Land Rover (Series/Defender)
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Image:Landrover Serie I von 1952.jpg
The Series I, II, and III and Defender are 4x4 models from Land Rover (except for a few 2x4 variants built for the Royal Air Force and British Army). The Defender is these early model's descendant, following over 50 years of 'evolution' along the same basic design, and still remaining very similar in looks.
Series models and Defenders are confused due to their similar styling (many body parts are interchangeable between brand-new models and vehicles nearly 30 years old), although the differences are large. The principal differences between Defenders and Series models are that the Series models are leaf-sprung with optional two or four wheel drive whereas the Defenders are coil-sprung with permanent four wheel drive and locking central differential.
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Series I
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Land Rover entered production in 1948, with a single model, later termed the Series I. This was launched at the Amsterdam Motor Show. It was originally designed for farm and light industrial use, and had a steel box-section chassis, and an aluminium body.
From 1948 until 1951, the only model used an 80 in (2032 mm) wheelbase and a 1.6 L petrol engine. This was a basic vehicle, so tops for the doors and a roof (canvas or metal) were optional extras. In 1950, the lights moved from a position behind the grille to protruding through the grille.
From the beginning it was realised that some buyers would want a Land Rover's abilities without the extremely spartan interiors. In 1949 Land Rover launched a second body option called the 'Station Wagon', fitted with a body built by Tickford, a coachbuilder known for their work with Rolls-Royce and Lagonda. The bodywork was wooden-framed and had seating for 7 people. Tickfords were well equipped in comparison with the standard Land Rover, having leather seats, a heater, a one-piece laminated windscreen, a tin-plate spare wheel cover, some interior trim and other options. The wooden construction made them expensive to build and tax laws made this worse- 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 Tickfords were sold, and all but 50 were exported. Today these early Station Wagons are highly sought after. There are less than 10 still known to exist, mainly in museums, and they can change hands for as much as £15,000.
In 1952 and 1953 the engine was replaced with a larger 2.0 L unit. This engine was "siamese bore", meaning that there are no water passages between the pistons.
1954 saw a big change: the 80 in (2032 mm) was replaced by an 86 in (2184 mm), and a 107 in (2718 mm) pick up version was introduced.
1956 saw the introduction of the first 5 door model. known as the Station Wagon with seating for up to 10. The 86" model had 7 seats and only 3 doors. The new Station Wagons were very different to the previous 'Tickford' model, being built with simple metal panels and bolt-together construction instead of the comnplex wooden structure of the older Station Wagon. They were intended to be used both as commercial vehicles as people-carriers for transporting workmen to remote locations, as well as by private users. Like the Tickford version, they came basic interior trim and equipment such as heaters and interior lights. The Station Wagons saw the first expansion of the Land Rover range. Station Wagons were fitted with what was called the 'Safari Roof'. This consisted of a second roof skin fitted on top of the vehicle (see Series I 86 photograph). This kept the interior cool in hot weather and reduced condensation in cold weather. Vents fitted in the roof allowed added ventilation to the interior. While they were based on the same chassis and drivetrains as the standard vehicles, Station Wagons carried different chassis numbers, special badging and were advertised in separate brochures. Unlike the original Station Wagon, the new 'in-house' versions were highly popular.
With the exception of the 107 wagon, wheelbases moved to 88 in (2235 mm) and 109 in (2769 mm) for the pickup.
Finally, in 1957, the "spread bore" petrol engine was introduced, followed shortly by a brand new 2.0 litre Diesel engine that, despite the similar capacity, was not related to the petrol engines used. The petrol engines of the time used the rather out-dated 'Inlet over Exhaust valve arrangement- the diesel used the more modern Over-Head layout. This diesel engine was one of the first high-speed diesels developed for road use, producing 52 horsepower at 4,000 rpm.
This engine was slightly longer than the original chassis allowed, so the wheelbase was increased from 86 to 88 inches (2235mm) for the short-wheelbase models, and from 107 to 109 inches on the long-wheelbases. These dimensions were to be used on all Land Rovers for the next 25 years.
Series II
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The successor to the incredibly successful Series I was the Series II, which saw a production run from 1958 to 1961. It came in 88 in (2235 mm) and 109 in (2769 mm) wheelbases. This was the first Land Rover to adopt a relatively modern shape, and used the well-known 2.25 L petrol engine, although early short wheel-base (SWB) models retained the 2.0 litre petrol engine from the Series I.
