Land Rover’s lines in the snow
Giant Landie outline in the snow celebrates anniversary. By David Linklater.
Land Rover has produced what it claims is the ‘‘world’s most remote Defender outline’’ in the French Alps to celebrate to 70th anniversary of the iconic model.
Stretching over 250 metres, the unique snow art was created to publicise World Land Rover Day on April 30, which will mark exactly 70 years since the original Land Rover was first shown to the world at the 1948 Amsterdam Motor Show.
The image is an homage to the moment when the engineering director of Rover, Maurice Wilks, first sketched the shape for the original Land Rover in the sand of Red Wharf Bay and proposed the idea to his brother Spencer, Rover’s managing director.
The forward-thinking design was christened the ‘‘Land Rover’’, the outline of which we now recognise as the Defender.
Snow artist Simon Beck, who specialises in creating geometric outlines on foot, braved sub-zero temperatures to start the celebrations by creating the Defender outline 2700m up at La Plagne in the French Alps.
To produce the high-altitude Defender, Beck walked 20,894 steps and 16.5km through the Alps.
‘‘Making my snow art requires endurance, accuracy and strength – all attributes shared with the Defender,’’ says Beck.
‘‘Its iconic shape is so simple and recognised across the world; this must be the most recognisable piece of art I’ve ever made.’’
In 2015, Land Rover also recreated the outline in the sands of Red Wharf Bay, to mark the final year of current Defender production.
Land Rover Series I launched at the Amsterdam Motor Show
Long Wheelbase version of
1948: 1953:
the Series I is introduced
Oxford and Cambridge teams complete on London to Singapore expedition in Series I
Land Rover Series II unveiled with more refined design
Original two-door Range Rover (aka Classic) goes on sale.
Land Rover Series III launched.
Range Rover crosses Darien Gap on 29,000km Trans-America expedition.
1,000,000th Land Rover built. A Range Rover wins the inaugural Paris-Dakar rally
1956: 1958: 1970: 1971: 1972:
1976:
1979:
(again in 1981).
Land Rover begins partnership with Camel Trophy, four-door Range Rover released.
1989: Land Rover Discovery, the third Land Rover model, goes on sale.
1981:
Original ‘‘Landie’’ relaunched and renamed Defender.
Second generation Range Rover launched.
All-new Freelander is unveiled with new technology: Hill Descent Control.
Third-generation Range
1990: 1994: 1997: 2001:
Rover with all-round independent air suspension revealed.
Inaugural G4 challenge sees 16 teams traverse USA, South Africa and Australia.
Range Stormer Concept previews performance Range Rover and three-door body, Discovery 3/LR3, the thirdgeneration Discovery, launched at New York Motor Show.
All-new Range Rover Sport unveiled.
Freelander 2/LR2 launched: the first Land Rover to be manufactured at Halewood.
LRX concept car previews
2003: 2004: 2005: 2006: 2007:
design language of a new luxury compact SUV.
Fourth generation of the Land Rover Discovery introduced.
Range Rover Evoque makes global debut.
Fourth-generation Range Rover introduced – the first allaluminium SUV.
New generation of Range Rover Sport unveiled at New York Motor Show.
Special Vehicle Operations (SVO) division is launched, Range Rover Sport SVR debuts, Discovery Vision Concept previews design vision for new family of Discovery vehicles, launch of Discovery Sport.
2009: 2010: 2012: 2013: 2014:
Trio of end-of-line Defender editions revealed with biggest sand drawing in UK, exclusive Range Rover SVAutobiography long wheelbase launched in New York, Evoque convertible is launched to the bewilderment of many, one-of-a-kind ‘‘Defender 2,000,000’’ sold for NZ$889,000 at charity auction.
Last Defender rolls off the production line, all-new Discovery with world-first remote Intelligent Seat Fold technology launched.
Land Rover launches the fourth Range Rover, the Velar.
Limited edition Range Rover SV Coupe debuts at Geneva Motor Show.
2015: 2016: 2017: 2018: