The Story

6. Variants

The improvements started as early as October 1948, when a Station Wagon version of the Land Rover appeared for the first time; it featured new doors, a horizontally split tailgate and inward facing rear seats, allowing seating for up to seven passengers. The problem was the price; unlike the existing Land Rover, this new model would have to be taxed as a conventional, passenger-carrying vehicle, forcing the price up by about £200 due to the resultant Purchase Tax. Compared with the £450 price tag for the open top model, the new Land Rover derivative was expensive at £960...

By 1952, it was decided that the Land Rover could handle extra power. As a result, its engine was bored out to 1997cc, before giving away way to an identically sized but further improved unit in 1954.

The same year, the original 80-inch Land Rover was replaced by a new 86-inch model, while a 107-inch variant (initially available only as a pick-up) was also added to the range. These new models incorporated such “luxuries” as a redesigned fascia, improved seating and, in the new De Luxe model, even a headlining, door trims and floor covering! And at last, the previously compulsory dark green paintwork was joined by gray and blue paint finishes...

In 1957, the Land Rover that so many commercial users had been awaiting for so long, finally appeared - the diesel version. By now the Land Rover had grown up into a slightly more refined but still incredibly capable vehicle, having been “extended” once again in 1956, this time offering 88-inch and 109-inch variants. The new diesel engine was a 2052cc all-iron wet-liner unit with overhead valves. New features included roller tappets in the valve train, proving a great improvement over the conventional pad-type that were so prone to wear. Aluminum alloy pistons were fitted on the conrods, specially shaped to allow easy withdrawal up the bores for servicing.

Not surprisingly, the diesel Land Rover proved an instant hit, particularly with those companies of farmers running fleets of vehicles for whom it was highly inconvenient to possess a petrol-engined vehicle when all their other commercials were diesel-powered.