On yer bike

The Rover Cycle Company was started in 1894 and by 1902 had progressed from pedal bikes to motor cycles. By 1906 the company was making cars and became known as The Rover Company Limited. During the depression of the 1930s the company struggled, but the arrival of Spencer Wilkes and later his brother Maurice, sparked something of a revival. Between them the dynamic duo built up a reputation for producing high quality cars with superb engineering right up until the outbreak of the Second World War.

“The Land Rover was important for the post war economy, it saved lives, was the vehicle of choice for the army, emergency services, utility companies, the queen and hard-working farmers up and down the country for decades.”  (ICONS reader)

By 1945 the war had ended throughout Europe, and Rover found itself with a highly skilled workforce and two fantastic factories, including a hugely expanded factory in Lode Lane, Solihull, but no real tangible product. Ambitious plans to produce 15,000 vehicles per year were swiftly scuppered by the government, which refused to allocate steel for more than 1,100 cars per year, unless the vehicles were made for export. Subsequently, Rover soon realised that an exportable stopgap solution was needed until sufficient steel was available. Enter the Land Rover - which plugged the production gap and immediately became a huge international hit.

The idea for the Land Rover was born out of Maurice Wilkes’ need for a replacement vehicle for his trusty war surplus Willys Jeep. The Jeep, although pretty battered and beaten up, proved to be very useful on Maurice’s farm in Anglesey. However, before long, the increasingly less than hardy Jeep needed a sturdier replacement, and although other war surplus Jeeps were available, they were in a similar worn condition. Spare parts could only be purchased in bulk, and new Jeeps were not being exported from the US to the UK. The solution to Maurice’s Jeep problem was the beginning of the project to build a Rover for the Land, i.e.. a Land Rover. The idea really began to blossom in 1947 with early prototypes being built throughout the summer. By September of '47 the Land Rover was described as an “all-purpose vehicle on the lines of the Willys-Overland Jeep” in a Rover board meeting.

 

At the time there were hefty financial incentives for companies to produce products for export. Consequently, Rover decided upon the Land Rover as its flagship export model, the main reason being that they thought a 4x4 would appeal to many people, including those living in the developing 'colonial' outposts. The instant appeal of the Land Rover was certainly its off-road ability, which was second to none. It was also designed so that it could be easily repaired by anyone with even the simplest of tools, making it a perfect workhorse for expeditions and military and emergency services.

However, despite the fact that the Land Rover’s rural ruggedness had far-reaching appeal, Rover foresaw that if they were going to continue its success - especially in sight of the economy improving - the Land Rover would have to adapt into a more habitable vehicle. This ‘comfort concept’ if you like, was looked into pretty much as soon as the original was created, and the first Station Wagon version of the Land Rover was developed before the standard car even hit the market. Consequently, the 80-inch Station Wagon came into production - a model we take an in-depth look at a little further down the road…

 

“The classiest yet most classless vehicle in the world.” (ICONS reader comment)

The first production Land Rover - Series I

Although similar to the Jeep, the Series I was originally designed for farm and light industrial use. However the first production model was adaptable and durable and so quickly became popular with its intended customers.

As we’ve already discovered, this capable vehicle was created as a 'stop-gap' to match Rover production requirements. For, in common with many British industrial companies during World War II, Rover's factories were turned over to the war effort and produced engines for tanks and aircraft. The severe shortage of steel, even for export, meant the Series I’s body panels had to be made of aluminium. The use of this lightweight metal was a distinctive feature that would be repeated in many later Land Rover products.

 

Ready for sale, the Land Rover was a basic vehicle; tops for the doors and a roof (canvas or metal) were optional extras. The new vehicle went down a storm at the Amsterdam Show in 1948, with Rover’s modest expectations for their ‘stop-gap’ vehicle being far exceeded. The Land Rover’s success lay in its multi-tasking: it could be used as a car, but also as a power source and even small tractor. It had excellent off-road abilities, perfect for the working farmer, and demand for the hardy workhorse was amazing. In the first full year of sales 8,000 Land Rovers were sold compared to a target of 5,000.

Growing popularity

By 1951, Land Rovers were out-selling Rover road cars by a factor of two to one. Before long it was being used by armed services, police forces, rescue services, building contractors, electricity boards and on expeditions. This far-reaching and growing popularity wasn’t wholly anticipated by Rover. Nonetheless, the fact that the Land Rover was adaptable to a huge range of markets other than farmers was swiftly realised and acted upon and Rover revved up a gear yet again…

 

Armed with the knowledge that a whole new set of customers would want a Land Rover's abilities but without the rather spartan interiors, Land Rover launched the 'Station Wagon' in 1949. This model was fitted with a body built by Tickford, a coachbuilder known for their work with Rolls Royce. In comparison to the standard Land Rover, Tickford station wagons were very well equipped, with leather seats, a heater, and a one-piece laminated windscreen leading the way in terms of the Land Rover’s all new ‘mod cons’.

But the wooden construction made them expensive to build and tax laws worsened the situation. Unlike the original Land Rover, the Tickford was taxed as a private car, which attracted high levels of Purchase Tax. As a result, less than 700 Tickford-built vehicles were sold, and all but 50 were exported. Today, these early Station Wagons are highly sought after and very rare. There are less than ten examples known to exist, most of which are mainly held in museum collections.

 

Rover, having learnt their lesson with the previous 'Tickford' model, built the new Station Wagon with a much simpler design and materials instead of the complex 'coach built' wooden structure of the older Station Wagon. The new versions were very popular, but the standard 86" and 107" wheelbase models would only last up until to 1956. Why? Simple: the demand had grown for a diesel engine option. Consequently, by 1957, the 109" Series II (along with newly-fitted diesel engine) Station Wagon had been created.

 

“A classic English icon without question. I bought my Land Rover because I couldn't afford a Spitfire.”  (ICONS comment)