Land Rover Celebrates 70th Anniversary By Restoring Original Land Rover

[Akash1886]

LAND ROVER’S 70TH ANNIVERSARY BEGINS WITH RESTORATION OF ‘MISSING’ ORIGINAL 4X4





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● Land Rover will celebrate its 70th anniversary year throughout 2018, starting with a unique restoration project: the original launch Land Rover

● The first Land Rovers were shown at the 1948 Amsterdam Motor Show; this original launch vehicle has been missing for the last 63 years

● Recently discovered, it’s the world’s most historically significant unrestored Land Rover

● Experts at Jaguar Land Rover Classic Works in Coventry will preserve the history and sympathetically restore the famous vehicle in 2018

Coventry, UK, 10 January 2018 – Land Rover will mark its 70th anniversary with a series of events and celebrations in 2018, beginning with the restoration of the vehicle that started it all – one of the three pre-production Land Rovers shown at the 1948 Amsterdam Motor Show launch. This gave the world its first glimpse of the shape that would become instantly recognisable as a Land Rover.

For years the whereabouts of this launch Land Rover was a mystery. The demonstration vehicle from the Amsterdam show was last on the road in the 1960s, after which it spent 20 years in a Welsh field before being bought as a restoration project; it then lay languishing unfinished in a garden. Following its surprise discovery just a few miles outside of Solihull, UK – where the car was first built – the experts at Jaguar Land Rover Classic spent months researching in company archives to unravel its ownership history and confirm its provenance.

The team behind the successful Land Rover Series I Reborn programme, which allows customers to own a slice of Land Rover history with meticulously restored Series Is, will now embark on their most challenging project yet: a year-long mission to preserve this historically significant prototype and enable it to be driven again.

Tim Hannig, Jaguar Land Rover Classic Director, said: “This Land Rover is an irreplaceable piece of world automotive history and is as historically important as ‘Huey’, the first pre-production Land Rover. Beginning its sympathetic restoration here at Classic Works, where we can ensure it’s put back together precisely as it’s meant to be, is a fitting way to start Land Rover’s 70th anniversary year.

“There is something charming about the fact that exactly 70 years ago this vehicle would have been undergoing its final adjustments before being prepared for the 1948 Amsterdam Motor Show launch – where the world first saw the shape that’s now immediately recognised as a Land Rover.”

The Jaguar Land Rover Classic team will follow a dedicated process to restore the launch vehicle, which has a lot of special features that are unique to the 48 pre-production Land Rovers that were produced prior to the mass production vehicles, such as thicker aluminium alloy body panels, a galvanised chassis and a removable rear tub. The patina of its components will be preserved, including the original Light Green paint applied in 1948.

Previous owners of this historic vehicle are being invited to Jaguar Land Rover’s Classic Works facility to share their experiences and to witness its loving restoration.

This landmark project, representing the earliest beginnings of the Land Rover story – which led to more than 67 years of continuous production of iconic Series I to Defender vehicles at Solihull – is the first in a series of stories and events that will celebrate the past, present and future of Land Rover throughout 2018. Follow the story on Instagram @LandRover.

Regards

Akash

 

[nmm mithra]

Land rover to build 150 Classic Defender V8.

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Land Rover has today announced a limited edition, high-performance version of the iconic Defender, with a maximum of 150 V8-powered examples to be re-engineered to celebrate Land Rover’s landmark anniversary for 2018. Paying homage to early high-powered Series vehicles, including the likes of the Series III Stage 1 V8 and the Series IIA Buick-V8 Range Rover test bed, and subsequent Defenders – including the 50th Anniversary Edition and NAS – the Defender Works V8 promises to be the ultimate Defender incarnation. Highly sought after by collectors, these heritage specials now have a new stablemate.

The V8 powertrain will be fitted to 150 Defenders specially-selected for the 70th Edition, paired with an eight-speed ZF automatic transmission. The gearbox features a sport mode, whereas the brakes are uprated and a handling kit – upgraded springs, dampers and anti-roll bars – has been installed.

The mechanicals are complimented by exclusive 18-inch diamond-turned Sawtooth wheels and 265/65R18 all-terrain tyres. All the usual off-road prowess remains, with the standard all-wheel drive, two-speed transfer box and heavy-duty front, centre and rear differentials present.

