The History of Land Rover
Land Rover is a world-renowned British brand, known for its production of high-quality and luxurious four-wheel drive (4x4) and off-road cars, loved by Royals and celebrities alike. The Land Rover journey started back in 1948 by the Rover Company for a utilitarian 4x4 off-roader. However today, Land Rover has evolved in to sleek, upmarket sports utility vehicles (SUV) with eight different models to the Land Rover name. At Avis Prestige, we are proud to hold a fleet of Land Rover models readily available to hire.
The original design for the car was started in 1947 by Maurice Wilks, chief designer at the Rover Company. The synonymous military green colour of Land Rover was dictated by the surplus of aircraft cockpit paint and the first model was the Series 1 Land Rover. All early vehicles were designed to be field-serviced, and the links with the military did not stop there. Land Rover is used by military forces throughout the world and the Land Rover Series and Land Rover Defender models have been armoured. The Snatch 2 Land Rover is the current model used by the British Army.
After WWII, demand for military vehicles dropped, so the Rover company changed its tactics and focused on utilitarian agricultural SUVs. In the 1970s, Land Rover branched out again and the more upmarket Range Rover was released, followed by the mid-range Land Rover Discovery and the entry level Land Rover Freelander in 1989 and 1997. The marque now includes two models of Discovery, four Range Rovers (Range Rover, Range Rover Sport, Range Rover Evoque and Range Rover Velar) as well two Defender models.
The Land Rover Discovery, affectionately referred to as a ‘Disco’, hails back to the late 1980s and is the largest of the Land Rover models. With its comfortable, quiet drive and luxury interior, it is still capable of getting its wheels muddy. The Disco’s sister, the Land Rover Discovery Sport SUV, puts the emphasis on comfort and road driving whilst still maintaining its ability to take you into the wild.
The Land Rover Defender, having its roots as a boxy utilitarian 4x4, is now a premium, upmarket model. Still boasting its famous off-road credentials, the Land Rover Defender comes in two lengths and with five or seven seats.
The Range Rover, launched in 1970, today has been refined to exude glamour, comfort, and style. The Land Rover Range Rover is the original and offers the most luxury features of the entire range. The Range Rover Velar offers all the tech features that Land Rovers are lauded for but is a more compact version, but with standard all-wheel drive. The Sport focuses more on the performance of road driving, whilst the Evoque provides a luxurious design with a more affordable price. The Land Rover Range Rover family offers something for all discerning drivers, whether it be country or town.
Land Rover continue to innovate, and in 2010 introduced two-wheel variants of both of the Land Rover Freelander and the Range Rover Evoque, after 62 years of exclusively engineering 4x4 vehicles. In more recent years, Land Rover has extended its hybrid range to offer the best of both technology and environmental responsibility. The Land Rover Discovery Sport, Range Rover, Range Rover Sport, Range Rover Velar, Range Rover Evoque and the Land Rover Defender are now all available as plug-in hybrid cars.
Land Rover has been and gone from rough and ready farm vehicles, to being at the pinnacle of British motoring luxury.
Hire a Land Rover today with Avis Prestige and experience the driving performance of these luxurious SUV and 4x4 vehicles. With locations across the UK including major city airports, hiring a Land Rover from Manchester, London, Edinburgh, Glasgow or Birmingham has never been easier.