In 1947 while using a Jeep on his farm in Anglesey, Rover’s Technical Director Maurice Wilks and his brother Spencer Wilks - Rover’s Managing Director - saw a gap in the market and development of Land Rover commenced using a Jeep chassis and a 1.6 litre Rover car engine. The use of simple body panels made from light alloy and a chassis fabricated from off-cuts avoid the use of rationed steel and the need for complex and expensive press tools.

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A year later the first Land Rover is launched at the Amsterdam Motor Show, and is an instant success. Rover quickly realises that the ‘stop gap’ product is set to outsell its other vehicles – and by the end of the year is exporting the Land Rover to nearly 70 countries.

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In 1950 changes are made to the original Land Rover design – larger and more powerful headlamps that shine through apertures in the grill and a hard-top is fitted. The four-wheel drive system is revised with drive to the front axle in high range engaged by pressing down on one lever, while low range is selected by pulling another lever rearward. In selecting low range, four-wheel drive is automatically engaged.

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The 1.6 litre Rover engine is replaced by a larger-bore 2.0 litre unit in 1951. Two years later to increase the load space area, the wheelbase of the Land Rover is extended to 86 inches. A new long-wheelbase Pick Up and a Station Wagon are created, and are as popular as other versions.

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In 1955 the new engine in production for Rover saloon cars is introduced and the Land Rover gets bigger and better: A 10 seater Station Wagon is introduced and the wheelbase is extended to make room for a new diesel engine under development.

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In 1958 the Land Rover Series II is released at the Amsterdam Motor Show – ten years after the first Land Rover was launched at the same event. The Land Rover Series II features a wider body with barrelled sides and sills to conceal the chassis. It also debuts with a new 2.25 litre petrol engine, and is very positively received.

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In 1959 the 250,000th Land Rover rolls off the production line.

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1961 and the Land Rover range is now known as the Series IIA, and the capacity of the diesel engine is increased to allow for greater power output. A 12-seater Station Wagon is introduced.

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Negotiations with General Motors are completed in 1965 and Land Rover acquires the rights to an all alloy lightweight 3.5-litre V8 petrol engine.

A year later Land Rover production reaches the half million mark.

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1967 – Rover Company Merges with Leyland

The Rover Company merges with truck manufacturer Leyland, which had acquired the rival Coventry-based car maker Triumph. A six-cylinder 2.6-litre engine is made available as an option on 109-inch wheelbase models.

1968 and Leyland - including Rover and Triumph - join the British Motor Corporation (BMC). The merge incorporates Austin, Morris and Jaguar, thus uniting British vehicle manufacture in one company: British Leyland. Following a three-year development period, the 'Truck Utility ½ Ton' – better known as the 'Lightweight' - enters service with the British Army.

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In June 1970, Land Rover launches a major new model line – the Range Rover – set to become the core of the brand in the future. The vehicle’s suspension is by long-travel coil springs - endowing the vehicle with good road manners as well as remarkable articulation for off-road agility. Power comes from the new all-alloy, 3.5 litre petrol engine – which gives the big vehicle a top speed of over 100mph. The Range Rover features permanent four wheel drive to cope with the power and torque output of the V8 engine. The trim reflects the vehicle’s utility roots with its easily cleaned PVC coverings. The Range Rover is awarded a gold medal for its coachwork, while its safety features are recognised by being awarded of the Don safety trophy.

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1971 was a good year for Land Rover, the 750 000th Land Rover is produced, the Range Rover receives the RAC Dewar award for outstanding technical achievement, a great car-journey begins in Alaska, and the Land Rover Series III is launched.

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The British Trans-Americas Expedition leaves Alaska in two Range Rovers in December - heading for Tierra del Fuego. One of the last great car journeys of the world left to be done, the real challenge lies in the jungles of the Darien Gap in Central America.

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In 1972 The Land Rover 1-tonne Forward Control is announced. The vehicle is designed to the British Army specifications it is powered by a de-tuned, militarised version of the 3.5-litre V8 petrol engine used in the Range Rover.

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Following years of industrial disruption, In 1975 British Leyland is taken under state control to prevent its bankruptcy and the loss of tens of thousands of jobs but a year later the millionth Land Rover is produced.

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In 1978 Industrialist Michael Edwardes is brought in by the Government to manage British Leyland. He creates Land Rover Limited as a separate operating company, and for the first time in its history, Land Rover is under independent management. Government funding is promised to allow for a doubling of production by the 1980s.

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By 1982 Range Rover production reaches 100, 000 vehicles, and following the introduction of the four-door a year earlier, the company introduces an automatic gearbox option to the Range Rover, using the three-speed Chrysler ‘Torqueflite’. The Land Rover ‘County’ Station Wagon variant is launched with improved interior comfort. The High Capacity Pick Up is introduced on the Land Rover 109.

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In 1983, Land Rover’s new managing director, Tony Gilroy, begins a programme to concentrate production at the main Solihull plant. The Land Rover One Ten is launched. The new vehicle uses the coil spring suspension of the Range Rover in a new stronger chassis frame. Other features include a five-speed gearbox, front disc brakes, a one-piece windscreen and optional power steering. The extended-wheelbase Land Rover 127 also appears in Crew Cab form. The Range Rover is upgraded with a five speed manual gearbox and other improvements. Annual production now tops 12,000 vehicles.