There are eight standard body colours, including two satin finishes – contrasting with a Santorini Black roof, wheelarches and front grille – and finished with machined aluminium door handles, fuel filler cap and the trademark Defender bonnet lettering. A comprehensive lighting upgrade includes bi-LED headlamps.

Engine Capacity: 4999cc
Cylinders: V8
Power: 399.45bhp @ 6000rpm
Torque: 515 Nm @ 5000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed automatic with pistol shifter

The Defender Works V8 can be purchased from Land Rover Classic at prices starting from GBP 1,50,000 in the UK.

Source: AutoClassics

 

[nmm mithra]

Video of Land Rover Defender.

Have your Headphones or Speaker at its loudest tone please.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UUtJBESCZCg
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[Akash1886]

LAND ROVER ANNOUNCES 70TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATIONS WITH WORLD’S MOST REMOTE DEFENDER OUTLINE





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Giant 250 m wide Defender outline drawn in the snow at 2 700 m in the French Alps to mark Land Rover’s 70th anniversary

Tribute to the Wilks brothers’ first sketch of the original Land Rover shape in the sand of Red Wharf Bay, Anglesey, UK

Land Rover announces World Land Rover Day: 30 April 2018 marks 70 years since its debut at the 1948 Amsterdam Motor Show

Celebration broadcast on World Land Rover Day will pay tribute to the original Land Rover, as well as the luxurious Range Rover and versatile Discovery families

Watch snow artist Simon Beck produce the giant snow drawing

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iKDGuPeKtwA

La Plagne, France, 10 April 2018 – After 70 years of all-terrain adventures and global expeditions, Land Rover has once again taken the Defender to new heights.

Stretching over 250 m, the most remote Defender outline was imprinted on the side of a mountain in the French Alps. The unique snow art was created to announce World Land Rover Day on 30 April, exactly 70 years since the original Land Rover was first shown to the world at the 1948 Amsterdam Motor Show.

The unique image is a tribute to the moment when the engineering director of Rover, Maurice Wilks, first sketched the shape for the original Land Rover in the sand of Red Wharf Bay and proposed the idea to his brother Spencer, Rover's managing director. The forward-thinking design was christened the 'Land Rover', the outline of which we now recognize as the Defender.

Jaguar Land Rover CEO, Prof Dr Ralf Speth, said: “Land Rover is an iconic brand around the world and the outline of the Defender is instantly recognizable. To reach the landmark of 70 years is truly special and we will mark it with a year of celebrations that represents Land Rover's ‘Above and Beyond’ spirit and honours the people behind the world’s favorite SUVs.”

Land Rover is inviting fans to join the celebrations in a World Land Rover Day online broadcast. It stars the people who helped create the world’s most-loved 4x4s and Land Rover’s pioneering technologies, from its Series Land Rover and Defender origins, to the introduction of the Range Rover in 1970 and Discovery in 1989.`

Snow artist Simon Beck, who specializes in creating geometric outlines on foot, braved sub-zero temperatures to start the celebrations by creating the Defender outline 2 700 m up at La Plagne in the French Alps.

To produce the high-altitude Defender, Beck walked 20 894 steps and 16.5 km through the French Alps. He said: “Making my snow art requires endurance, accuracy and strength – all attributes shared with the Defender. Its iconic shape is so simple and recognized across the world; this must be the most recognizable piece of art I’ve ever made.”

World Land Rover Day is on 30 April. To watch the broadcast and take part in the celebrations, go to www.youtube.com/landrover at 20.00 BST and use the hashtag #LandRover70Years

