ROAD TO THE RANGE ROVER

The ‘100-inch Station Wagon’ wasn’t Rover’s first attempt to civilise the Land-rover, as these three forebears reveal

LAND-ROVER SERIES ONE STATION WAGON

Announced just months after the Land-rover’s ’48 debut and borrowing the ‘station wagon’ label from the USA, this multi-purpose 4x4 people carrier was outsourced to coachbuilder Tickford, which applied a mahogany-framed aluminium body atop a reinforced 80in Series One. It then added four inward-facing rear seats to the usual row of three in the front, and featured the split rear tailgate layout later assumed by all Range Rovers. Lacking commercial-vehicle status, it was subject to Purchase Tax, contributing to a high price that limited its appeal. The last of 641 examples was built in 1951.

ROAD ROVER SERIES I PROTOTYPE

Between 1952 and ’55, 12 of these two-door prototypes were built by combining the Landrover’s simple, upright styling, aluminium body construction and 2-litre petrol engine with modified chassis sourced from the Rover P4 saloon. They featured coil springs at the front but a leaf-sprung rear end, and while four-wheel drive had been planned, most were rear-drive. This final example, nicknamed ‘Greenhouse’ for its basic look, has three front seats and two in the back, with a side-hinged tailgate and plush interior carpeting that would have been alien to Land-rover owners.

ROAD ROVER SERIES II PROTOTYPE

Lower, longer and with Americanised styling, nine more Road Rover prototypes were built between 1956 and ’58 featuring components from the P5 saloon. Its two front seats and three-person rear bench offered a more car-like layout, though the split tailgate reappeared. Like the initial Range Rover design, the production version was to have used a straight-six engine. It very nearly came to fruition, too; Corgi Toys even secretly developed a scale model in anticipation. This weathered example was tested by Rover chairman Spencer Wilks on his Scottish estate on Islay – as was the first Range Rover prototype in 1967.