History
The Land Rover concept was pioneered by brothers Maurice & Spencer Wilkes. The Rover Car Company Board of Directors approved the project for full production before the first prototype was even made. Planned as a "stopgap" vehicle to use the then vacant Solihull factory, which had been manufacturing aircraft engines during the war years.

The brothers based the Landrover on the World War Two "Willys" Jeep as used by the American armed forces of the day, these first prototypes were built on actual Jeep chassis. The resulting vehicles were centre steer powered by a Rover 10 engine, only 2 of these prototypes were built.

History
These pre-production models were now right hand drive; the engine used had been developed for the Rover P3-60 saloon car. The now well-known ladder chassis had been developed, used for the first time in these vehicles. The body panels had become bolt together instead of welding and aluminium alloy was used for the body panels and doors.

The chassis and aluminium panels become the hallmarks of the Landrover. 48 pre-production vehicles were built ahead of the first Series I vehicles.

Other early prototypes were 33 models built on a 81" chassis in 1949 and 50 models were built on the 80" chassis with 2L engines in 1950.