JLR Drives In Limited Edition Range Rover To Mark 50 Years Of The Iconic SUV

Tata Motors Ltd.-owned Jaguar Land Rover on Wednesday launched a limited edition of its SUV Range Rover to commemorate 50 years of the iconic model.

The Range Rover has defined the market since June 17, 1970, and, five decades on, it has evolved to become a family of desirable and capable luxury vehicles, JLR said in a statement.

"To celebrate 50 years of a motoring icon, the limited-run Range Rover Fifty will be restricted to just 1,970 vehicles globally, in recognition of the year the original Range Rover was launched," JLR added.

The model will be available in both standard and long-wheelbase body designs with customers able to choose from four exterior colours, it added.

In the world of luxury vehicles, the Range Rover has always stood apart as peerless and enduring. Its unique and pioneering sensibilities together with an unrivalled engineering approach have been the intrinsic values which our customers have admired since the first of the breed was revealed in 1970," Land Rover Chief Creative Officer Gerry McGovern said.

Over its 50 year lifespan, the Range Rover has achieved many world firsts.

It was the first SUV to feature a permanent 4WD system when it was launched, and in 1989 was the world's first 44 to be fitted with ABS anti-lock brakes.

Later in 1992, it became the world's first 4x4 to be fitted with electronic traction control and automatic electronic air suspension.

In 2012, the latest generation Range Rover became the world's first SUV to feature all-aluminium lightweight construction, making it lighter, stronger and more efficient.