Many individuals will recognize the Land Rover when they see it on the road. These vehicles have earned their iconic status because of their versatility and toughness. They remain an enduring favorite for those who like both city and offroad driving.
You can check out the new Land Rover dealership in Goodyear, but before you do, let’s dive into the history of the vehicle you’re about to buy. Let’s talk about the origin of this vehicle and the winding road it took to get to where it is today.
The Beginning
Land Rover first became available to the public back in April of 1948. The first one debuted at the Amsterdam Motor Show. It was supposed to be a stop-gap utility vehicle.
Two brothers, Spencer and Maurice Wilks, pioneered these vehicles. They launched the Rover company, which they came up with while on holiday on the Island of Anglesey in North Wales around 1947.
The inspiration for the first Land Rover was a wartime MB jeep. The brothers used the 80-inch wheelbase that was common to those vehicles. They added a new steel chassis and some aluminum bodywork with the help of their engineering team.
Later Versions
The Series III of the Land Rover that showed up in 1971 was a game changer for the company. It had several style and engineering updates that made it look considerably more like what consumers think of as the modern Land Rover.
The original wide grill gave way to an ABS plastic version. The gearbox also got a makeover. All forward gears got synchromesh. The dashboard also got padded protection rails so the vehicle would comply with the safety standards of the times.
A 1979 model brought still more innovations. At that point, there was considerable competition from Japan, with similar vehicles hitting the market.
The Latest Land Rovers
These days, you can buy Land Rovers with a variety of features and trim options. These vehicles pack plenty of power, but they still give a tip of the cap to the original designs that debuted well over half a century ago.
The Land Rover Defender model is thought to be the latest and greatest of these vehicles, but the company is going to stop making them soon. In the meantime, the manufacturers have spearheaded a series of events celebrating their history. It seems evident that they’re going to be coming out with new Land Rover editions soon that could very well revolutionize the off-roading, full-size vehicle.
Though the latest Land Rovers are very much in demand, the original Series I and Series II models command high prices in the collector’s market. They are regarded as veritable works of art. Owning one is similar to having a piece of history in your possession that you can drive.
Land Rover combines practicality with exuberance. If you buy one, you’re getting a vehicle that can trace its history straight back to a time when similar models were used in combat as light but dependable military transports.
