Where it all began
The Centre-Steer was built in October 1947 to try out various concepts for the forthcoming new vehicle. The central steering position betrayed the agricultural aspirations Rover had for the model initially, mimicking as it did the driving position of a tractor. It also of course made it unnecessary for the company to produce both LHD and RHD versions, but was rather impractical on the road and did not make it beyond this prototype stage. The influence of the wartime Jeep in this prototype is clear, not least in the bodywork at the rear and the 80in wheelbase, but it was simplified for Land Rover production with flatter and more easily worked
