70 YEARS OF LAND ROVER, ONE UNIQUE BROADCAST

70th anniversary of original Land Rover
  • Global online broadcast to mark 70th anniversary of original Land Rover's 1948 unveiling
  • Tells the story of how Land Rover grew from post-war utility to the world's favourite 4x4 with more than 7 million sold
  • 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

 

 
Whitley, UK, 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.
 
 
 
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.
 
 
 
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.
 
 
 
Prof Dr Ralf Speth, Jaguar Land Rover CEO, said: “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 for making more of our world. From our employees to customers and enthusiasts, this is a family that makes Land Rover special.”
 
 
 
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 launch.
 
 
 
Now in the hands of the experts at Land Rover Classic, it will take the stage alongside its closest modern relative – the exclusive 331 kW 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.
 
 
 
ENDS
 
 
 
For further information log onto www.uk.media.landrover.com
 
 
 
Editors’ notes
 
 
 
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 28 968 km 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    SV (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