Series IIA
The Series IIA is, by far, the most ubiquitous and many consider it the most hardy Series model constructed. It was produced between 1961 and 1971. There were some minor cosmetic changes from the II, and the 2.25 L Diesel engine was introduced. Also the 2.6 L 6 cylinder engine was introduced for use in the long wheel base models in 1967. To the eye the SII and the SIIA are very difficult to distinguish. The configurations available from the factory ranged from short wheel base soft top to the top of the line 5 door Stationwagon. The Rover V8 3.5l engine was first tested in 1965 in a short wheel base SIIA but not introduced to a Land Rover until the first generation 2 door Range Rovers in 1970 and then later to the Series vehicles in the last of the SIII 109's in 1979. From 1969 the headlamps moved into the wings on all models, and the sill panels were redesigned to be shallower.
Series IIA Forward Control
The Series IIA FC launched in 1962 was based on the Series II 2.286l petrol engine and 109" chassis, but had the cab positioned over the engine to give more load space. These vehicles were chronically underpowered for the increased load capacity, and most had a hard working life. Not many were made, and most had a utility body, but surviving examples often have custom bodywork. With an upgraded powertrain, they make a most satisfactory go-anywhere small motorhome.
Series IIB Forward Control
The Series IIB FC produced from 1966 was similar to the Series IIA Forward Control but added the 2.286 L diesel engine and 2.6 L 6-cylinder petrol engine as options. The width between the wheels was also increased to improve vehicle stability, and wheelbase was increased to 110 inches. Many IIB components were also used on the "One Ton" 109 vehicle.
Series III
Image:Land Rover Series III SW.jpg
Little changed cosmetically between the IIA and the Series III. The headlights were moved to the wings on late production IIA models from 1969 onward (ostensibly to comply with Australian, American and Dutch lighting regulations) and remained in this position for the Series III. The traditional metal grille, featured on the Series I, II and IIA, was replaced with a plastic one for the Series III model. During the Series III production run from 1971 until 1985, the 1,000,000th Land Rover rolled off the production line in 1976. The Series III saw many changes in the later part of its life as Land Rover updated the design to meet increased competition. This was the first model to feature synchromesh on all four gears. In keeping with early 1970s trends in automotive interior design, both in safety and use of more advanced materials, the simple metal dashboard of earlier models was redesigned to accept a new molded plastic dash. The instrument cluster, which was previously centrally located, was moved to the driver's side.
From 1979, increased investment by the British Government brought numerous improvements. From that year the 2.6 L 6-cylinder petrol engine was replaced by the more modern and powerful 3.5 L V8 petrol engine as used in the Range Rover, although the Land Rover version was detuned to 91 horsepower (68 kW).
In 1980 the 4-cylinder 2.25 L engines (both petrol and diesel) were updated with 5-bearing crankshafts to increase strength in heavy duty work. At the same time the transmission, axles and wheel hubs were re-designed for increased strength. New trim options were introduced to make the interior more comfortable if the buyer so wished (many farmers and commercial users preferred the original, non-trimmed interior).
These changes culminated in 1982 with the introduction of the 'County' spec Station Wagon Land Rovers, available in both 88-inch and 109-inch types. These had all-new cloth seats, soundproofing kits, tinted glass and other 'soft' options designed to appeal to the leisure user. However, the Series III was still an old and unrefined design, and even a fully-kitted County model could not be described as comfortable or refined in relation to a normal car.
Of more interest was the introduction of the High Capacity Pick Up to the 109-inch chassis. This was a pick-up truck load bay that offered 25% more cubic capacity than the standard pick-up style. The HCPU came with heavy-duty suspension and was popular with public utility companies and building contractors.
Defender
Image:Land Rover Defender 110 Td5 Crew Cab Pickup.jpg Image:1986.landrover.90.jpg Image:Land Rover Defender 110 patrol vehicles.jpg
The Defender moniker was adopted in 1990 as a measure to distinguish the utility Land Rover model from the Discovery and Range Rover, which were moving rapidly up-market - especially in the US. Production of what is now referred to as the Defender actually began in 1983 as the Land Rover 110, a simple name which refers to the 110 inch (2794 mm) length of the wheelbase. The Land Rover 90, with actually 93 inch or 2362 mm wheelbase, and Land Rover 130, with 127 inch or 3226 mm wheelbase, soon followed.
Outwardly, there is little to distinguish the post-1983 vehicles from the Series Rovers which had been in production since the late 1940s. A mild facelift of revised grille styling and fender flares are the most noticeable changes. Defender was, however, a complete modernisation of the former Series platform. Specifically:
- Defender used coil springs on all four wheels, whereas series vehicles had leaf springs. This gave a more comfortable ride when the vehicle was lightly laden and improved axle articulation to some degree.
