The Land Rover is undoubtedly one of the longest lasting vehicle series ever. It was taken in production in 1948, and the initial plan was to keep it selling for no longer than three years. The sales went so great that it kept going, and Rover Group, the parent company, decided to turn it into a brand itself that is still widely present in the automotive industry to this day.
The first Land Rover was unveiled at the Amsterdam Motor Show in 1948 and was designed by Maurice Wilks, who had already been the chief designer at Rover. He took inspiration from the design of the Jeep and used the box-section Jeep chassis as a basis for designing the Land Rover. The result was no less Spartan than it might initially appear, and the interior was far from comfortable. It was clear that this vehicle would fit in rural areas and for industrial use. Nevertheless, the Land Rover kept selling very well, year after year, and decade after decade, it has been upgraded and offered to a wider audience. Nowadays, ‘Land Rover’ has become almost a buzzword.
The first Land Rovers were built in three generations, which were later subdivided into a series with Roman numerals. In 1983, the ‘Defender’ was introduced as being the successor. It was partially hand-built for decades and gave the Land Rover brand an immense boost.
Land Rover Series II
The Land Rover Series II is, as the name suggests, the second version of the all-terrain vehicle that we still recognize today as the famous Land Rover. It was only produced from 1958 to 1961 and was the first Land Rover to be partially built under Rover's supervision.
The Series II was available in both short and long wheelbase versions, referred to as 88 and 109, respectively, measured in inches. Land Rover also offered the option between a two-door all-terrain vehicle, a two-door pickup, and a four-door all-terrain vehicle with a long wheelbase. To cater to everyone's preferences, three engine options were available, including a diesel engine. These engines were intentionally designed to have low power but high torque.
The Series II is a durable classic car, known for being virtually indestructible, and in recent years, they have been considered true style icons.
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