Range Rover Classic parts, accessories and spare parts

Landrover Range Rover Defines Flagship SUV

First introduced in 1970, the Range Rover marque has evolved into Landrover�s luxury SUV positioned as an upscale 4X4 to complement its line of midrange and basic Landrover models such as the Discovery and the Defender. The brand primarily competes with the likes of BMW X5 and the Porsche Cayenne and similar luxury high-enders like the Lexus of Japan and the Lincoln navigator and Cadillac Escalade of the US.

First Generation (1970 - 1996)

The first generation Landrover Range Rovers were built between 1970 and 1996 and are called Range Rover Classic. While more upscalish than its Series Landrovers before it, the first Range Rovers were not designed for luxury and had basic utilitarian interiors using vinyl seats and plastic dashboards. Carpeting, air conditioning, power assisted steering, leather bucket seats and wooden trims only found their way in succeeding models when the Rover Group realized there was a large market for luxury SUVs ready to support heftier profit margins for the company. It would have to wait until 1981 with the release of the Range Rover Vogue that such a realization resulted in a more luxuriously appointed Ranger Rover. It came with a 2-door limited edition variant in the Vogue Estate.

Apart from the bare interiors, the first engines merely output 135 hp from a 3.5 liter Buick-based V8. Succeeding models saw the engine increased to 4 liter then 4.2 liter displacements with a higher 190 hp. A 2.5 liter turbo diesel engine was also introduced in the early 90s.

Second Generation (1995 - 2001)

With over 25 years behind it, the second generation Land Rover Range Rover debuted in 1995 under BMW ownership. It was naturally refitted with a 2.5 liter BMW V8 turbo diesel using a BOSCH fuel injection system along with the standard but updated Rover V8 petrol engine.

Within the next 7 years, the second generation Range Rover would benefit from a Bosch engine management system used in the BMW 7 series cars installed on the Rover V8. Traction control on all four wheels was added where it used to be found only in the rear wheels. It also got a 300-watt 12-speaker sound system for entertainment.

Third Generation (2002 - present)

Two years after the Landrover marque fell into American hands when Ford Motors took it off BMW�s worries in 2000, the third generation Range Rover was introduced with a higher pretension to the luxury markets. The remarkable new Ranger Rover has been gestating under BMW�s drawing board with a slew of creature comforts and engineering marvels that brought the range Rover name to the same level of excellence as any BMW car.

It could have been the BMW 4X4 flagship SUV equipped with a powerful 4.4 liter BMW M62 V8 petrol engine and its diesel brother equipped with a 2.9 liter BMW M57 inline-6 turbo diesel. But it didn�t materialize and by the time it was launched, the marque had changed hands anew. Meanwhile, BMW had released its luxury SUV, the X5 in 1999, a year before giving the Landrover family to Ford.

The entire interior entertainment system was identical to that found in the BMW E39 M5 series. Ford Motors was only too happy to release the aborted BMW SUV flagship without changing anything. The Range Rover of 2006 shed off the BMW engines in favor of a more lightweight aluminum alloy Jaguar supercharged engines. It also got some exterior facelifts. The succeeding model year had Ford engines installed as well as a Peugeot diesel engine to replace the BMW M57.

In 2008, the marque was acquired by the Tata Motors of India and now enjoys remarkable market growth in the luxury SUV markets. The 2010 model gets cosmetic updates with a new grill, LED head and tail lights, a 12-inch TFT LCD instrument panel and enhanced engine performance in both petrol and diesel versions.