Land Rover research
Land Rover history: from the 1948 Series I to Tata-owned JLR
By CarWhere Research · Updated
Land Rover is owned by Tata Motors through its subsidiary JLR (Jaguar Land Rover). The brand began when the Rover Company showed the Series I at the Amsterdam Motor Show on April 30, 1948. BMW bought Rover Group in 1994, Ford bought Land Rover from BMW in 2000, and Tata Motors acquired Jaguar Land Rover from Ford in June 2008.
Land Rover history timeline
Milestones link to a full history page with years and production numbers, key variants, what changed and what to check before you buy one.
1948
Series I debuts in Amsterdam
The Rover Company launched the Land Rover Series I at the Amsterdam Motor Show on April 30, 1948. The utility 4x4 was created under Maurice Wilks, and three pre-production vehicles were shown at the launch; production ran at Solihull.[1],[2],[3]
1958
Series II
Land Rover unveiled the Series II in 1958 with a more refined design, following a long-wheelbase Series I that had arrived in 1953.[1],[3]
1970
Range Rover goes on sale
The original two-door Range Rover, now called the Classic, went on sale in 1970 after prototype work that began in 1966. It was launched to the press in Cornwall.[3],[4]
1971
Series III
The Series III launched in 1971, and in 1976 Land Rover built its 1,000,000th vehicle.[1],[3]
1987
Range Rover reaches North America
The Range Rover launched in North America in 1987, by then offered as a four-door (from 1981) with an automatic transmission (from 1982).[4]
1989
Discovery, the third model line
The Discovery went on sale in 1989 as Land Rover's third model line, after the utility Land Rover and the Range Rover.[3]
1990
The Land Rover becomes the Defender
The utility Land Rover was relaunched and renamed Defender 90, 110 and 130 in 1990, with a new 2.5-liter turbocharged direct-injection diesel.[1],[3]
1994
BMW buys Rover Group
BMW decided in early 1994 to acquire the UK's Rover Group, whose brands included Land Rover, Rover, MG, Triumph and MINI. The same year brought the second-generation P38a Range Rover.[4],[5]
2000
Ford buys Land Rover
Ford agreed to buy Land Rover from BMW in March 2000 and signed a definitive agreement on May 23, 2000, for 3 billion euros (US$2.7 billion), covering the Solihull plant, the Gaydon R&D center and the brand rights. BMW kept only MINI from the Rover Group.[5],[6],[7]
2008
Tata Motors acquires Jaguar Land Rover
Tata Motors completed its purchase of Jaguar Land Rover from Ford on June 2, 2008, for a net consideration of US$2.3 billion in cash. Tata said both brands would keep their distinct identities.[8],[9]
2016
Last original Defender
The last original Defender rolled off the Solihull line in 2016, ending a lineage that ran from the 1948 Series I.[3],[10]
2019
New Defender revealed
An all-new Defender debuted at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September 2019 in 90 and 110 body styles. The 110 went on sale in the US in spring 2020 from $49,900, returning the Defender name to the US for the first time since the 1997 model year.[10],[11]
Who has owned Land Rover
| Years | Owner | Note |
|---|---|---|
| 1948–1994 | The Rover Company and its successors, ending as Rover Group | Created the Land Rover; built at Solihull |
| 1994–2000 | BMW Group | Bought Rover Group in early 1994 |
| 2000–2008 | Ford Motor Company | Definitive agreement May 23, 2000; 3 billion euros |
| 2008–present | Tata Motors (via Jaguar Land Rover, now JLR) | Deal completed June 2, 2008; US$2.3 billion net |
Every Land Rover model history
Origins
- Land Rover Series I, II and III history (1948 onward (Series I 1948, II 1958, III 1971))
Model histories
- Range Rover (1970–present) history (1970–present)
- Land Rover Defender (1990–present) history (1990–present)
How to check a Land Rover's factory build
Standardized 17-character VINs began with model year 1981[12]. For a 1981-or-later Land Rover, CarWhere can check a VIN for licensed factory build data and, when it exists, list the equipment the vehicle was built with in plain English: see the Land Rover build sheet by VIN. Coverage varies by VIN and model year. Earlier vehicles are identified by their original serial number, vehicle data plate and engine stampings instead.
Frequently asked questions
Who owns Land Rover?
Land Rover is owned by Tata Motors of India through JLR (Jaguar Land Rover). Tata Motors completed the purchase of Jaguar Land Rover from Ford on June 2, 2008, for a net US$2.3 billion.
Who made the first Land Rover?
The Rover Company. The Series I was conceived under Rover's Maurice Wilks and launched at the Amsterdam Motor Show on April 30, 1948, then built at Solihull, England.
Did BMW and Ford own Land Rover?
Yes. BMW bought Rover Group, including Land Rover, in 1994. Ford bought Land Rover from BMW in 2000 for 3 billion euros and sold it, with Jaguar, to Tata Motors in 2008.
Is Land Rover still British?
Land Rover's parent is Indian-owned, but Land Rover says it designs, engineers and manufactures its vehicles in the United Kingdom; the current Range Rover is built at Solihull.
When did the Range Rover and Defender start?
The Range Rover went on sale in 1970. The utility Land Rover took the Defender name in 1990, and an all-new Defender debuted in 2019.
More Land Rover research
Sources
Production figures, dates and ratings come from Land Rover and Jaguar Land Rover press, corporate and heritage materials, and government records wherever available. References marked secondary are encyclopedic or enthusiast sources used only where a primary figure was not available. Market medians are CarWhere's own analysis of live US dealer listings from licensed vehicle-data providers.
- Land Rover Celebrates Defender With Recreation of 1948 Production Line (January 2015) — JLR Media
- Land Rover's 70th Anniversary Begins With Restoration of 'Missing' Original 4x4 (Jan. 10, 2018) — JLR Media
- Land Rover Announces 70th Anniversary Celebrations With World's Most Remote Defender Outline (April 2018) — JLR Media
- Range Rover Celebrates 45 Years of Luxury, Design and Innovation (June 2015) — JLR Media
- BMW Group History — BMW Group
- Ford Motor Company to Buy Land Rover From BMW, Expanding Lineup of Premium Brands (Mar. 17, 2000; Form 8-K exhibit) — Ford Motor Company via SEC EDGAR
- BMW Group, Ford Motor Company Sign Definitive Agreement for Land Rover (May 23, 2000; Form 8-K exhibit) — Ford Motor Company via SEC EDGAR
- Tata Motors Completes Acquisition of Jaguar Land Rover (June 2, 2008) — JLR Media
- Our Heritage — JLR
- Land Rover Celebrates the Return of the Defender to the U.S. With Reveal Event in Downtown Los Angeles (Nov. 2019) — JLR Media (US)
- An Icon Reimagined for the 21st Century: New Defender Makes Global Debut at Frankfurt Motor Show (Sept. 2019) — JLR Media (US)
- 49 CFR Part 565 — Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) requirements — eCFR (U.S. Government)
Independent reference compiled by CarWhere Research — not affiliated with or endorsed by Jaguar Land Rover Limited or Jaguar Land Rover North America. Land Rover and the model names are trademarks of their owners.