MODEL HISTORY

Few cars can claim to be genuinely revolutionary, but the Land-Rover is most definitely one of them. In the aftermath of World War Two, Rover's chief designer Maurice Wilks - perhaps inspired by using a Jeep on his farm in Anglesey - came up with a vehicle of unmatched 'go anywhere' versatility.

When it was launched in 1948, the Land-Rover used an 80in wheelbase and a 1.6-litre four-cylinder petrol engine, which drove through a four-speed gearbox and a two-speed transfer box. Although it featured four-wheel drive, early cars had a freewheel unit that disengaged the front axle from the transmission when coasting.

The sturdy box-section chassis was made out of steel, but the body panels were aluminium - a decision originally taken because of post-war steel shortages. One of the keys to the Land-Rover's appeal was its use of Power Take-Off points that enabled owners to run machinery from it, and it was an immediate success both in crucial exports and at home.

The Series 1 was regularly updated during its production run. The 1.6-litre engine was enlarged to 2-litres in 1951, and in subsequent years more wheelbase options were added - all the way up to the late 109in long-wheelbase model. From 1957, there was also the option of a diesel engine.

Although the basic outline remained unchanged, there were detail visual changes along the way. From 1951, for example, the headlamps came 'through' the grille rather than being set behind it. There were also different body styles - an early Tickford Station Wagon proved to be short-lived, but a factory version was introduced in 1954. Military orders were soon pouring in, and Land-Rovers were even pressed into service for the royal family - both during official events and for private use.

A revised Series 2 was launched in 1958 and Land-Rover eventually grew to the point where it became an individual marque in its own right. Production of the 'Series' models and the subsequent Defender ran continuously until 2016, by which time just over two million of these remarkable vehicles had been built.

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