The Land Rover Range Rover is a four-wheel drive sport utility vehicle (SUV) produced by Land Rover in the United Kingdom. It was first introduced in 1970 and is still in production today. There have so far been three major model changes. Among enthusiasts, the original model is known as the Classic, the second generation is known as the P38A and the latest generation is known as the L322 or just "new Range Rover".

The original Range Rover of 1970 was not designed as a 'luxury' 4x4 in the way that U.S. vehicles such as the Wagoneer were. Other luxury-type SUVs, such as the Jeep Wagoneer (1963) were produced before the Range Rover. Early Range Rovers had fairly basic interiors with vinyl seats and plastic dashboards that were designed to be washed down with a hose. Features such as power assisted steering, carpeted floors, air conditioning, cloth/leather seats and wooden interior trim were only fitted to the Range Rover later, when it was realised that it had a far larger market as a luxury vehicle than merely as a more comfortable alternative to the Land Rover Station Wagon. However, the Range Rover introduced features such as all-coil spring on the original Range Rover series 1 whereas the American vehicles retained leaf springs and drum brakes (although some American SUVs like the Wagoneer also had automatic transmissions and power steering, which the original Range Rover lacked). The Jeep was first to introduce luxurious off-road vehicles to the general public, the Range Rover was the first to add coil-sprung suspension and four-wheel disc brakes to the mix.

The Range Rover was built on a box section ladder type chassis, much like the contemporary Series Land Rovers, but utilized coil springs as opposed to leaf springs, permanent four-wheel drive, and disc brakes all round. In the latest iteration, it uses a monocoque body structure. It was originally powered by the lightweight Rover V8 engine. Current models are powered by a Jaguar V8 of 4.4 litres.

In 1972 the British Trans-Americas Expedition became the first vehicle-based expedition to traverse both American continents north-to-south, including traversing the infamous roadless Darien Gap. The specially modified Range Rovers used for this expedition can be seen in the British Motor Industry Heritage Trust collection at Gaydon, Warwickshire, UK.

Before 1987, Land Rover vehicles were only sold in the United States through the grey market. The Land Rover company began selling the Range Rover officially in the U.S. in 1987. From that time until 1993, the U.S. marketing was all in the name of Range Rover, that being the only model offered in the American market. In 1993, with the arrival of the Defender 110 and the imminent arrival of the Land Rover Discovery, the company's U.S. sales were under the name "Land Rover North America".

View also:
Land Rover Defender - Land Rover Discovery - Land Rover Freelander - Land Rover Land_e - Land Rover LRX

Check out the Land Rover Range Rover wallpapers and Land Rover Range Rover Pictures (pics) collection below: