Land Rover Vehicles

Like Jeep, Land Rover was established for civilian usage after World War II. Unlike Jeep, Land Rover had no military application or history prior to being offered to the public. With that, Great Britain's colonial reach made it wildly popular throughout the Empire and, periodically, throughout North America. With a growing interest in offroading by the monied set, Land Rover introduced its upmarket Range Rover in 1970. And while initially offering more utility than luxury, it - along with Jeep's Grand Wagoneer - served as the prototypes for all of the luxury sport utilities that have followed. Having undergone both BMW and Ford ownership, Land Rover is now owned by India's Tata Motors, which purchased both Land Rover and Jaguar (from Ford) in 2008. Aggressive expansion of the lineup has followed, with growing emphasis on both the entry level and upper reaches of the brand.

Offered in the U.S. by Land Rover 'Centres', prospects will inevitably be greeted by khaki shorts and, if arriving in the afternoon, High Tea. If looking for affordable, the entry-level Discovery Sport, at under $40,000, is optimal, while the investment in a Range Rover SVAutobiography can reach five times that. For driving pleasure on road or off it's hard to match the Range Rover Sport, especially if spec'd with Jaguar's high-output V8. And while the LR4 has often enjoyed the 'most popular' descriptive, its redesign and rebranding as the Discovery will probably lead to a hiccup in sales until supply can meet pentup demand.