Otto Explains — Iconic Cars
10 Iconic Cars From Land Rover
Short Answer
Otto’s ten iconic Land Rovers are each remembered for one specific thing, from a body line that lasted decades to the first all-aluminium SUV. They are the Series II, the Series III V8, the four-door Range Rover and In Vogue of 1981, the One Ten and Ninety, the Defender of 1990, the second-generation Range Rover, the first Range Rover Sport, the all-aluminium Range Rover of 2012, the Range Rover Sport SVR and the Defender OCTA.
How did Otto choose these ten cars?
Each car here is remembered for one specific, documented thing, and together they run from 1958 to 2024 across the Land Rover, Defender and Range Rover lines. The cars that changed the company itself, such as the original Land Rover of 1948, the first Range Rover of 1970, the Discovery, the Freelander, the Evoque and the new Defender of 2019, have their own article on the legendary cars that defined Land Rover, so this list looks further. The order is chronological, not a ranking.
Why is the Series II remembered?
For its shape. The Series II of 1958 brought more refined styling, including the waistline curve along the sides that is still seen on the Defender, and its petrol engine grew to two and a quarter litres.
What made the Series III V8 special?
The Series III arrived in 1971, and in 1979 the long 109-inch version gained a 3,528 cc V8 option with permanent four-wheel drive, bringing to the utility Land Rover the kind of engine and drive the Range Rover had used since 1970.
Why does the 1981 Range Rover matter?
In 1981 the first production four-door Range Rover appeared, together with the first factory limited edition, the In Vogue. After further In Vogue editions, Vogue became a permanent model name. The same year a Range Rover won the Paris-Dakar Rally for the second time, after its win in the first event in 1979.
What changed with the One Ten and Ninety?
Comfort over rough ground. The One Ten of 1983 brought coil-spring suspension to the utility Land Rover, the Ninety followed in 1984, and together they introduced the front-end design that the Defender kept until the end of its original production.
Why is the 1990 Defender an icon?
Because the name stuck. In 1990 the range was relaunched as the Defender 90, 110 and 130, with the new 200Tdi turbo-diesel, and that Defender stayed in production at Solihull until 2016.
What is the P38a Range Rover?
The second-generation Range Rover of 1994, known as the P38a after building 38A at Solihull where it was developed. It introduced the Range Rover Autobiography service and offered a BMW six-cylinder turbo diesel alongside 3.9- and 4.6-litre versions of the Rover V8.
Why is the first Range Rover Sport remembered?
The Range Rover Sport of 2005 was the first sporting member of the Range Rover family, launched with a supercharged 4.2-litre V8 and cross-linked air suspension. Its second generation followed in 2013.
What was special about the 2012 Range Rover?
Its body. The fourth-generation Range Rover, L405, launched in 2012 as the first SUV with an all-aluminium body, 420 kg lighter than its predecessor. In 2014 its long-wheelbase version was the first vehicle with All-Terrain Progress Control, an off-road speed control.
What was the Range Rover Sport SVR?
The Range Rover Sport SVR of 2015 was the first model from Land Rover’s SV team, and at its launch Range Rover described it as the fastest Land Rover ever.
What is the Defender OCTA?
The Defender OCTA, revealed on 3 July 2024, is the most extreme Defender so far: a 4.4-litre twin-turbo mild-hybrid V8 with 635PS, an eight-speed automatic with high and low range, and 6D Dynamics suspension, which limits body roll on the road and allows more wheel movement off it.
Common Questions
- Why aren’t the original Land Rover and the first Range Rover on this list? Because they did more than become famous: they changed the company. The Land Rover of 1948 and the Range Rover of 1970 are covered with the other cars that defined Land Rover.
- Did a Range Rover really win the Paris-Dakar Rally? Yes. A Range Rover won the first Paris-Dakar Rally in 1979 and won again in 1981.
- Which Land Rover was shown at the Louvre? The Range Rover. In 1971 it became the first vehicle displayed at the Louvre in Paris.
- Is the Defender OCTA a separate model? It is part of the Defender family. Land Rover’s Oman website lists OCTA and OCTA Black alongside the other Defender versions, with the OCTA’s V8 shown as the P635.
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