One Millionth Range Rover Rolls Off-the-Line at Solihull

One Millionth Range Rover Rolls Off-the-Line at Solihull:

LR Donates Vehicle to 'Help for Heroes' Military Vets Org

Edited by JOSEPH V. KUCA

LONDON, November 4, 2010 -- Land Rover is celebrating the production of its one millionth Range Rover by donating the vehicle to Help for Heroes, a charity that helps provide services for wounded British servicemen and women.

The landmark one millionth vehicle, a Range Rover Autobiography in ultimate black, has been built at the Solihull manufacturing plant, where three generations of the Range Rover have been built since June 1970.

Land Rover employees joined Alan Volkaerts, Solihull Manufacturing Director, and Phil Popham, Land Rover Managing Director, to celebrate the milestone event in Range Rover's 40th year. The one millionth Range Rover was driven by Phil Popham to London to deliver the car to Help for Heroes. He was followed from Solihull to London by a convoy of heritage Range Rovers, driven by their enthusiastic owners.

The handover took place on the Top Gear Live set at Earls Court in London where Jeremy Clarkson - who is a Help for Heroes patron - took delivery of the one millionth Range Rover on behalf of the charity.

“Land Rover is very proud to support the Help for Heroes charity by donating the one millionth Range Rover. The vehicle will be auctioned later this year and should raise valuable funds for the practical and direct provision of aid for wounded service people and their families,” said Popham.

“Everyone involved in Land Rover - from the management, to the employees at Solihull, to the original Range Rover team - will be happy we’re able to mark this landmark occasion in such a way after the 40 years of producing this iconic vehicle.”

The Range Rover being donated is the highest-specification model currently available, the Range Rover Autobiography, valued in excess of $120,000. Estimates suggest it will raise over $140,000 for charity when auctioned later this year.

“We’re delighted that Land Rover has chosen to give Help for Heroes their millionth Range Rover,” said Bryn Parry, CEO and Co-founder of Help for Heroes. “This is a real milestone in their history and so a very special donation becomes even more special, knowing the money raised from the car will be able to provide much needed funds to help our wounded heroes on their road to recovery.

One of the most significant vehicles in the history of motoring, the Range Rover was the world's first vehicle as good on-road as off-road. It remains Land Rover’s flagship model, peerlessly blending comfort, luxury, design, technology and versatility in one highly-accomplished package.

There have been three generations of Range Rover. The original, now known as the Classic, went on sale in 1970 and continued in production, with numerous upgrades and a multiplicity of variants, for just over 25 years.

The second-generation vehicle, known as the P38a, went on sale in 1994 and was replaced in 2001 by the current model. Further enhancements over the last decade have ensured the Range Rover retains its position as one of the world's most complete luxury vehicles.

During 2005, the Range Rover Sport was introduced, adding a more dynamic SUV to the Range Rover line-up, which instantly became a sales success, selling over 300,000 vehicles over the past six years. Next year a third model with join the Range Rover line-up, the all-new Range Rover Evoque.