Written by Land Rover and Range Rover
Land Rover has built go-anywhere vehicles in Britain since 1948, and its family now includes Range Rover, Defender and Discovery. This guide covers the current Land Rover lineup, from the Range Rover to the Defender, as well as the brand’s history, ownership, most famous models and adventures from the Camel Trophy to the Dakar Rally.
Land Rover at a Glance
Founded 1948 Series I shown in Amsterdam on April 30, 1948
Creator Maurice Wilks Rover’s engineering director
Home Solihull, England Where the first Land Rover was built
Owner JLR Part of Tata Motors since 2008
JLR sales FY2026 307,900 vehicles Wholesales, hit by a 2025 cyberattack
Leadership P.B. Balaji JLR CEO since November 2025
Land Rover Model Lineup
Since 2023 JLR has presented Range Rover, Defender and Discovery as separate brands, while Land Rover remains the badge on every vehicle. Therefore, the list below shows the core models in 2026. In addition, the Range Rover Electric was revealed in 2026, with deliveries due in early 2027.
Range Rover (4)
Full-size luxury SUV
Range Rover
Gas Plug-in hybrid Electric
Above all, the current Range Rover was revealed in 2021, and it is built in Solihull. The new Range Rover Electric has a claimed range of 372 miles and starts at £154,070 in the UK.
Luxury performance SUV
Range Rover Sport
Gas Plug-in hybrid
Similarly, the Range Rover Sport is a sportier, slightly smaller Range Rover. Together with the Range Rover and Defender, it makes up most of JLR’s sales.
Mid-size luxury SUV
Range Rover Velar
Gas Plug-in hybrid
Meanwhile, the Velar arrived in 2017 and sits between the Evoque and the Range Rover Sport. In addition, its sleek design won several design awards.
Compact luxury SUV
Range Rover Evoque
Gas Plug-in hybrid
In addition, the Evoque is the smallest Range Rover, and the current second generation arrived in 2019. Meanwhile, it is built at Halewood, near Liverpool.
Defender (1)
Off-road SUV
Defender 90, 110 and 130
Gas Diesel Plug-in hybrid
Above all, the new Defender arrived in 2020 and is built in Nitra, Slovakia. Meanwhile, the Defender OCTA of 2024 is the most powerful Defender, with 635 hp.
Discovery (2)
Seven-seat SUV
Discovery
Gas Diesel
The Discovery is the brand’s seven-seat family SUV, and it is built in Nitra. However, it is nearing the end of its life.
Compact seven-seat SUV
Discovery Sport
Gas Plug-in hybrid
Similarly, the Discovery Sport is a smaller family SUV built at Halewood. Production is due to end in December 2026.
What Is Land Rover?
Maurice Wilks, engineering director of the Rover Company, sketched the first Land Rover in the sand at Red Wharf Bay in Wales in 1947. The Series I was then shown at the Amsterdam Motor Show in April 1948, and it was built in Solihull. Later, the Range Rover of 1970 created the luxury off-roader, while the Discovery followed in 1989.
Later, the brand belonged to British Leyland, the Rover Group, BMW and Ford. Then, in 2008, Tata Motors bought Land Rover together with Jaguar, and the two became Jaguar Land Rover, now called JLR.
Today its vehicles are sold under the Range Rover, Defender and Discovery names. In addition, Range Rover, Range Rover Sport and Defender models made up more than three-quarters of JLR’s sales in 2026, while the first electric Range Rover arrives in 2027.
Land Rover History
Land Rover has grown from a farm vehicle into a family of luxury and off-road brands.
- 1948 First, the Series I is shown at the Amsterdam Motor Show.
- 1970 Then the Range Rover is launched.
- 1979 A Range Rover wins the car category of the first Paris–Dakar Rally.
- 1983 The One Ten arrives, and the Ninety follows in 1984.
- 1989 Next, the Discovery is launched.
- 1990 The Ninety and One Ten are renamed Defender.
- 1994 BMW buys the Rover Group, including Land Rover.
- 1997 The Freelander is launched.
- 2000 Later, Ford buys Land Rover.
- 2008 Tata Motors buys Land Rover and Jaguar.
- 2011 The Range Rover Evoque goes on sale.
- 2016 The last classic Defender is built in Solihull.
- 2020 Meanwhile, the new Defender goes on sale.
- 2026 Finally, the Defender wins its class at the Dakar Rally, and the Range Rover Electric is revealed.
Iconic Land Rover Models
These six vehicles shaped the legend of Land Rover, from the Series I to the Evoque.
1948–1958
Series I
Original Land Rover Four-wheel drive
In fact, the Series I was designed as a simple farm and utility vehicle. As a result, it became a worldwide success, and this example, HUE 166, is one of the earliest.
1970–1996
Range Rover Classic
Luxury off-roader 326,070 built
Later, the original Range Rover combined off-road ability with comfort. As a result, it created the luxury SUV, and 326,070 were built.
1983–2016
Defender (classic)
Utility 4×4 Over 2 million
Meanwhile, the classic Defender grew out of the Series models. The last one, built in January 2016, was the 2,016,933rd Series or Defender.
1989
Discovery (first generation)
Family 4×4
The first Discovery brought off-road ability to families at a lower price than the Range Rover. Later, it became the Camel Trophy vehicle.
1997–2015
Freelander (original)
Compact SUV
Similarly, the Freelander was Land Rover’s first compact SUV. Later, in 2024, its name passed to a new electric brand built with Chery in China.
2011
Range Rover Evoque
Compact luxury SUV
Finally, the first Evoque brought Range Rover style to a smaller car, and it sold about 600,000 in six years.
Who Owns Land Rover?
