May 1st marked the 60th anniversary of the Land Rover brand, whose growth and accomplishments have been numerous since its establishment in 1948.
To celebrate its anniversary, Land Rover, with its associated Range Rover luxury marque, will hold a series of events and activities throughout the summer season that will shed light on the brand's history and future direction.
The first Land Rover, the Defender Series 1, rolled off its assembly line on April 30, 1948, and still shares some attributes with the current Defender model sold throughout the world (minus North America). In addition to its almost carbon-copied design, amazingly enough the models incorporate the same oil filler plugs and canvas roof tying cleat that were first used 60 years ago.
Land Rover's vehicles have been employed by farmers, adventurers, scientists and outdoor enthusiasts -- not to mention Senior Motor Trend editiors -- who require a vehicle rugged for off road excursions, as well as capable enough to handle busy city streets.
The brand is now in the hands of India's Tata Motors, which recently bought Land Rover and Jaguar from Ford. In the wake of the sale, hopes are high for continued growth in the future based on Tata's recent pronouncements and the news that global demand for its SUVs reached a record high of 227,000 in sales in 2007. Land Rover is expected to produce a diesel hybrid LRX "cross-coupe" in the coming years aimed at increasing the overall fuel efficiency standards of the brand.
Source: Land Rover