Land Rover: The Story of the Car that Conquered the World


Book Description

Sunday Times Bestseller As quintessentially British as a plate of fish and chips or a British Bulldog, the boxy, utilitarian Land Rover Defender has become an iconic part of what it is to be British.




Rover Cars 1945 to 2005


Book Description

This comprehensive pictorial overview of Rover cars covers 1945-2005 models. It describes and illustrates all the great classic Rovers up to and including the SD1, British Leyland models with Rover badges, the models designed in conjunction with Honda, the later British-designed cars and, finally, the little-known City Rover.




Land Rover Emergency Vehicles


Book Description

This book is both an historic and nostalgic look at the role of the Land Rover in the emergency services over the last 70 years. Land Rover products have been used by the emergency services almost from the moment the first Land Rover left the factory in 1948. Their agility and size made them an immediate hit with fire services, where they initially became popular as factory fire tenders. Their cross-country ability and versatility then attracted police forces, especially outside Britain, and when long-wheelbase models provided extra space, they also became favourites for ambulance conversions. Some emergency-service conversions required very little adaptation, and were carried out in the workshops of the end-users. Others – such as six-wheel Range Rover fire tenders – required major alterations from the factory-standard vehicle. Meanwhile, specialist companies developed dedicated ambulance and fire tender bodywork, creating a fascinating variety of different types. Some of these conversions, such as police patrol vehicles, went on to become part of the background to everyday life. Others are much less well known, and have their own special interest. All of them help to illustrate the versatility and adaptability of Land Rovers and their more modern SUV siblings. Land Rover Emergency Vehicles will interest Land Rover enthusiasts and emergency-vehicle enthusiasts alike, and many of the types illustrated will evoke nostalgic memories of these vehicles in their heyday.




Land Rover


Book Description

The 60th anniversary of Land Rover occurs in 2008. The original Series 1 Land Rover was unveiled in 1948 and the utilitarian Defender models are still instantly recognisable as relatives of the original. The Land Rover range has also expanded over the years to elevate the Solihull marque to a premium brand in the automotive market place, the latest Range Rover models providing palatial luxury while still providing unbeatable off-road performance. This beautifully produced book tells the full story of all Land Rover models through a wealth of stunning color images, many previously unpublished.




Land Rover: The Ultimate Enthusiast's Guide


Book Description

The Land Rover is one of the most recognised vehicles ever produced and is nothing short of a British Institution. From its humble beginnings based on an ex-World War II Jeep chassis in 1947 to a £200,000+ Range Rover in 2023, for over seven decades Land Rover has provided the 4x4s of choice for royalty, the armed forces, celebrities and the everyday family. As well as being a beloved family carrier, it has transported explorers across continents, kept farms producing, helped police nations and been instrumental in saving the lives of those lost or stranded in difficult terrain. This book pays homage to this jack-of-all-trades workhorse that was once promoted as the world's most versatile vehicle, charting the history of all the Land Rover variants manufactured, starting with the first prototype built in 1947. The smorgasbord of information covered includes conversions, both military and civilian, that have been produced both by Land Rover and by third-party companies, along with many of the prototype and concept vehicles produced over the years. There is a focus on the technical aspects of the vehicles, and the specifications of all the production variants made are detailed. The Land Rover has been used in various expeditions since the early days, and this book also covers some of the Land Rover products used for these, as well as the vehicles used for competitions such as the Camel Trophy and G4 challenges. These include those produced by Bowler, which is now owned by Jaguar Land Rover. Whether you are new to the Land Rover or a seasoned enthusiast, there will be something for you on the pages of this highly illustrated, informative book.