- Series Rovers were not full-time four wheel drive — the driver had to engage a lever on the tunnel to select four wheel drive mode. Defender incorporated a full-time four wheel drive transfer gearbox with a lockable centre differential.
- The Defender quickly received more powerful, more modern engines than the trusty but old units used in the Series types.
- The interior was modernised, and a one-piece windscreen replaced the traditional split-screen of the Series models. Other details included the removal of the distinctive 'Safari Roof' (see above).
Most of the changes to the 90/110 models were minor detail changes. The 110 was launched in 1983, and the 90 followed in 1984. From 1983, winding windows were fitted (Series models and very early 110s had simple sliding panels), and a 2.5 L, 68 horsepower (51 kW) diesel engine was introduced. This was based on the earlier 2.25 engine, but had a more modern fuel-injection system as well as increased capacity.
From 1985 a new chassis type was available, the 127-inch, which mounted a High Capacity Pick Up (HCPU)-style rear load bay to a 'twin cab' 4-door passenger compartmant on a stretched chassis. The 127 was also available in numerous special conversions such as 6x6 types and fire engines. That year the 4-cylinder petrol engine was also increased to 2.5 litres.
This period saw Land Rover begin to market the utility Land Rover as a private recreational vehicle. While the basic pick-up, Station Wagon and van versions were still excellent working vehicles, the County Station Wagons, with improved interior trim and more comfortable seats were sold as multi-purpose family vehicles. This change was reflected in Land Rover starting what had long been common practise in the car industry - the slight changing of County model from year to year to constantly attract new buyers and to encourage existing owners to trade in for a new vehicle. These changes included different exterior styling graphics and colour options, and a steady trickle of new 'lifestyle' accessories that would have been unthinkable on a Land Rover a few years ago, such as radio/cassette players, styled wheel options, headlamp wash/wipe systems and new accessories such as surfboard carriers and bike racks.
1986 saw an important development. For many years Land Rovers had been criticised for their low-powered engines. The concept of a simple, low-stress, low power engine had worked for decades, but modern buyers demanded more. A turbo-diesel engine, closely based on the 2.5 L 4-cylinder diesel engine already used, was introduced. This unit produced 81 horsepower, and finally provided a powerful yet economical powerplant for the vehicle.
The biggest change to the Land Rover came in late 1990, when it became the Land Rover Defender, instead of the Land Rover 90 or 110. This was because in 1989 the company had introduced the Discovery model, requiring the original Land Rover to acquire a name. The Discovery also had a new turbodiesel engine. This was also loosely based on the existing 2.5 L turbo unit, but had a modern alloy cylinder head, improved turbocharging, intercooling and direct injection. The 200Tdi as it was called produced 111 horsepower, and 195 lb-ft of torque, which was nearly a 25% improvement on the engine it replaced. This engine finally allowed the Defender to cruise comfortably at high speeds, as well as tow heavy loads speedily on hills while still being economical. At a stroke Land Rover removed all the other engine options (now redundant in the face of such a good package in a single engine). Some enthusiasts consider the 200Tdi to be the best engine fitted to the vehicle.
1994 saw another development of the Tdi engine, the 300Tdi. This was the same capacity, produced the same power and torque, and had the same basic layout, but had over 200 changes to improve the refinement and on-road performance of the engine. However, in the process the economy of the engine was reduced slightly, as was the ability for it to be serviced by the owner.
Throughout the 1990's the vehicle climbed more and more upmarket, while remaining true to its working roots. If ordered without any optional extras, the Defender was a basic working tool. If the owner wanted, any number of accessories could transform it into a vehicle that was perfectly acceptable as an everyday method of transport, while still retaining excellent off-road abilities.
The last major change was the fitting of another engine. The Tdi could not longer meet emissions regulations. In 1998 the vehicle was fitted with an all-new engine, a 2.5 L, 5-cylinder turbodiesel engine, the Td5. This replaced the Tdi as the only available power unit. The engine used modern electronic control system to provide 11 horsepower more than the Tdi, and much better refinement. Many users were critical of the electronic systems now required all over the vehicle, fearing that these would fail when used in extreme conditions. This was not proved to be the case, but the increased complexity means that repairs and upgrades to the engine have to be done by someone with necessary electronic equipment, which has led some to prefer to buy second-hand Tdi-powered vehicles.
