LAND ROVER CELEBRATES 70 YEARS: FROM STOP GAP TO WORLD‘S FAVOURITE 4X4

30 April 2018

Land Rover will mark its 70th anniversary with a global broadcast celebrating the world's favourite 4x4s and the people who love them.

  • Global online broadcast to mark 70th anniversary of original Land Rover's unveiling on 30th April 1948
  • Special Broadcast tells story of how Land Rover was created as a stop gap vehicle after World War II and went on to become the world’s favourite 4x4 with over 7 million sales
  • See some of the greatest Land Rovers and hear the people who make and drive them
  • Watch the broadcast at 20:00 BST on Monday 30 April: https://www.youtube.com/user/landrover

Starring the cars and the people who make and drive them, the online programme will pay tribute to seven decades of adventure, humanitarian aid and hard work across classes and cultures around the world.

The broadcast is at 20:00 BST on Monday 30 April – 70 years to the day since the first Land Rover made its debut at the Amsterdam Motor Show. It will tell how Land Rover began as a utility model at the end of the Second World War and grew to become the world’s favourite 4x4, with more than 7 million sold.

Viewers can expect great models from the past as well as inspirational people behind the legend and a look to the future, with a level of insight only available direct from the factory.

Land Rover was born with the launch of a single vehicle. Today our family of SUVs is testament to the pioneering spirit of innovation that has characterised Land Rover for seven decades. Our family of Defender, Discovery and Range Rover models provides unrivalled capability, versatility and luxury, giving us the perfect foundation for another 70 years of success.

Land Rover is so much more than just the most capable all‑terrain vehicles. It connects people through a passion for adventure and making more of our world. From our employees to customers and enthusiasts, this is the family that makes Land Rover special.

Prof Dr Ralf Speth
Jaguar Land Rover CEO

A vehicle line‑up including HUE: the first prototype Land Rover, the original two‑door Range Rover and the seven‑seater Discovery, as well as expedition‑proven models from across the decades, will share the stage at the Land Rover Classic Works in Coventry. The current range, including the sector‑defining Range Rover Evoque and Velar SUVs, will also be on screen as Land Rover celebrates its lifelong status as a favourite among celebrities, politicians and royalty.

The year of 70th celebrations has already begun and one of the vehicles from the start of the story will star in the show. In January, Land Rover revealed plans to sympathetically renovate the world’s most historically significant unrestored model – one of three pre‑production cars from the original Amsterdam motor show launch on 30th April 1948.

Now in the hands of the experts at Land Rover Classic, it will take the stage alongside its closest modern relative – the exclusive 405PS Defender Works V8 revealed earlier this year. Only 150 of the powerful 70th edition models will be produced and each of the specially engineered V8 derivatives will be built under the same roof, by Land Rover Classic’s team of expert engineers.

Watch the broadcast at 20:00 BST on Monday 30 April

YouTube

Further information

Kim Palmer | Public Relations Manager, Land Rover UK

kpalmer@landrover.com ­ 07795 666 169

 

Tracey Tompsett | Senior Press Officer, Land Rover UK

ttompset@landrover.com  07469 032 064

 

Lydia Bates | Press Officer, Land Rover UK

lbates@jaguarlandrover.com  07384 526116

Notes to Editors

About Land Rover

Since 1948 Land Rover has been manufacturing authentic 4x4s that represent true 'breadth of capability' across the model range. Defender, Discovery, Discovery Sport, Range Rover, Range Rover Sport, Range Rover Velar and Range Rover Evoque each define the world's SUV sectors, with 80 per cent of this model range exported to over 100 countries.

 

70 YEARS OF LAND ROVER | TIMELINE

 

1948     Land Rover Series I launched at the Amsterdam Motor Show

1953     Long Wheelbase version of the Series I is introduced

1956     Oxford and Cambridge teams complete on London to Singapore expedition in Series I

1958     Land Rover Series II unveiled with more refined design

1970     Original two‑door Range Rover (the Classic) goes on sale

1971     Land Rover Series III launched

1972     Range Rover crosses Darien Gap on 18,000‑mile Trans‑America expedition

1976     1,000,000th Land Rover built

1979     A Range Rover wins the inaugural Paris‑Dakar rally (and again in 1981)

1981     Land Rover begins legendary partnership with Camel Trophy

1981     Four‑door Range Rover released

1989     Land Rover Discovery, the third Land Rover model, goes on sale

1990     Original ‘Landie’ relaunched and renamed Defender

1994     Second generation Range Rover launched

1997     All‑new Freelander is unveiled with innovative new technology: Hill Descent Control

2001     Third‑generation Range Rover with all‑round independent air suspension revealed

2003     Inaugural G4 challenge sees 16 teams traverse USA, South Africa and Australia

2004     Range Stormer Concept previews performance Range Rover and three‑door body

2004     Discovery 3/LR3, the third‑generation Discovery, launched at New York Motor Show

2005     All‑new Range Rover Sport unveiled                  

2006     Freelander 2/LR2 launched. The first Land Rover to be manufactured at Halewood

2008     LRX concept car previews design language of a new luxury compact SUV

2009     Fourth generation of the Land Rover Discovery introduced

2010     Range Rover Evoque, the world’s first luxury compact SUV, makes global debut

2012     Fourth‑generation Range Rover introduced – the first all‑aluminium SUV

2013     New generation of Range Rover Sport unveiled at New York Motor Show

2014     Special Vehicle Operations (SVO) division is officially launched

2014     Range Rover Sport SVR debuts, the fastest, most agile, most powerful Land Rover

2014     Discovery Vision Concept previews design vision for new family of Discovery vehicles

2014     Launch of Discovery Sport, a new premium compact SUV with 5+2 seating

2015     Trio of end‑of‑line Defender editions revealed with biggest sand drawing in UK

2015     Exclusive Range Rover SVAutobiography long wheelbase launched in New York

2015     Evoque Convertible becomes world’s first luxury compact SUV convertible

2015     One‑of‑a‑kind Land Rover 'Defender 2,000,000' sells for £400,000 at charity auction

2016     Last Defender rolls off the production line

2016     All‑new Discovery with world‑first remote Intelligent Seat Fold technology launched

2017     Land Rover launches the fourth Range Rover, the Velar

2018     Limited Edition Range Rover SV Coupé debuts at Geneva Motor Show