Land Rover concept designs from the 60s and 70s

[warch]

I have owned a copy of James Taylors 'The Land Rover' 1948-88 for many years. The book contains reproductions of a couple of interesting concepts which might have taken the company down a very different route to the evolution not revolution product design it was eventually forced to take with it's utility vehicles. Unfortunately the first coincided with a recession and the takeover by British Leyland in 1966 which led to a business model which stifled long term product development in favour of short term profits, which were then ploughed into propping up less successful arms of the business empire.

It is interesting to note that the new Defender is the first clean sheet design in this model's history, whereas these date back to over 50 years ago.



The 111 or One Double One concept of 1966, which was envisaged as having a choice of the Rover 3 litre straight six or a 2.2 V6 adapted from the 3.5 litre V8 that Land Rover had recently acquired from America.



The Mark 4 or SD5 concept of 1973, also intended to use the V8 engine, which made it as far as a running prototype.

[warch]

Scrump said:

The Mk4 reminds me of an early G wagen like this

Blimey you're right that's very similar. The G wagen/Peugeot P4 was designed in the mid-70s iirc.

[warch]

neutral 3 said:

The leaf spring Austin Gispy series 1V ( 1962 -68 ) was a far superior vehicle in most respects to the Series 11 Land Rover. But it couldnt be produced in sufficient numbers.

I don't know much about these, although I wish I did because they look really cool and rather more interesting to my jaded eyes than yet another Land Rover.

I thought the reason it disappeared was that British Leyland didn't see the need to produce two off road vehicles in competition with each other and backed the older more established brand.