330 YEARS OF RANGE ROVER 1970-2000
The history of Range Rover started way back in the early 1950s when Land Rover experimented with an estate station wagon called Road-Rover, this experiment was short lived and was revived in the late 1950s. The Road-Rover was 2WD and based on a shortened P4 chassis using a Land Rover 4 cyl engine, the idea was finally scrapped in 1959.
Those Early Days
"VELAR" Range Rover prototype 100/6
After discovering a growing trend for recreational 4x4 vehicles in the U.S.A. Land Rover decided the time was right to introduce a more comfortable Land Rover and in 1966 Spen King with chassis designer Gordon Bashford started on the new project called the 100-inch Station Wagon.
Initial thoughts of the engine type were to use the existing Rover 4 and 6 cylinder units but when Rover acquired the rights to Buick's 3.5 litre V8 this was the obvious choice for a power plant. Due to the extra power from the V8 Spen King decided permanent four wheel drive was the best option by sharing the power between both axles. Long travel coil springs with low spring rates increased axle articulation while giving passenger comfort and a Boge Hydromat self leveling unit maintained body height when carrying loads.Land Rover marketing wanted the 100-inch Station Wagon as a four door vehicle but Spen King insisted on two doors for extra rigidity. Seven engineering prototypes were made and in early 1969 pre-production prototypes were hand built for testing these prototypes were badged Velar to cause confusion and hide its true identity. The 100-inch Station Wagon was called Range Rover in 1968 and was launched on June 17th 1970.
Members of the original design team pictured in front of another of their creations
the Rover SD.1 Left to right David Bauch, Spen King and Gordon Bashford
30 YEARS OF RANGE ROVER 1970-2000
