The original Range Rover was the catalyst for the fastest growth market in the world of transport this century — call it what you will, four-wheel-drive, Sports Utility Vehicle or Recreational Vehicle, it seems nearly everybody wants one

It would never have occurred to the designers of the Range Rover that their up-market Land Rover would become the definitive country-set luxury car, or indeed a sought-after cult car. However, that it became the reference point in terms of its off-road ability would not have surprised them — although they may have been surprised at how long the Range Rover has remained at the top of the heap.
Simply put, the Range Rover is an icon, one of the most significant vehicle designs from the second half of the 20th century. It is pleasing to report that, despite the roller-coaster fortunes of the company’s ownership, the Range Rover remains with us. It may be wildly different in terms of sophistication, but it is still the trail blazer that it was in the ’70s.

Grass Roots

Range Rover roots go back to WWII. The Rover factory in Solihull, near Birmingham — having been a medium to small producer of cars before the war — was pouring out armaments, and had expanded vastly to do so. The company was also one of the prime movers behind the allies’ development of the jet engine.

Its production capacity, once peace was resumed, was too much for the sort of vehicles it was producing originally. A new small car was mooted, inspired by the Willys ‘Jeep.’ Maurice and Spencer Wilks, who ran the Rover company, hit upon the idea of producing a four-wheel-drive utility vehicle aimed at the agricultural and military market — both areas governments at home and abroad wanted to redevelop, and to which they were accordingly directing funds.

The key to the Wilks’ brothers achievement was that their concepts were soundly thought out, with no half measures; the Land Rover’s off-road ability was second to none, and simple body panels bolted onto a separate chassis allowed for easy repair, wherever the car was in the world.

Not only was it a success on the home market but a very successful export — something else to make the British government of the day smile benignly.

Its straightforward nature made the Land Rover a no-nonsense tool, and it remained so for the next 60 years and is still in production today as the Defender.

Had the Wilks’ brothers had any inkling this would be the case, the Range Rover would never have happened. They already knew the Land Rover was crude and inhospitable even in the ’50s, and it concerned them that, with a better economy, the farming community would turn away from Land Rover to something more comfortable. The first Land Rover station wagon was developed before the standard device even hit the market, but due to sales taxes the vehicle was too expensive, and production was stopped after 641 were produced in 1951.

The Road Rover

Over the next ten years Gordon Bashford developed the rear-wheel-drive ‘Road Rover’, using a P4 floor pan and many configurations, but although it came very close to production, the company was doing sufficiently well out of its current projects that it never took the punt.

By 1964 Rover was taking a serious look at the USA as a market (hence William Martin-Hurst’s uncovering of the redundant alloy Buick V8, which Rover subsequently bought the rights to and famously manufactured for many years after). The Ford Bronco and Jeep Wagoneer also caught its eye.

Bashford was joined by Spen King to develop something that could service the US.

The prototype ‘100-inch station wagon’ (the name taken from the wheelbase) that they had started with had Rover’s six cylinder motor but this was now superseded by the Buick V8.
It was King’s adherence to the formula of very long suspension travel that would make the Range Rover the success it was. It meant that, in conjunction with low rate springs, the wheels would constantly be in contact with the ground, giving excellent traction.

The first full-size mock-up was ready for January 1967. Interestingly, the prototype body, a steel structure with simple aluminium panels, had been designed to house the mechanicals of the prototype, but the management preferred the test mule’s body to the more car-like styling that had been proposed, and so, with a few tweaks, the first prototype also became the styling model.

The early 1968 VELAR (Vee-Eight LAnd Rover) was the final iteration before seven proving vehicles were made, and manufacture started in 1969 with 25 pre-production vehicles finished without rear seats and with minimal trim. (Chassis number two, converted by Carmichael to a six-wheel fire tender, is still in service at Cambridge Airport.)

The first run was followed by a batch of 20, which were ready for the press launch. After the press introduction on June 17, 1970, demand led to immediate waiting lists at the £1998 purchase price. Initial production was slow as teething problems were solved, but increased to 100 per week in 1972, and 250 per week in 1975. In 1972 the British Trans-Americas Expedition Range Rover became the first vehicle to travel from the northern tip of North America to the southern tip of South America, including traversing the famous Darien Gap.

