Range Rover history: five generations since 1970

Range Rover (1970–present) history

Work on the first Range Rover prototype, a 100-inch-wheelbase station wagon, began in 1966, and the original two-door model went on sale in 1970 after a press launch in Cornwall. A four-door followed in 1981, an automatic transmission in 1982 and a diesel in 1986, and the Range Rover launched in North America in 1987.

The Classic added two world firsts for a 4x4: anti-lock brakes in 1989 and automatic electronic air suspension in 1992, the year a long-wheelbase LSE (County LWB in the US) arrived. It stayed in production until 1996, overlapping the second-generation P38a launched in 1994.

The third-generation L322 came in 2001, and the fourth-generation L405 of 2012 was the first SUV with a lightweight all-aluminium body. The fifth generation, revealed in London on October 26, 2021, is the first Range Rover on the MLA-Flex architecture, offers a seven-seat option for the first time and is built at Solihull.[1],[2]

Years and production numbers

Generations and key variants

Engine and drivetrain facts

• A 4.2-liter supercharged V8 arrived in 2005, the TDV8 diesel in 2006, and new 5.0-liter naturally aspirated and supercharged V8s in 2009.
• The fifth-generation Range Rover's MLA-Flex platform accepts combustion, plug-in hybrid and fully electric powertrains; the US plug-in hybrid is rated at 434 hp and arrived for the 2023 model year, and Land Rover listed US pricing from $104,000 plus $1,350 destination at the October 2021 reveal.

Sources:[1],[2]

What changed over the years

1. 1970Two-door Range Rover goes on sale.
2. 1987North American launch.
3. 1994Second-generation P38a; Classic continues to 1996.
4. 2001Third-generation L322.
5. 2012Fourth-generation L405 with an all-aluminium body.
6. 2021Fifth generation revealed on MLA-Flex, with plug-in hybrids and a seven-seat option.

Sources:[1],[2]

What to check before you buy one

• Decode the VIN to confirm the generation, engine and wheelbase before comparing prices, since L322, L405 and fifth-generation trucks overlap in look and trim names.
• On any air-suspension Range Rover, check that the vehicle holds its ride height overnight and that all height settings work.
• Run the VIN for open recalls and confirm completed recall work with a Land Rover retailer.
• On plug-in hybrids, confirm charging works and ask for battery and software update history.

Model-specific problems by generation are tracked on our Land Rover Range Rover known issues page.

Range Rover (1970–present) prices and values

Medians of asking prices, not transaction prices; every trim is blended, so performance variants usually sit well above these medians. "Below new median" compares each model year's median used listing with the median listing price of a new 2026 Range Rover today. More in our Land Rover Range Rover depreciation study.

Mileage: across 5,486 used Land Rover Range Rover listings in our November 2026 study (all model years), the median odometer reading was 60,350 miles and 0.3% showed 200,000 miles or more. See how long a Land Rover Range Rover lasts.

How to verify a Range Rover (1970–present)'s factory options

Decode the 17-character VIN to confirm which Range Rover generation, engine and wheelbase you are looking at.

Range Rovers built before the 1981 model year predate the 17-character VIN standard; every US-market Range Rover (from 1987) has a full VIN.[4]

For pre-1981 examples, the data plate and engine stampings carry the original factory codes; a VIN-based build lookup does not apply to them.