Thirty years after the first Land Rover vehicle was developed, Land Rover Limited separates from British Leyland Motors in 1978. BMW purchases the Rover Group in 1994.
In This Article...
Rover, Land
Jaguar Land Rover (JLR), a multinational automobile manufacturer and since 2008 a part of India’s Tata Motors, is the owner of the British brand Land Rover, which specializes in four-wheel drive, off-road competent vehicles. Currently, JLR produces Land Rovers in Slovakia, the UK, Brazil, China, and India. The Rover Company gave the Land Rover moniker to a practical 4WD off-roader in 1948, but today’s Land Rover models are only high-end, luxurious sport utility vehicles.
King George VI granted Land Rover a Royal Warrant in 1951, and fifty years later, in 2001, the company was honored with the Queen’s Award for Enterprise for its exceptional contribution to global trade. With time, Land Rover developed into its own corporation (and for a time, brand), offering an ever-expanding selection of four-wheel drive, off-road competent cars. The marque currently includes two models of Discovery, four distinct models of Range Rover, and after a three-year hiatus, a second generation of Defenders have gone into production for the 2020 model year — in short or long wheelbase, as before. The marque began with the much more upscale 1970 Range Rover, and went on to introduce the mid-range Discovery and entry-level Freelander line (in 1989 and 1997), as well as the 1990 Land Rover Defender refresh.
Land Rovers and Range Rovers only relied on their recognizable boxed-section vehicle frames for half a century (from the original 1948 model to 1997, when the Freelander was debuted). Before discontinuing the original Defender in 2016, Land Rover employed boxed frames in a direct product bloodline. With the third generation Discovery, they switched to a monocoque. Since that time, the bodies and frames of all Land Rovers and Range Rovers are the same.
After 62 years of making only four-wheel drive vehicles, Land Rover has since released two-wheel drive versions of the Freelander and the Evoque. The 2WD Discovery Sport, which is offered in some areas, has replaced the 2WD Freelander.
Shop nearby for the 2020 Land Rover Range Rover Evoque.
Although the current organization is complicated, Land Rover has long been known for it. As a member of the Rover brand, the first Land Rover was introduced in 1948, and the first Range Rover followed in 1970. British Leyland eventually acquired the Rover brand, which changed its name to Rover Triumph. Land Rover was separated into its own subsidiary firm following the bankruptcy of BL and subsequent nationalization. British Leyland changed their name to Rover in 1988 after going back into private ownership in 1986. Rover was later purchased by BMW in 1994, and Ford purchased Land Rover in 2000. In 2008, Ford sold Jaguar and Land Rover to Tata Motors, who subsequently established the Jaguar Land Rover division that is still in operation today.
Before becoming the opulent series of SUVs available today, the Range Rover itself was initially a pretty practical off-road vehicle. The majority of Range Rover vehicles are still very capable off-road despite the added luxury.
Driving the Land Rover Defender
The brand-new 2022 Range Rover luxury SUV has been presented by Land Rover. It will be offered with a 532 hp 4.4 liter turbocharged V8 engine from BMW.
BMW briefly controlled Land Rover from 1994 to 2000, and the Range Rover used BMW engines until Ford acquired Land Rover and replaced them with Jaguar V8s. Later, Tata, the current owner, purchased both the British brand and Jaguar.
The base engine for the 2022 Range Rover is a 3.0-liter, turbocharged inline-6-cylinder Jaguar-Land Rover engine with 395 horsepower and a mild hybrid system. A plug-in hybrid version will be offered for the 2023 model year, and all-electric power will follow in 2024.
Because the Range Rover is now available for the first time in a long-wheelbase variant with up to three rows of seating alongside the conventional wheelbase five-passenger model, all of the engines will have more Range Rover to haul around than ever before.
The full-size SUV’s appearance is an extension of the previous model and uses the streamlined, flush aesthetic language that made its debut on the Range Rover Velar.
All Range Rovers will be equipped as standard with all-wheel drive, a completely independent suspension with adjustable air springs, and a four-wheel steering system that enables the rear wheels to turn counterclockwise to the front wheels for better low-speed mobility in confined spaces.
The Range Rover’s interior features a haptic feedback infotainment system with a 13.1-inch tablet-style display and a digital instrument cluster. The long-wheelbase model’s third row can be added, and an optional Executive Class second row with reclining seats and footrests, retractable in the manner of an airline, and a center console with its own screen is available. Seating for five people is normal.
When deliveries commence in the spring of 2019, the Range Rover will start at $104,000 and go as high as $163,500 for a loaded, long-wheelbase First Edition variant with a V8 engine.
What is a Range Rover built on a BMW?
Driving the Land Rover Defender BMW briefly controlled Land Rover from 1994 to 2000, and the Range Rover used BMW engines until Ford acquired Land Rover and replaced them with Jaguar V8s. Later, the British brand was transferred to the current owner Tata together with Jaguar.
The Range Rover was sold by BMW when?
BMW purchased Rover Group plc, which included Land Rover, on January 31, 1994. When BMW split up the Rover Group in 2000, Land Rover was sold to Ford Motor Company and included to its Premier Automotive Group. Prior to the 1997 release of Land Rover’s first unibody vehicle, the Freelander, the shift to BMW ownership barely overlapped with the debut of the second generation Range Rover. The Range Rover III, the first vehicle with an independent suspension and a monocoque frame, was developed in large part by BMW and debuted in late 2001 under Ford.