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The Land Rover Ninety debuted in 1984, featuring new doors with wind-up windows. Following a successful limited edition, the ‘Range Rover Vogue’ is introduced at the top of the model’s line-up.

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In 1986 a diesel powered version of the Range Rover is launched with a 2.4-litre turbocharged VM engine. The benefits of the new engine are underlined when a diesel Range Rover breaks 27 speed and endurance records. The Land Rover also gets the option of a turbocharged diesel engine based on its earlier naturally aspirated unit.

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The formation of Range Rover of North America in 1987  heralds the launch of the vehicle in the US market.

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1988 marks the 40th anniversary of the Land Rover and total sales of over 1.6-million vehicles worldwide. The Rover Group is sold to British Aerospace (BAe).

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The 1989 Frankfurt Motor Show in September sees the launch of the first new Land Rover vehicle since the Range Rover in 1970. The Discovery moves Land Rover away from its traditional markets and into the burgeoning leisure sector. While based on the Range Rover, the Discovery is new where it matters. The interior with its distinctive facia style and striking light blue colour-way owes much to input from the Conran design Consultancy. The exterior features a distinctive stepped roof with a single rear door mounting the spare wheel. The powertrain debuts the new 200 TDi direct-injection diesel engine while the 3.5-litre V8 petrol engine is offered as an alternative. The Discovery’s launch is supported by a massive marketing campaign which is designed to support Land Rover as a brand in its own right. Helping to distinguish the Range Rover from its new stablemate, as well as giving a useful power boost, its V8 engine is enlarged to 3.9 litres. Detail design changes give the Range Rover a sleeker profile with concealed front door hinges.

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1990 – 20th Anniversary of Range Rover and Defender is Introduced

The Land Rover range is offered with the 200 TDi engine and, in support of the new Land Rover brand strategy, the model is named 'Defender'. A four door version of the Discovery is introduced. The 20th anniversary of the Range Rover is celebrated with the introduction of a four-wheel, four-channel ABS braking system – the first in the world designed for optimum performance off-road, as well as on-road. North America becomes the largest export market for the Range Rover. Underlining its credentials as the world’s leading manufacturer of off-road vehicles, Land Rover opens the ‘Land Rover Experience’ at Solihull.

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In 1992 Land Rover of North America is founded with a limited edition of 500 Defender 110 vehicles powered by the 3.9-litre V8 engine. The long-wheelbase Range Rover LSE showcases a number of ‘firsts’ for an off-road vehicle. These include air suspension and electronic traction control.

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An all-new Range Rover is launched in 1994. The new vehicle has a long-wheelbase chassis and air suspension system, and seeks to bridge the gap between off-roader and sports saloon. The new Range Rover has a new chassis and semi-monocoque body for rigidity, and is powered by developments of the V8 petrol engine with a BMW six-cylinder diesel alternative. The Rover Group, including Land Rover, is acquired by the German car maker BMW.

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The Frankfurt Motor Show in 1997 sees the debut of a brand new Land Rover product, the Freelander. Powered by transverse-mounted four-cylinder petrol or diesel engines. Two body styles are offered – a five-door estate and an exciting three-door. The Freelander's off-road ability is reinforced by the innovative Hill Descent Control (HDC) system.

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April 30th 1998 sees the 50th anniversary of Land Rover. Special commemorative limited editions of all four models are produced. The Discovery Series II is launched. The new vehicle has a new, longer body to accommodate seven forward facing seats. Another innovation is Active Cornering Enhancement (ACE), a computer-controlled high-pressure hydraulic system to control vehicle roll. The ABS braking system of the new Discovery incorporates the Hill Descent Control (HDC) system developed for Freelander. The new Discovery acts as the launch platform for the Td5 engine, a five-cylinder, and 2.5-litre direct injection diesel engine featuring high pressure electronic unit injectors. The engine now also powers the Defender.

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In 2000 the Rover Group is sold by BMW, with Land Rover being acquired by the Ford Motor Company, joining Aston Martin, Volvo, Lincoln and Jaguar in the Premier Automotive Group.

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The three-millionth Land Rover comes off the Solihull production line in 2001 – a Freelander built for the US market. The new Range Rover is

1948 Series I Land Rover 80 Tickford Estate

Series II Land Rover

1963 Series IIa Pickup

Forest Rover and Series II Cuthbertson

Series IIA Forward Control Fire Engine

Series III

Australian Army Land Rover Series II Anti-tank "Gunbuggy"

Land Rover Defender 90

Range Rover - 1970 to 1996

Range Rover Airport Crash Tender

Range Rover - 1995 to 2002

Land Rover Freelander

Photo: Mark Brown/Flickr/Wikipedia • Licensed for reuse under CC BY-SA 2.0

Range Rover - 2002 to 2012

Photo: The Car Spy/Wikimedia • Licensed for reuse under CC BY-SA 3.0