Check out this historic Land Rover documentary - It’s a 1990’s marketing film featuring renowned explorer Sir Ranulph Fiennes narrating the 50-year (at the time) history of the Land Rover marque. The film (link below the break) begins with archival footage from post-war Britain, and old home movies of the first Land Rover prototypes, including narration by Stephen and Patrick Wilks, whose father and uncles created the first Land Rover in 1948.
While it does contain some footage from promotional films that I have seen before, there is plenty of new (to me) content. It’s great fun watching the cheeky Series Ones going about their business, and the drivers doing the hill climbs and off-road rallying with open tops and no rollover protection is astounding. It makes you wonder how many people were injured due to that. Our NHTSA would have a conniption if Land Rover tried to sell vehicles like that today. Also of great interest to me was the segment on the development of the Range Rover Classic showing some of the prototype versions. I’ve always had a soft spot for those old Rangies. There is also some great footage from the famous Darien Gap expedition. The film eventually brings the viewer up to the introduction of the P38 model Range Rovers and all of their technology and refinements that made them truly pioneering vehicles in their own right. A tradition that Land Rover continues to this day. Enjoy the video!
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