After more than 16 years of planning and two years of development from prototype to final design, British manufacturer Land Rover introduced the Range Rover for sale in 1970, with the first generation officially launched in 1970. Today it stands as the flagship model in Land Rover’s lineup, a place it has retained easily for more than 40 years.

Land Rover has come a long way since the initial introduction of the off-road SUV. From the initial utility vehicle that was first introduced, Land Rover reached new heights with pricing in 2014 when they introduced the Autobiography for sale. But, of course, even with the added luxuries of detailed wood paneling and fine leather, the heart underneath it all has nothing but tough performance at its core.  

The first generation of the was produced between 1970 and 1996, and it was a car created with a purpose: being used to its full capacity. From its plastic dashboards and vinyl seats that could be easily hosed down, to permanent four-wheel drive, the first models were not trying to attract the eyes of luxury buyers. A detuned Rover V8 engine was able to create 135 hp for the models created before 1984. At that point in time, the engine was boosted to 155 hp by the addition of Lucas fuel injection.

The second generation was unleashed on the world from 1994-2002, with an updated version of the V8 and the option of a 2.5-liter BMW 6-cylinder turbodiesel with BOSCH injection pump. Trim options were increased to include more luxurious options and features, such as leather seats and early Satellite Navigation systems.

 

The third generation was produced from 2002-2012, at which point the fourth generation was unleashed upon the world. A year after its introduction, in 2013, a hybrid variant of the fourth-generation was introduced at the Frankfurt Motor Show, the third variant to ever be created. 2004 saw the introduction of the Sport, while 2011 saw the Evoque, available as either a three-door or five-door hatchback.