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LONDON CELEBRATES AN AUTOMOTIVE ICON WITH AN EXCLUSIVE SALE AT BONHAMS AUCTION HOUSE, UK
ICONIC SILHOUETTE IN THE SAND
Six Land Rovers towing chain harrows took three hours to create the iconic 1km image at Red Wharf Bay on the island of Anglesey, UK
WHERE IT ALL BEGAN
Conceived in 1947, Land Rover broke the mould as the go-anywhere, multipurpose vehicle ‘for the farmer, the countryman and general industrial use’.
DEFENDER TODAY
Celebrate 67 years of service across the world as Land Rover - rechristened Defender in 1990 - marks an exciting new era in the vehicle's history.
DRIVING AHEAD
Three limited edition Defenders launch in 2015. Heritage and Adventure embody Land Rover’s qualities, and Autobiography unites luxury with capability.
NEW HORIZONS
As UK production of the current Defender enters its final phase, Land Rover will use 2015 to celebrate its global automotive icon and look ahead to an all-new family of Defenders.
THE BIRTHPLACE OF THE LAND ROVER NAME
The automotive icon was given its name when Spencer Wilks, MD of The Rover Company at the time, drove his Rover 10 over the rough terrain of his estate in Islay more than 60 years ago.
WHERE IT ALL BEGAN
Land Rover Series I was launched by the Rover Company on 30 April 1948. It was built from Birmabright, an aluminium/magnesium alloy left over from wartime aircraft production, as steel was tightly rationed.
THE WORLD'S OLDEST LAND ROVER
HUE 166 is the original Land Rover and is still running today. Known affectionately as Huey, the go-anywhere, four-wheel drive vehicle featured an innovative transfer gearbox with two ranges, High and Low. Paint was in short supply after WWII, so ex-RAF Ascot cockpit green was the only colour available.
LAND ROVER’S 10TH BIRTHDAY
A decade after Maurice Wilks first drew the outline of what was to become the Land Rover in the sand of Red Wharf Bay, he and his brother Spencer celebrated the tenth year of their innovative vehicle.
Both brothers worked for the Rover company and post war, after working on aero engine manufacturing and a ground-breaking gas turbine jet engine, they turned their attention to the design and manufacture of a versatile vehicle, the Land Rover.
THE EVOLUTION OF THE SERIES III
From 1975-1981 The Land Rover Series III survived a tough economic climate and evolved from a primarily military vehicle to one bought by private owners.
1979 saw the introduction of the V8 engine while in 1982 the ‘County’ version of the vehicle saw comfort become a priority alongside capability, with the introduction of tweed seats and tinted glass. The final Series III rolled off the Solihull production line in 1985 and into the Heritage collection.
Defender is the epitome of toughness, of ruggedness, of strength and most importantly of capability.
GERRY MCGOVERN
LAND ROVER DESIGN DIRECTOR AND CHIEF CREATIVE OFFICER
FAMOUSLY ADVENTUROUS
From its earliest days, Land Rover's famous capability attracted adventurers determined to explore inaccessible places. Almost as soon as Land Rover launched, Colonel Leblanc drove his brand new 80-inch Series I Land Rover from the United Kingdom to what is now Ethiopia.
LONDON TO SINGAPORE
It was one of the longest ever overland journeys - half way around the world from London to Singapore. In 1955, six Oxford and Cambridge students, driving two Land Rovers, succeeded where earlier expeditions had been defeated by 12,000 miles of challenging terrain that included jungle, desert, swamp and mountains.
THE G4 CHALLENGE
Successor to the Camel Trophy, the Land Rover G4 Challenge was a global adventure competition that supported the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies. With distinctive Tangiers Orange paintwork, Defender competed in challenging drives around the world.
UNIVERSITY CHALLENGE
During the 50’s universities Oxford and Cambridge took on challenges across Africa, the Far East and South America, tackling terrain largely deemed ‘impassable’.
Teams from the universities were tested to their limits as they explored these countries and the challenges they presented, like the 400 yard stretch of road that took eight hours to complete in the 1957-1958 expedition in South America.
To this day, the mighty Defender continues to take explorers to uncharted territory.
CAMEL TROPHY TOUR
For over 20 years Land Rover vehicles took on challenging terrain around the world in the world’s toughest driving event: Camel Trophy Tour.
Land Rover’s Special Vehicle operations team modified the vehicles taking part to include additions such as role cages, fog lamps and winches while the distinctive ‘Sandglow’ colour was applied to all vehicles that took part.
The final event was held in 2000 and it remains a rich chapter of Defender’s History.
BORN FREE
The origin of Land Rover's historic association with Born Free goes back to the beginning where Land Rovers were featured in the classic 1966 wildlife film Born Free, starring the Foundation's founders, Virginia McKenna and Bill Travers. The requirement was then, as it is now, to rely on the Land Rover vehicles to reach wildlife in the most remote of locations.
The Land Rover G4 Challenge was the best experience of my life. I mean, nothing has come close to it in terms of the enormity of it. The experience was out of this world.
MARTIN DREYER
ADVENTURE DRIVER AND WINNER OF THE 2006 G4 CHALLENGE
A LIFE LONG LOVE OF DEFENDER
From the seventies when he first drove a Series II to present day, Nick Rogers has loved Land Rover.
His passion for the Defender is felt the world over, from Eastnor to Dubai, but he is one of the lucky few who translated his passion to his work. As Group Engineering Director a highlight for him was the evolution of the vehicle in 2007. “We introduced more power, refinement and capability yet still made sure it stayed true to its character.”
FROM THE FACTORY FLOOR
“The Defender was one of the first vehicles I took notice of.” Alan Volkaerts grew up in Cumbria where the rugged land demanded a rugged vehicle.
After his early years admiring the iconic Defender he would go on to become a part of its history, becoming Solihull Plant Operations Director where he is responsible for the factory that has manufactured the Defender for over 70 years.
DEFENDER CELEBRATION SERIES
Three limited edition Defenders, each celebrating a different element of Land Rover’s character and history.
HERITAGE LIMITED EDITION
The Heritage edition is inspired by Series I Land Rovers. Production of this collectors item, which combines original design features with modern comfort, is strictly limited.
LAND ROVER DEFENDER
Seize your chance to own an engineering and design classic as Defender enters a new era in 2015
SIGN UP FOR DEFENDER NEWS
From a line in the sand to a 1km artwork, an innovative working vehicle to the compelling limited editions, keep up with Defender developments as they happen.
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