Iconic carmaker Land Rover marked its 65th anniversary this week. To celebrate the occasion, it launched a special edition of the Defender, called the LXV. Having evolved from manufacturing utilitarian work vehicles to premium luxury SUVs, off-road ability remains the core essence of Land Rover products.
The last 65 years have not been without challenges. It has changed hands many times. The firm was part of the Rover Group for over fifty years. In that time, Rover and Leyland merged (1967), British Aerospace bought the Rover Group (1988) and then sold it to BMW in 1994. BMW split the Rover Group when it moved on in 2000, selling Rover to the Phoenix management group and Land Rover to Ford. Land Rover's most recent ownership change was in 2008, when it was sold to Tata and is now part of Jaguar Land Rover.
Today, Land Rover has never been in a stronger position. Tata's ownership has seen the new Range Rover - a model that finally cements the firm's place in the echelons of luxury car makers – and has launched the Evoque, a car which has widened the appeal of the firm to a whole new audience.