As time went on it became apparent that the Rangie had become a lifestyle statement.

Development — at last

Michael Edwardes, the straight-talking South African saviour of BL, created a more autonomous Land Rover Limited. The Range Rover flourished — finally, a greater proportion of funds from its sales success went towards development rather than providing a crutch for other, ailing BL divisions.

It funded development of a five-door model, based on a coach-built design by Monteverdi. In deference to the apparent market demand, the hose-down interior was replaced with luxury materials.
Whilst funds for development were still pitiful, the ‘always intended’ automatic version would be launched, followed by a luxury Vogue model, in 1981 and 1984 respectively. Within months these variants were outselling the standard car.

The LT77mm five-speed ’box — as used in the SD1, XJ6 and TR7 — was one of BL’s greater achievements. Built by Land Rover, it allowed slightly better gear changing with more relaxed cruising in the Range Rover, which became one of the first winners of the Paris-Dakar Rally during the ’80s.

By now a very complete vehicle, and still without major competition, the 3.9-litre V8, revised dashboard and long wheelbase version (108, not 100-inch (2743mm/2540mm) widened the car’s appeal as it sailed past its 20th birthday. Other refinements included a viscous locking centre differential, the world’s first off-road ABS system, electronic traction control, and an electronically controlled air-adjustable suspension — the latter being another first for Range Rover, and replaced the coil suspension at a time when competing vehicles were finally adopting the long travel coils that Range Rover had pioneered.

The perceived class that the Range Rover achieved was proven when the company released a more modern, larger car called Land Rover Discovery in 1989, despite being more advanced, this car was sold under the old Range Rover, re-establishing the Rangie’s ‘King of the Castle’ status. Remarkably, 1989 Range Rover sales exceeded ’88 sales by 41% due largely to its introduction in the USA, 17 years after production began.

New Range

The P38A Pegasus, the first significant restyle of the Range Rover, arrived in September 1994, but did not replace the old model. The ‘Classic’ Range Rover continued to sell well alongside it.

The P38A was undoubtedly a better car, but only managed seven years in production, being a rather ordinary design compared to the Classic which, despite having very boxy styling, was still strangely aristocratic, and remained so for its 25-year production.

The most notable refinement during the P38A’s production cycle was the adoption of a 4.6-litre HSE version of the classic V8 engine. The last Range Rover Classic was built in February 1996; by then 317,615 had been built.

When BMW took over the ailing Rover companies much of the Solihull 4×4 expertise was vacuumed up for the BMW X5 which, despite becoming a strong seller, was nothing like as able off-road.
By now many other manufacturers were in the market place, most notably Mercedes, which produced the able but expensive and ungainly G-wagon, as well as a later soft-roader M300. Probably only Toyota has come close to claiming the Range Rover’s place with their range of Land Cruisers, being hardy and much more reliable but certainly not carrying the kudos that many Range Rover owners seek.

The Range Rover is the only vehicle to have been exhibited in the Louvre as a work of art. Despite what would appear to be an asset stripping exercise by BMW in 1999, we have the German company to thank for the radical redesign for the MkIII Range Rover — which has been claimed as one of the most expensive design exercises ever — officially launched at the Detroit Motor Show in January 2002.

Despite its great attributes, the original Range Rover’s on-road handling and drivability could best be described as agricultural in terms of the 21st century and it was this that BMW planned to put right. An innovative cross-coupled independent airbag suspension system did the job very well. The Range Rover lost its separate chassis, but gained an efficient new BMW engine and featured an electronically controlled Hill Descent Control (HDC) system which allowed the driver to leave all the clever stuff to the car’s amazing electronics during frightening off-road descents.
Before its introduction, however, BMW decided to sell Land Rover to Ford, the deal concluding in July 2000 for about US$2.7billion.

Ford Sport

Ford’s first attack on the Range Rover concept was in 2005, when a differently-styled ‘Sport’ model was added to the line, using 4.2-litre Jaguar power units, a normally aspirated V8 or a 298kW supercharged version.

