RANGE ROVER

AS THE RANGE ROVER REACHES ITS 50-YEAR MILESTONE, WE TAKE A LOOK AT BUYING ONE OF THE ORIGINAL MODELS.

- CLIFF CHAMBERS

IT IS probably no coincidence that Britain’s most influential all-wheel-drive shares its initials with the brand once regarded as the ‘Best Car in the World’.

From inception, the Range Rover was intended to be an executive off-roader that could haul polo ponies on Sunday, drive to the office on Monday and unashamedly share garage space with its owner’s Rolls-Royce.

Conceived by engineering director Spen King, the Range Rover could trace its lineage to a ‘Road Rover’ prototype from the 1950s that combined a Land Rover driveline and chassis with more car-like styling.

King’s prototype began testing in 1967 and was introduced to a gobsmacked 4WD world three years later. Under the bonnet was Rover’s familiar all-alloy V8, the same one used in the company’s sedans, but de-tuned to deliver 97kW and maximum torque at 2500rpm.

Constant four-wheel-drive eliminated the need for lockable front hubs. Instead, a centre differential fed power to all four wheels and could be locked via vacuum control. A floor-mounted lever engaged the very serious low-range gear set which cut speed in first to less than walking pace.

The original Range Rover came with two doors, vinyl seat trim and a four-speed manual transmission with no automatic alternative. Australian deliveries began in 1972 and were priced at around $7500. That money would have bought one and a half FJ55 Toyota LandCruisers with four doors and more power, but the ‘Toorak Tractor’ offered greater prestige.

In 1980, a three-speed Chrysler automatic transmission became available, and the four-speed manual was replaced in 1984 by a five-speed.