TIMELINE

1948 Land Rover Series I launched at the Amsterdam Motor Show

1953 Long Wheelbase version of the Series I is introduced

1956 Oxford and Cambridge teams complete on London to Singapore expedition in Series I

1958 Land Rover Series II unveiled with more refined design

1970 Original two-door Range Rover (the Classic) goes on sale

1971 Land Rover Series III launched

1972 Range Rover crosses Darien Gap on 28 968 km Trans-America expedition

1976 1 000 000th Land Rover built

1979 A Range Rover wins the inaugural Paris-Dakar rally (and again in 1981)

1981 Land Rover begins legendary partnership with Camel Trophy

1981 Four-door Range Rover released

1989 Land Rover Discovery, the third Land Rover model, goes on sale

1990 Original ‘Landie’ relaunched and renamed Defender

1994 Second generation Range Rover launched

1997 All-new Freelander is unveiled with innovative new technology: Hill Descent Control

2001 Third-generation Range Rover with all-round independent air suspension revealed

2003 Inaugural G4 challenge sees 16 teams traverse USA, South Africa and Australia

2004 Range Stormer Concept previews performance Range Rover and three-door body

2004 Discovery 3/LR3, the third-generation Discovery, launched at New York Motor Show

2005 All-new Range Rover Sport unveiled

2006 Freelander 2/LR2 launched. The first Land Rover to be manufactured at Halewood

2007 LRX concept car previews design language of a new luxury compact SUV

2009 Fourth generation of the Land Rover Discovery introduced

2010 Range Rover Evoque, the world’s first luxury compact SUV, makes global debut

2012 Fourth-generation Range Rover introduced – the first all-aluminium SUV

2013 New generation of Range Rover Sport unveiled at New York Motor Show

2014 Special Vehicle Operations (SVO) division is officially launched

2014 Range Rover Sport SVR debuts, the fastest, most agile, most powerful Land Rover

2014 Discovery Vision Concept previews design vision for new family of Discovery vehicles

2014 Launch of Discovery Sport, a new premium compact SUV with 5+2 seating

2015 Trio of end-of-line Defender editions revealed with biggest sand drawing in UK

2015 Exclusive Range Rover SVAutobiography long wheelbase launched in New York

2015 Evoque Convertible becomes world’s first luxury compact SUV convertible

2015 One-of-a-kind Land Rover 'Defender 2 000 000' sells for £ 400 000 at charity auction

2016 Last Defender rolls off the production line

2016 All-new Discovery with world-first remote Intelligent Seat Fold technology launched

2017 Land Rover launches the fourth Range Rover, the Velar

2018 Limited Edition Range Rover SV Coupé debuts at Geneva Motor Show

Regards

Akash

 

[Akash1886]

70 YEARS OF LAND ROVER, ONE UNIQUE BROADCAST

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Global online broadcast to mark 70th anniversary of original Land Rover's 1948 unveiling

Tells the story of how Land Rover grew from post-war utility to the world's favourite 4x4 with more than 7 million sold

See some of the greatest Land Rovers and hear the people who make and drive them

Watch the broadcast at 20:00 BST on Monday 30 April: https://www.youtube.com/user/landrover

Whitley, UK, 30 April 2018 *– Land Rover will mark its 70th anniversary with a global broadcast celebrating the world's favourite 4x4s and the people who love them.

Starring the cars and the people who make and drive them, the online programme will pay tribute to seven decades of adventure, humanitarian aid and hard work across classes and cultures around the world.

The broadcast is at 20:00 BST on Monday 30 April – 70 years to the day since the first Land Rover made its debut at the Amsterdam Motor Show. It will tell how Land Rover began as a utility model at the end of the Second World War and grew to become the world’s favourite 4x4, with more than 7 million sold.

Expect great models from the past as well as inspirational people behind the legend and a look to the future, with a level of insight only available direct from the factory.

Prof Dr Ralf Speth, Jaguar Land Rover CEO, said: “Land Rover was born with the launch of a single vehicle. Today our family of SUVs is testament to the pioneering spirit of innovation that has characterized Land Rover for seven decades. Our family of Defender, Discovery and Range Rover models provides unrivalled capability, versatility and luxury, giving us the perfect foundation for another 70 years of success.

“Land Rover is so much more than just the most capable all-terrain vehicles. It connects people through a passion for adventure and for making more of our world. From our employees to customers and enthusiasts, this is a family that makes Land Rover special.”

A vehicle line-up including HUE: the first prototype Land Rover, the original two-door Range Rover and the seven-seater Discovery, as well as expedition-proven models from across the decades, will share the stage at the Land Rover Classic Works in Coventry. The current range, including the sector-defining Range Rover Evoque and Velar SUVs, will also be on screen as Land Rover celebrates its lifelong status as a favourite among celebrities, politicians and royalty.

The year of 70th celebrations has already begun and one of the vehicles from the start of the story will star in the show. In January, Land Rover revealed plans to sympathetically renovate the world’s most historically significant unrestored model – one of three pre-production cars from the original Amsterdam launch.

Now in the hands of the experts at Land Rover Classic, it will take the stage alongside its closest modern relative – the exclusive 331 kW Defender Works V8 revealed earlier this year. Only 150 of the powerful 70th edition models will be produced and each of the specially engineered V8 derivatives will be built under the same roof, by Land Rover Classic’s team of expert engineers.

Regards

Akash