10 Fun Facts You Didn’t Know About Land Rover

For well over half a century, Land Rover has been a benchmark among high-performance SUVs for folks in Huntington and Parkersburg. There might be a lot of things you didn’t know about Land Rover–learn some of the lesser-known ephemera of Land Rover trivia. Then explore more Land Rover history, and choose Land Rover Charleston for your luxury crossover SUVs.

Top 10 List of Things You Didn’t Know About Land Rover

1. When Was Land Rover Founded? In the wake of World War II, brothers Maurice and Spencer Wilks built the first Rover ever using the U.S. military’s Jeep 4×4.
2. Range Rover and the Jet Engine – Charles S. King, who also worked to develop jet engines for Rolls Royce, designed the first Range Rover.
3. The First Monster Truck – Back in the ‘50s, Land Rover created an SUV on tractor tires and Studebaker axles for the British Forestry Commission—hence the birth of the first monster truck.
4. Military Use – Throughout the world, Land Rover SUVs have become trusted vehicles for military service, with fleets being delivered to many different countries.
5. Traversing the Americas – Under the banner of the British military, the Range Rover once made a trans-American trip from Anchorage, Alaska to Ushuaia, Argentina.
6. Land Rover Discovery Facts – The Land Rover Discovery represented Land Rover’s first foray into the family SUV segment in 1989. It started selling in the United States in 1994, and in 2003 it was rebranded briefly as the LR3. In 2012, the one millionth model was produced and driven from Solihull, UK to Beijing, China to honor an expedition in the 1950s.
7. Moving into Luxury – When the Land Rover was first developed, it was a utility-grade vehicle above all else. The opulent comfort and style features came much later.
8. “Rover” vs. “Land Rover” – The Rover came into existence after WWII, but it wasn’t until 1978 that the Land Rover company was founded.
9. Centered Steering Wheel – For an odd period in the beginning, Land Rover gave vehicles a unique design–they put the steering wheel in the center of the vehicle rather than to the right or left side.
10. Road Rover to Range Rover – The first Range Rover ever designed was called the Road Rover and released in the 1950s.

Who Owns Land Rover Now?

For trivia fans who like bonus rounds, is Land Rover owned by Ford? While Land Rover was briefly owned by Ford starting in 2006, it was sold to the Indian automotive superpower Tata Motors in 2008. The company Land Rover then joined with Jaguar under Tata Motors to become the unit Jaguar Land Rover.

Experience the Land Rover Difference in Charleston, WV

Find out more about Land Rover offerings and off-road capabilities near Wheeling with the well-versed team at Land Rover Charleston, where you can find a new Land Rover and get it serviced anytime! Contact us for a test drive today!