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The car that saved Land Rover
Left: The first Range Rover at the official launch at the Amsterdam Motorshow 1970



At the end of the 60's the former proud Land-Rover marque was part of the British Leyland Group - and this group was almost dead. There had not been many investments made and those made were put in the military versions.

The Range Rover was the car that turned the old company into a mass volume manufaturer. It was the first real "car" produced by them. Before there were only utilities but no car. King (the developper) and his team took inspirations by the american contenders that already existed: The Ford Bronco, the Jeep Cherokee and the International Harvester (my favorite). They looked at the pros and cons and made a better car, a more

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Fra aneddoti e documenti, percorriamo la storia della Land Rover, il veicolo divantato un mito per gli appassionati di fuoristrada ma non solo.
In questa prima fase scopriremo le origini del celebre marchio e arriveremo al prototipo della SeriesI.

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The 1600cc petrol engine
Left: The 1600 (1595cc) petrol engine as used from 1948-1951 .1595 cc four-cylinder petrol, 50 bhp @ 4000 rpm, 80 lb./ft @2000 rpm

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.There are some nice anecdotes about those early days
Below: This wonderful photo shows a group enjoying the delights of off-roading in Land Rover #R01, probably managers from the factory. Look at their relaxed and joyful expression.
The centre steering: "Things were okay until you were in traffic, then you'd get wiped out overtaking" stated Tom Barton. He was a body designer for Rover at that time. He begun his career as railway carriage designer then went to jet engine design- just the man Rover wanted to design an agricultural vehicle!

"Durability was based on drivers discomfort - we damaged more drivers then vehicles during testing."

"The front wings came flat because we couldn't bend aluminium - and they stayed that way because squaddies liked to put their cups of tea on them."

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.AΝΤΕ ΒΡΕ ΚΑΛΟΡΊΖΙΚΟ ...ΚΑΙ ΚΑΛΟ ΛAΣΠOTO...!

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Series I, Number 1 .Land Rover 1948 Series I, Number 1
Engine 4 cyl 1595cc 50bhp
Top Speed not specified
Retail Price 450 Pounds Sterling
Registration HUE 166
Details This vehicle was originally sold to a farmer in Warwickshire, and spent most of its life working in the country where it was made. It was refurbished at the factory and now resides at The Heritage Motor Center.
Location The Heritage Motor Centre, Gaydon.

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.Chassis Numbers.

The chassis number of an 80" Land Rover is (should be) exactly the same as the Car number on the vehicle identification plate. If not the the Land Rover in case has probably had some parts swapped around. Below are the listed the chassis number sequences. I visited the BMIHT, British Motor Industry Heritage Trust, archives and went through the despatch books a number of times to make sure that these sequences are correct. The chassis number is usually found on the front left hand side chassis engine mount. On left hand drive vehicles it can be very difficult to read the chassis number as the steering arm from the steering box to the steering relay is in the way. The only time the chassis number could be found somewhere else is in the case of CKD vehicles where the chassis remained unstamped until the Land Rover was assembled. In the case of vehicles assembled by Annund & Thompson, of Queensland, Australia the chassis number was often stamped on the left hand chassis rail just in front of the the engine mount. In another case I came across a vehicle where mistakingly the chassis number had never been stamped. See also Other ID numbers below.