The term SUV or Sport Utility Vehicle is a relatively new one, but only a few vehicles truly live up to it. The Range Rover Sport is truly an exceptional and engaging road car, it is very fast, very stable and very wieldy. It’s basically as good as most sports saloons and astonishingly fast, so much so that if you needed the carrying capacity but wanted a sports road car, you would not think twice having driven a Range Rover Sport.

Ride, handling, control and balance are all exceptional due to independent cross-over front and rear suspension. Computer controlled cross-linked air springs over each wheel supply further levels of on-road refinement and composure under all road conditions, helping maintain a level ride height irrespective of load.

You might think that this road ability compromises the Sport’s off road capability — not so. Terrain Response works whether you’re cruising on tarmac, driving over deep ruts, grass, snow, mud or sand. When you turn the dial in the centre console, the engine, transmission, suspension and traction settings are all reconfigured to deliver the best possible driving experience.

I drove both supercharged and unsupercharged versions and found that I preferred the cheaper option, simply because it was more than adequately muscular — and sounded better.

Characters

David Reid bought his 1989 Classic Range Rover in 1995 for $45,000, the new price was $117,000. Our test Range Rover Sport costs $129,990.

Apart from the commanding driving position and off-road ability, the old and new Rangies have nothing in common. David’s old Classic can be coaxed along pretty quickly if you are prepared to allow for alarming roll angles and a precipitous ‘take up’ as you corner, but you or your passengers certainly run out of nerve before the Range Rover does, and it all lacks a little decorum. Everything you do in the old Range Rover has a sound track, you can hear the power steering working, you can hear the drive train taking up, the air con working, everything has its own mechanical song.

You have the feeling you are conducting some kind of mechanical orchestra and you can hear every instrument — except they aren’t playing the same tune, and the noises aren’t always pleasant!

The V8 in this tune is slightly wheezy, though no doubt it could be made to sound spectacular. There is something satisfying and charming about all these little signature tunes letting you know what the car is doing, you feel in touch with a real mechanical machine, yet comfortable and in charge, and once off road there is a feeling of complete invincibility.

With the modern Range Rover Sport you have the same feeling of being on the bridge, or in the cockpit of a jumbo jet, comfortably in charge and invincible. You feel the results of the electronic, mechanical and hydraulic magic going on underneath you, but have no indication of what, how and when.

Both vehicles would make very happy driving companions, for as long as you have a wad of petrol vouchers, but the new diesel V8 Sport could help with that issue.

1989 Range Rover Classic SE – Specifications

Engine
3500cc, petrol, V8, EFI, 16-valve ohv
Max power 121kW at 4000rpm
Max torque 2794Nm at 3200rpm
Transmission Four-speed auto, hi/lo, full-time 4WD, Morse chain, centre diff and viscous-coupling
Suspension    Front  beam-coil  Rear beam-coil
Steering    PAS
Brakes    Disc/disc, transmission hand brake
Tyres    205R16
Dimensions
Width / Height 1813mm / 1792mm
Length / Weight 4478mm / 2070kg
Wheelbase 2540mm (100-inch)
Ground clearance 206mm
Approach 30°-33°
performance
0-100kph 13.5 secs
Max speed 160kph

2006 Range Rover Sport – Specifications

Engine
Jaguar-based 4.2-litre V8, naturally aspirated, dohc @ bank, 32-valve EFI
Max power 225kW @ 5500rpm
Max torque 440Nm @ 4000rpm
Transmission ZF six-speed automatic gearbox
Suspension Electronic cross-linked air suspension with Terrain Response
Steering Speed-proportional variable ratio steering
Brakes Four-wheel ventilated disc, electronic park brake
Tyres 20-inch 275×40
Dimensions
Width / Height 1928mm / 1817mm
Length / Weight 4788mm  / 2675 kg
Wheelbase 2745 mm
Ground clearance 172 to 227mm
Approach 34°
Performance
0-100kph 8.2 sec
Max speed 209kph

Words: Tim Nevinson Photos: Jared Clark

This article is from Classic Car issue 190. Click here to check it out.