History Of Land Rover

1947 The beginning Sept 4: the Land Rover project first fully explained to the Rover Car Company Board of Directors. The project was approved for full production (before the prototype was made) Oct 15: First photos of finished prototype (80") Oct 16: The name "Landrover" was approved by Board of Directors Apr 20: The Times first publicly reports the Land-Rover Apr 30: Land-Rover shown to public at Amsterdam Car show 1949 First Land Rovers sold into USA and Canada (via Roots Motors, Inc.) 1950 April. First show of Land Rover in USA at British Automobile and Motorcycle show 1953 Autumn. Wheelbase lengthened from 80" to 86" 1954 Autumn. 100,000th Land Rover built 1956 Autumn. 107" introduced Land Rover reaches agreement with Metalurgica de Santa Ana, S.A. They build Santana Land Rovers, production reaching 18,000 by 1980. 1958 March. Series II introduced Land Rover ends relationship with Roots Motors, Inc and established a presence in North America as Rover Motor Company of North America, headquartered in Toronto, Canada 1959 November. 250,000th Land Rover built 1960 US Land Rover HQ moves to New York, NY 1961 September. Series IIA announced 1962 12 Seat 109 announced for home market (to avoid a tax) September. 109" Forward Control announced. 1966 April. 500,000th Land Rover built September. NADA (North American Dollar Area) 109" announced. Rover is first non-US manufacturer to introduce emissions controlled vehicles into USA 1967 June/July. Range Rover prototype #1 built Rover Motor Company merges with Leyland, Leyland becomes dominant 1968Leyland merges with British Motor Holdings (owned Jaguar and EMC to form British Leyland Motor Corporation 1970 June. Range Rover first appears in public (2 door) 1971 June. 750,000th Land Rover built September. SIII announced 1974 British Leyland abandons North American Market for Land Rover Association of Land Rover Owners of Canada (ALROC) established 4th Quarter: British Leyland nationalized 1975 British Leyland Motor Company changes its name to British Leyland, Ltd. Rover Owners of Virginia (ROAV) founded 1976 June. 1,000,000th Land Rover produced 1978 Land Rover, Ltd created 1979 February. Land Rover V8 (stage 1) announced 1980 British Leyland collapses in North America 1981 4 door Range Rover introduced 1982 Ottawa Valley Land Rovers (OVLR) established as a local chapter of ALROC 1983 March: Land Rover 110 Announced at Geneva Motor Show 4th quarter: 127" (also called 130) Crew Cab made available 1984 Land Rover Owner Association of America (LROA) founded June: Land Rover 90 (92.9") launched 1987 16 March. Range Rover launched in USA 26 October. Official opening of Range Rover of North America HQ in Maryland. 1988 British Aerospace buys Rover Group from British Government for (pounds)150,000,000. 1989 Solihull Society founded Land Rover Canada established Honda buys 20% stake in Rover 1st half. Production of Discoveries (3 door) starts September. Discovery introduced at Frankfurt Auto Show 2.5L 200 TDi (diesel) introduced, exclusively on Discovery 1990 Land Rover model name changed to Defender 200 TDi fitted to Defenders June. Land Rover sells its 23% share of Land Rover Santana Autumn. 5 door Discovery announced. 1992 Bay State Rover Owners Assoc. (BSROA) founded 500 Defender 110's to the USA, 25 to Canada August. Range Rover of North America changes its name to Land Rover of North America. August. High Capacity Pick-up announced Autumn. 108" Range Rover introduced 1993 The SAAB pull at the 10th OVLR Birthday Party 200 TDi fitted to Range Rovers 4th Quarter: Defender 90s first sold in US ('94 models) 1994 11 January. Last 2 door Range Rover built 31 January. Announcement of BMW buying the Rover Group ( which includes Land Rover) from British Aerospace for UKP 800,000,000 Discovery launched in Canada March. Launch of Discovery (5 door) in USA ALROC agrees to be absorbed by OVLR 200 TDi production ceases. 1995 2.5L 300 TDi introduced February. Last Range Rover Classic built. December. Defender imports cease in the United States. 1996 The Freelander, aka CB40, a new Land Rover model is revalued. 1997 One final year of Defender imports to the United States starts. 1999 Discovery Series II introduced. 2000 May. Ford buys Land Rover from BMW for $2.7 billion