How come BMW sold the Range Rover?
The BMW directors were overly enthused and undervalued what they were purchasing when they purchased the Rover since it was inexpensive. It has been cash-starved for years and lacked profits and a solid balance sheet. However, it was enormous in terms of capitalization and had the ability to produce 700,000 automobiles, compared to BMW’s 500,000.
Uses BMW engines Range Rover?
I shared the enthusiasm of many other BMW lovers when I learned that the German automaker will be working with Land Rover to deliver V8 engines for more expensive vehicles, notably the top-of-the-line Range Rover P530. Why would BMW fans be thrilled about such a collaboration? because building a relationship between the two brands is really cool and because Range Rovers are pretty generally adored.
Only the aforementioned P530, which utilizes a slightly modified version of BMW’s “N63” 4.4 liter twin-turbocharged V8, is currently a Range Rover product to use a BMW V8 engine. The V8 still has 523 hp and 553 lb-ft of torque for Range Rover use. To handle some of the utility a Range Rover needs, it has been slightly modified.
It would have been totally natural for Range Rover supporters and consumers to worry that installing a BMW V8 in the engine bay might affect the vehicle’s ability to handle rough terrain. Ranges are robust, sturdy SUVs behind their glitzy exteriors, capable of off-roading that would put most Jeeps to shame. For this reason, Range Rover engines need to be a little bit tougher. It makes sense that BMW engines would be reluctant to be used in a Range Rover because they aren’t normally designed to handle the steep inclines and deep water wading that Range Rovers can handle.
But the Range Rover P530 was given a new, taller air intake on the BMW N63, enabling it to wade through up to 35.4 inches of water. It also received a new oil sump so that it could withstand the sharp angles and back-and-forth sloshing that a Range might subject it to without depriving the engine of oil.
The good thing about this is that BMW buyers may now be more likely to choose a Range Rover P530 over, say, an X7 because they can now purchase a car with greater off-road capability while still maintaining some BMW DNA. Additionally, BMW V8 or not, the P530 can still manage all a true Range needs to manage, according to Range Rover customers.
Since when does Range Rover no longer use BMW engines?
For 2006, the Range Rover’s appearance underwent updates, and the BMW V8 was swapped out for a Jaguar engine. The new engine options were the AJ-V8 from Jaguar, which came in 4.4-liter and 4.2-liter supercharged versions with 300 and 400 horsepower, respectively. At the 2005 North American International Auto Show, the new Range Rover was formally unveiled before going on sale that summer.
With a top speed ranging from 110 mph (180 km/h) to roughly 130 mph (210 km/h) (governed), the car’s diesel engine from the 2006 model, which at the time was still a six-cylinder BMW unit, could reach 60 mph (97 km/h) in 14.8 seconds or as little as 6.5 seconds.
The 2006 Range Rover has a new “infotainment” system in addition to an improved engine. This consists of a touch screen with radio, CD, Satellite Radio (US), telephone, rear view camera, wireless video camera system, and numerous extra capabilities that can all be accessible through the same user interface. Harman Kardon Logic 7 surround sound is used for the audio system. A fully integrated DVD back seat entertainment system is also offered.
An industry-standard fiber optic network called Media Oriented Systems Transport, or MOST, and an electronic network system called CAN bus connect this system. Both the Land Rover Discovery and Range Rover Sport employ a similar technology.
Continental Automotive is a supplier of parts for the 2006 Range Rover, including the entire cockpit module with the Denso touch screen navigation system. The center console unit is also provided by Continental. Alpine vehicle audio is another supplier of integrated head units with back seat entertainment. Rear View Camera (RVC) and Wireless Camera (VentureCam) systems are offered by Connaught Electronics Limited (CEL), and PTI telephone capabilities are given by Nokia.
The audio system was co-created with Harman Kardon, which is crucial. The premium option features a 14-speaker, 720 Watt system, and was the first OEM vehicle to use the discrete Logic 7 surround algorithm.
Who is the manufacturer of the Range Rover?
Land Rover is the manufacturer of all Range Rover models. Within the complete 7-vehicle Land Rover brand lineup, the Range Rover Family designates a 4-vehicle lineup. The other three automobiles belong to a separate Land Rover Family.
Qui acquired Rover from BMW?
The last locally held mass-production automobile manufacturer in the British automotive sector was MG Rover Group. The business was established in 2000 after BMW sold the Phoenix Consortium the original Rover Group’s car-making and engine-manufacturing assets.
After MG Rover entered administration in 2005, Nanjing Automobile Group acquired its core assets. In 2007, Nanjing resumed production of MG sports cars and sports saloons. That year, SAIC Motor and Nanjing combined. The UK division’s name was changed to MG Motor UK in 2009. From 2008 to 2010, the MG TF was produced in the former MG Rover Longbridge plant and distributed in the UK. The MG 6 was introduced in the UK in 2011 and was the first completely new MG in 16 years. A supermini (the MG 3) was launched to the lineup in 2013, which helped MG Motor become the UK’s fastest-growing automaker in 2014.
Ford, which had acquired Land Rover from BMW in 2000, purchased the Rover brand, which had been held by BMW and leased to MG Rover. Ford sold the Jaguar Cars and Land Rover businesses, as well as the rights to the defunct Rover brand, to Tata Motors in 2008.