Big Book of Land Rover


Book Description

The Second World War proved, among other things, the value of a basic 4-wheel drive vehicle of rugged construction. The success of the American Jeep inspired the Wilkes' brothers Maurice and Spencer, who ran the Rover Car Company, that a British version was likely to be well received. Launched in 1948, customers were never in short supply for their creation, the Land Rover, although there were some unexpected owners for such a sparse and utilitarian car, including King George VI and Winston Churchill. Once the British Army embraced it as their vehicle of choice, the Land Rover's place in motoring's Hall of Fame was secured. Since those days, the company has gone on to invent the concept of the luxury 4x4 with the launch of the Range Rover in 1970, and has added further to the distinguished stable with the Discovery and the Freelander. The Land Rover has truly conquered the globe - find out how inside...




Jue 477


Book Description

Revealed to the world in 1948, the Land-Rover not only revived the Rover Company's fortunes in an austerity-riddled post-war period, but galvanized its future, thanks to the model's almost immediate success. With the manufacture of an initial 48 'pre-production' examples coming to a close, the first official production models were assembled - starting with chassis 860001. As original factory records prove, this pivotal vehicle was destined for His Royal Highness King George VI, but the decision was made to postpone the presentation and instead, 'number one' was retained by the factory until 1950, when it was registered JUE 477 before leaving Rover Company ownership. After decades left out in the cold and exposed to the elements, 860001 had certainly seen better days, but thanks to the determination of Sir Jim Ratcliffe, founder and Chairman of INEOS, the future of JUE 477 was secured in 2017. Over the next two years, a dedicated team of experts, led by chief restorer, Julian Shoolheifer set about restoring the vehicle while retaining as much of its original DNA as was physically, and safely, possible and making sure that this remarkable vehicle's history and past life was still worn with pride.




First Overland


Book Description

Why Not? After all, no-one had ever done it before. It would be one of the longest of all overland journeys – half way round the world, from the English Channel to Singapore. They knew that several expeditions had already tried it. Some had got as far as the desrts of Persia; a few had even reached the plains of India. But no one had managed to go on from there: over the jungle clad mountains of Assam and across northern Burma to Thailand and Malaya. Over the last 3,000 miles it seemed there were ‘just too many rivers and too few roads'. But no-one really knew … In fact, their problems began much earlier than that. As mere undergraduates, they had no money, no cars, nothing. But with a cool audacity, which was to become characteristic, they set to work – wheedling and cajoling. First, they coaxed the BBC to come up with some film for a possible TV series. They then gently persuaded the manufacturers to lend them two factory-fresh Land Rovers. A publisher was even sweet-talked into giving them an advance on a book. By the time they were ready to go, their sponsors (more than 80 of them) ranged from whiskey distillers to the makers of collapsible buckets. In late 1955, they set off. Seven months and 12,000 miles later, two very weary Land Rovers, escorted by police outriders, rolled into Singapore – to flash bulbs and champagne. Now, fifty years on, their book, ‘First Overland', is republished – with a foreword by Sir David Attenborough. After all, it was he who gave them that film.




Special Operations Patrol Vehicles


Book Description

The patrol vehicles used by Special Operations Forces in Afghanistan and Iraq vary quite dramatically between the theatres as well as amongst the Coalition members, and have been developed and upgraded to meet the demands of the deployment. Covering all the major Coalition nations, Leigh Neville continues his look at the elite forces deployed in Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom, with this analysis of their vehicles. Tracing the evolution of the vehicle types, from their historical precedents, through their designs to their operational developments, he discusses their advantages and disadvantages, along with their tactical employment. From the mine-protected vehicles used to counter the IED threat in Iraq, the use of Strykers as armoured raiding platforms by the US Rangers, to the civilian vehicles adapted for military service by both Coalition troops and Private Military Contractors in the regions, this book uses rare in-theatre photographs and colour artwork to show the variety and inventiveness of the patrol vehicles being used in combat today.




Plunkett's Automobile Industry Almanac: Automobile, Truck and Specialty Vehicle Industry Market Research, Statistics, Trends & Leading Companies


Book Description

Provides information on the truck and specialty vehicles business, including: automotive industry trends and market research; mergers, acquisitions, globalization; automobile manufacturers; truck makers; makers of specialty vehicles such as RVs; automobile loans, insurance and other financial services; dealerships; and, components manufacturers.