The brand is part of JLR, which is owned by Tata Motors. Since 2023, JLR has presented Range Rover, Defender and Discovery as separate brands. When AutoGathering has a page for a brand, its name below links to that page.
Parent company JLR Owned by Tata Motors since 2008
This page Land Rover Range Rover, Defender and Discovery
Plant Solihull Builds the Range Rover family
Plant Nitra, Slovakia Builds the Defender and Discovery
Plant Halewood Builds the Evoque and Discovery Sport
Engineering Gaydon JLR design and engineering center
Sister brands
As a result, it shares its parent company with Jaguar.
- Jaguar
- Tata Motors (owner of JLR)
- Freelander (electric brand with Chery, launched 2026)
In addition, JLR builds vehicles for local markets in Pune, India, and Itatiaia, Brazil.
Former owners
- Rover and British Leyland (1948–1994) Land Rover was built by the Rover Company, which later became part of British Leyland and the Rover Group.
- BMW (1994–2000) BMW owned Land Rover as part of the Rover Group.
- Ford (2000–2008) Ford bought Land Rover in 2000, before selling it with Jaguar to Tata Motors.
Land Rover Accomplishments
The record of Land Rover rests on legendary off-road ability, famous adventures and strong sales of its luxury models.
2 million+
Series and Defender
More than 2 million Series and classic Defender models were built.
1979 and 1981
Paris–Dakar wins
In fact, Range Rovers won the car category of the Paris–Dakar Rally twice.
2026
Dakar class win
In addition, the Defender won the Stock class on its factory debut at the 2026 Dakar Rally.
1981–1998
Camel Trophy
The brand supplied the vehicles for the Camel Trophy adventure for almost two decades.
326,070
Range Rover Classics
In addition, the original Range Rover stayed in production for 26 years.
635 hp
Defender OCTA
In addition, the OCTA is the most powerful Defender ever built.
1951
Royal Warrant
The brand received its first Royal Warrant from King George VI.
76.5%
Top models’ share
Finally, Range Rover, Range Rover Sport and Defender made up 76.5% of JLR’s sales in FY2026.
Land Rover Racing History
The brand is known more for adventures than for circuit racing. Range Rovers won the car category of the Paris–Dakar Rally in 1979 and 1981, and the brand supplied the Camel Trophy from 1981 to 1998. In 2026 the Defender won the Stock class on its factory debut at the Dakar Rally.
Adventure event, 1981–1998
Camel Trophy
Discovery Defender Range Rover
For example, the Camel Trophy took teams through jungles and deserts in Land Rovers. As a result, the yellow Discovery and Defender became symbols of adventure.
Talk Land Rover With Other Owners
Owners have plenty to share, whether it is a Series I or a new Defender. Soon, AutoGathering will connect this page to a Land Rover community space where owners and enthusiasts can compare models, share off-road tips and plan meetups.
- Classic Series and Defender
- Range Rover ownership
- New Defender
- Discovery and family trips
- Off-road driving
- Maintenance and reliability
- Buying used
- Land Rover clubs and events
Land Rover FAQ
Who owns Land Rover?
Land Rover is part of JLR, which has been owned by India’s Tata Motors since 2008.
Is Range Rover a separate brand?
Since 2023, JLR has presented Range Rover as its own brand, alongside Defender and Discovery. However, the vehicles still carry the Land Rover badge.
Where are Land Rovers built?
The Range Rover family is built in Solihull, the Defender and Discovery in Nitra, Slovakia, and the Evoque and Discovery Sport at Halewood.
What is the difference between a Defender and a Discovery?
The Defender is the rugged off-roader, while the Discovery is the seven-seat family SUV.
Is there an electric Range Rover?
Yes. The Range Rover Electric was revealed in 2026, with a claimed range of 372 miles and deliveries from early 2027.
What happened to the Freelander?
The original Freelander ended in 2015. Its name now belongs to a new electric brand built with Chery in China.
When did the classic Defender end?
The last classic Defender was built in Solihull on January 29, 2016.
Are Land Rovers reliable?
The brand scored below the industry average in the J.D. Power 2026 Vehicle Dependability Study.
Explore More Manufacturers
Compare Land Rover with its sister brands and rivals.
Photo credits
- Header image: Ethan Llamas, CC BY-SA 4.0, cropped and resized.
- 2022 Range Rover SE P440e plug-in hybrid: Vauxford, CC BY-SA 4.0, cropped and resized.
- Range Rover Sport in Varesine Blue: Damian B Oh, CC BY-SA 4.0, cropped and resized.
- Range Rover Velar First Edition: Vauxford, CC BY-SA 4.0, cropped and resized.
- Second-generation Range Rover Evoque R-Dynamic: Vauxford, CC BY-SA 4.0, cropped and resized.
- Land Rover Defender 110 in Pangea Green: Damian B Oh, CC BY-SA 4.0, cropped and resized.
- 2018 Land Rover Discovery HSE: Vauxford, CC BY-SA 4.0, cropped and resized.
- Land Rover Discovery Sport SE: Vauxford, CC BY-SA 4.0, cropped and resized.
- 1948 Land Rover Series I, registration HUE…: DeFacto, CC BY-SA 4.0, cropped and resized.
- 1973 Range Rover Classic 3.5: Vauxford, CC BY-SA 4.0, cropped and resized.
- 2015 Land Rover Defender 90 from the…: OSX, Public domain, cropped and resized.
- Early-production 1989 Land Rover Discovery: Vauxford, CC BY-SA 4.0, cropped and resized.
- 1998 Land Rover Freelander: Vauxford, CC BY-SA 4.0, cropped and resized.
- First-generation 2011 Range Rover Evoque: Vauxford, CC BY-SA 4.0, cropped and resized.
- 1993 Land Rover Discovery prepared for the…: Spanish Coches, CC BY 2.0, cropped and resized.