Land Rover Turns Over 65

If you were to ask the internet if Land Rovers are popular, by in large the answer would be yes. If you were to ask me, I’d refer you to several photography feeds on my phone which is typically chock-full of Rover shots from all over the globe, but typically below 14th street.

The word is out, Land Rovers are cool; or are they? The answer is still unequivocally, yes. But without bursting the bubbles of the young and loyal, Land Rover has been cool for sometime. Just ask Churchill or Bob Marley – both were Land Rover enthusiasts.

This April marks Land Rover’s 65th anniversary and the release of their Series I vehicle. What was essentially a knock off of the American Jeeps used during World War II, the British manufacturer added their own spin to the all-wheel drive technology developed stateside (Jeep was the first all-wheel drive vehicle), and Land Rover was born. Albeit, originals being built on Jeep chassis. That was 1948.

Today, it’s clear Land Rover is singing a different tune. Not to fret, today’s models continue to be designed for every condition imaginable, despite the spike in soccer moms ditching the minivan or professional athletes jumping on the Rover wagon. At their core, they’re still capable of wading through a several feet of water or climbing elevations too steep to walk. And they don’t look all too bad doing it. Which, along with their technical capacity, the very specific aesthetic has taken them a long way from their humble Newborough, Anglesey beginnings.

Personally, I can’t get enough of Land Rovers. Everywhere I go, my Rover radar is alive and well, with the occasional annoying inspection held street side. And last year, I finally joined the ranks and bought one of these beasts (a ’95 County LWB) which has paid dividends in pleasure and cost dividends in maintenance. And while I’m partial to the older generations, it’s nice to see their odometer hit 65. Happy Birthday Land Rover.