Despite the misgivings by some, others took to the new engine, and sales began to climb as more and more people found that they could use a Defender as their everyday vehicle. Now, more than ever, there is a strong division in sales pitch between the Station Wagon versions and the commercially-intended Pick-Ups and Van-bodied versions. Modern vehicles can be very luxurious. A new model type, the 'XS' Station Wagon was introduced in 2002 as a top-spec level, while the 'County' package can now be applied to every model in the line-up. XS models come with all 'mod-cons', such as heated windscreen and seats, air conditioning systems, electronic traction control and leather seats. These are popular with buyers in the UK and other developed countries, who either use the vehicle for on-road duties such as towing or people-moving, or simply as an interesting alternative to an estate car. To such buyers, the fact that the interior will not stand up to the mud and water picked up off-road as well as the plastic, paint and metal trim of the basic versions does not matter. This does not mean an XS vehicle is not capable - it is just as capable in cross-country duties as a more basic version, and many are used 'recreationally', going off-road at dedicated sites and competitive events at the weekends, and returning to road-use at other times.
At the other extreme, 'Basic' models are still popular with farmers, industrial and commercial users, as well as the emergency services. It finds willing buyers in over 140 countries. Land Rover still provides a staggering range of special conversions such as hydraulic platforms, fire engines, mobile workshops, ambulances, breakdown recovery trucks and 'stretched' versions sometimes reaching as much as 180-inches wheelbase.
Land Rover Defender vehicles have been used extensively by many of the world's militaries, including the US in some limited capacity. The Defender is very much an anachronism in today's vehicle marketplace. It is still largely hand assembled, and unlike most modern cars and trucks, all the major body panels and sub-assemblies simply bolt together. A Defender can literally be broken down to its chassis with simple hand tools — there is no unibody structure. This is actually an advantage when used extensive for off road travel - unibody vehicles can weaken over time, but there are no such stress points on a Defender. This feature allowed Land Rover vehicles to be shipped anywhere in the world as "CKD" sets ("completely knocked down" - crated sets of components for later assembly), but has become a liability because of the high cost of labour in the UK where the vehicles are primarily manufactured today.
Other models
Image:Lightweight-SIII-1983.jpg
Land Rover One Ton 109 Produced 1968 - Approx 1977, covering late IIa and into series III Models. Basically a series IIb forward control built with a standard 109 body, featuring 2.6 L petrol engine, lower ratio gearbox, ENV front and rear axles, (Salisbury front and rear on series III) The chassis frame was unique to the model and featured drop shackle suspension similar to the military series Land-Rovers. 900x16 tyres were a standard feature, and these machines were commonly used by utility companies and breakdown/recovery firms. Only 170 IIa and 308 Series IIIs were built. [1]
Military
The Land Rover has been used as the basis for several British Army vehicles including the Forward Control Model 101 in, the "Lightweight", and the FV18067 Ambulance.
The Land Rover is also the basis for the Shorland Internal Security Patrol Vehicle developed by Short Brothers.
Replacement
Replacing the Defender with a new model has been in the planning stages for many years. The current design is over 20 years old in its current form and, in many ways, only slightly updated from the Land Rovers of the 1950s. As modern private and commercial vehicles offer increasing levels of performance, comfort and refinement, the Defender is again in competition with Japanese products. These offer less off-road ability but are much more comfortable. The Defender's excellent off-road performance is rarely used to its limits by commercial users, and build-quality issues have led to many switching to foreign competition.
Replacement was due for 2007, but recently new methods of building the Defender have made the model profitable again (since the 1990s, the hand-built vehicle had been made at a loss), and so its replacement has been less of a priority. For the 2007 model year (2006 in calender years), the Defender will receive a new 4-cylinder diesel engine- probably a 2.7-litre version of the DuraTorq units used in the Ford Transit. Total replacement will be needed by 2012, when new regulations regarding crash safety for pedestrians will render the current design obsolete. Land Rover is keen to sell the Defender in the huge USA 4x4 market. The Defender does not reach the safety requirement for the USA, and only small batches of specially modified (and very expensive) vehicles have been sold there in the past. A replacement vehicle will almost certainly be designed to be legal in America.
The replacement of the Defender is a controversial issue, especially amongst the many enthusiasts for the vehicles. Some are worried that the replacement will be a Defender only in name, sacrificing the off-road ability required by a few for the on-road comfort and refinement liked by many. Others worry that, given Land Rover's recent 'high tech' models such as the Range Rover and Discovery 3, the next Defender will use electronic rather than mechanical off-road systems, which will remove its characteristic simplicity and toughness.
Land Rover have not released any information about the new Defender project, so these concerns are pure speculation. Numerous 'artists impressions' in the motoring press have been discredited as non-official.de:Land Rover Defender fr:Defender no:Land Rover Defender