The Land Rover Series Vehicles
It was following World War II that a company, then called Rover Motor Company produced a vehicle that looked and functioned much like the Willys Jeep that had become so pivotal during the war. At the time the company was more focused on building luxury cars which had fallen out of favor, so the company switched gears and moved into building vehicles that would help farmers. With a Power Take-Off (PTO), much like a tractor, this vehicle would offer the versatility of a tractor and a truck in one vehicle. The goal of this model was to take advantage of rebuilding efforts and provide a vehicle that would sell and eventually give them enough capital to resume luxury car production when demand increased once again.
The Series I has become somewhat of a collectible item now, but when they went into production in 1948, they were meant for use on the farm. They featured an 80 inch wheelbase and an engine that put out just 50hp. A 4 speed transmission and a unique four wheel drive system were standard equipment. Early models were like trucks, but in 1949 a station wagon version was announced for those looking for more interior space.
1954 marked a change from an 80 inch wheelbase to an 86 inch wheelbase and the complex wood construction was replaced with bolt together metal construction and they were marketed to a more diverse group of people, from farmers to commercial uses as well. Eventually a 109 inch wheelbase version was added which marked the move to the Series II.
Land Rover Series II
Made from '58 to '61, it was available in a short version at 88 inches and a longer one at 109 inches. Adopting a more modern design it came with a 2.25 litre gasoline engine, but the shorter wheelbase models came with a 2 litre.
For the untrained eye, Series II and II A appear almost identical, but there are differences. A few minor cosmetic changes happen, but the biggest change is a new 2.25 litre diesel engine. A short wheelbase version was available in a soft top and there was a 5 door station wagon. This Series is considered by many to be the most robust and durable. Around this time, in 1969 and 1970 production was quite high and they became one of the most popular 4x4's available in some countries.
Land Rover Series III
Using the same body and engines as the previous version, the Series III Land Rover is the most common of all the Series Land Rovers, with over 400,000 produced between '71 and 1985. As it neared the end of it's life, the design was updated to compete against the influx of 4x4's now available. The interior was updated to make them a little more user friendly and a High Capacity Pickup version was added with a 109 inch wheelbase. In the late 1970's a V8 engine was produced and was used in the high end Range Rover and a permanent 4 wheel drive system was added.
With so many uses from Military, to Agricultural to Commercial, the Land Rover Series I, Series II, Series II A and Series III marked a new paradigm for the company. These are very capable offroad vehicles that are just as good today as they were when they first appeared. Whether you're looking for one for collectible reasons or for use as a utility vehicle these Landrovers are sure to be around for many years to come.
