figures show that Defender drivers had a very low chance of being killed or seriously injured. Other four-wheel-drive vehicles also scored well. Generally, people in larger, heavier vehicles are safer in a crash, but this can sometimes be at the expense of people in smaller cars.

Land Rover Clubs

There are many Land Rover clubs in the UK and around the world. These clubs bring together owners who share a love for Land Rover vehicles. Some clubs focus on specific models, like the Land Rover Series One Club. Others are for special vehicles, like those used in the Camel Trophy or G4 Challenge.

In the UK, regional clubs can be competitive or non-competitive. Non-competitive clubs often organize social events, off-road driving trips, or "pay and play" days at special off-road centers. Competitive clubs hold events like trials and challenges where drivers test their skills and their vehicles.

Land Rover owners were also early to create online clubs, where people could connect and share information through email lists.

In 2005, Land Rover started to work more closely with these clubs. They even created an internal club for employees. They also made agreements allowing other clubs to use the Land Rover logo.

Other Land Rover Products

Land Rover has also put its name on other products:

Bicycles

In 1995, Land Rover allowed a company to make bicycles using its logo. The first was the Land Rover APB, a folding bicycle. Later, they released a full range of 25 bicycle models in 2004, divided into "Defender," "Discovery," and "Freelander" ranges, each designed for different types of riding.

Coffee

Since 2005, the Land Rover name has also been associated with a coffee company.

Pushchairs (Strollers)

Land Rover gave a UK company called Pegasus permission to make a range of three-wheeled Land Rover ATP (All-Terrain Pushchair) pushchairs. These strollers were designed to be tough and simple, with a light metal frame and canvas seating. They could fold flat and were built to handle all kinds of terrain. Production of these pushchairs stopped in 2002.

See also

In Spanish: Land Rover para niños