Land Rover (Series/Defender)

The Series I, II, and III and Defender are 4x4 models from Land Rover (except for a few 2x4 variants built for the Royal Air Force and British Army). The Defender is these early model's descendant, following over 50 years of 'evolution' along the same basic design, and still remaining very similar in looks.

Series models and Defenders are confused due to their similar styling (many body parts are interchangeable between brand-new models and vehicles nearly 30 years old), although the differences are large. The principal differences between Defenders and Series models are that the Series models are leaf-sprung with optional two or four wheel drive whereas the Defenders are coil-sprung with permanent four wheel drive and locking central differential.

Series I

Land Rover entered production in 1948, with a single model, later termed the Series I. This was launched at the Amsterdam Motor Show. It was originally designed for farm and light industrial use, and had a steel box-section chassis, and an aluminium body.