The Range Rover became the first mass-produced vehicle with a full-time four-wheel-drive system when introduced in 1970.
British Leyland launched the original Range Rover in 1970. It combined off-road ability with a more comfortable interior and road manners than the utilitarian Land Rover models that preceded it. The vehicle used a permanent four-wheel-drive system and a two-speed transfer gearbox.
The original model was a three-door estate powered by a Rover V8 petrol engine. Its combination of comfort, carrying capacity, and off-road capability helped create the luxury sport-utility vehicle category that later expanded worldwide.
The Range Rover was not the first four-wheel-drive vehicle, and it was not the first vehicle designed for off-road use. Earlier vehicles such as the Jeep Wagoneer offered four-wheel drive and passenger-car features. The Range Rover’s important distinction was bringing permanent four-wheel drive into a mass-produced luxury-oriented vehicle.