1970-94 ROVER
IT IS probably no coincidence that Britain’s most influential all-wheel drive shares its initials with the brand once regarded as the ‘Best Car in the World’.
From inception, the Range Rover was intended to be an executive off-roader that could haul polo ponies on Sunday, drive to the office on Monday and unashamedly share garage space with its owner’s Rolls-Royce.
Conceived by engineering director Spen King, the Range Rover could trace its lineage to a ‘Road Rover’ prototype from the 1950s that combined a Land Rover driveline and chassis with more car-like styling.
King’s prototype began testing in 1967 and was introduced to a gobsmacked 4WD world three years later. Under the bonnet was Rover’s familiar all-alloyV8, the same one used in the company’s sedans, but de-tuned to deliver 97kW and maximum torque at 2500rpm.
Constant four-wheel drive eliminated the need for lockable front hubs. Instead, a centre differential fed power to all four wheels and could be locked via vacuum control. A floor-mounted lever engaged the very serious low-range gear set which
