Land Rover Defender, the Symbolic British Off Road Vehicle

The British motor industry has experienced some highs and some (more notable) lows over the past 65 years, but one of its undoubted successes has been the creation of the enduring appeal and market-leading off-road experience provided by the Land Rover Defender. While the Defender "badge" has only been in existence since it was first placed on a Land Rover in 1990 (in order provide a point of difference from the Land Rover Discovery) even the most modern Land Rover Defenders are the direct descendents of the original Land Rover Series 1, which first rolled off the production line in 1948.

The original Land Rover was designed primarily for farm and light industrial use. As with subsequent models, the Series 1 was built using a box-section steel chassis and aluminium bodywork. Both the construction method and the very raison d'être of the first Land Rover were born of economic circumstance. The project was aimed at keeping the Rover Car Company busy in the depressed car market of the post-war years, while the Land Rover's construction was a reflection of steel rationing and the abundance of aircraft aluminium in the UK at the time.

The Land Rover Series 2 was introduced ten years later, featuring a 2.25 litre petrol engine, barrel sides and a wider track. These additions saw the Land Rover come of age, with an appearance that would remain unchanged for over 25 years on this off-roading classic. The Series 2A model, which was launched in 1961 and continued to evolve throughout the decade, offered the choice of a 2.25 litre diesel engine as well as a 2.6 litre, 6 cylinder petrol engine on the 109" long wheel-base models. The Series 3 saw the arrival of a fully synchronised gearbox and, in 1976, the 1,000,000th Land Rover made its way out of the factory. Both the Series 2 A and Series 3 were modified as the Land Rover Lightweight for use by the Ministry of Defence. These were capable of being air-lifted by the helicopters of the time and proved to be excellent off-roaders.

The modern-day Defender, as we know it, came into being in 1983 with many refinements - including constant four wheel drive, giving the classic off-road car real 4x4 status for the first time. The Land Rover has now achieved iconic status, with nearly 2 million manufactured since 1948 in 130 countries across the globe. The latest Defender is still regarded as one of the most capable off-roaders on the market, with Land Rover using all of its 4x4 experience to create a vehicle that can tackle the everything from vertigo inducing drops and seemingly unassailable ascents to water-filled ravines and axle-twisting obstacles. It truly is a Great British engineering marvel.

Source: http://www.articletrader.com/automotive/cars/land-rover-defender-the-symbolic-british-off-road-vehicle.html