Land Rover 4x4 SUV SalesThe Land Rover is second only to the Jeep as the oldest surviving manufacturer of four-wheel drive vehicles. Produced in Warwickshire, England for nearly sixty years, the company was recently sold to Tata Motors and is now made in India. The first model was produced in 1948 in the United Kingdom. It was inspired by the ordinal army jeeps and was designed as an all-purpose vehicle. Even the early models were said to be quite durable with lightweight construction and superior materials. Though Europeans have long preferred smaller cars, the first Land Rovers sold well in Europe before they were offered as a luxury vehicle in North America. Because they are trucks or SUVs, they are not especially fuel efficient. However, they do get better mileage than nearly every other heavy Sport Utility Vehicle. The Land Rover 4x4 suv also offered superior steering and handling. Why did the Land Rover leave the UK? Well, in a word — business. After petrol prices became increasingly unstable, sales of SUVs plummeted all over the world. The situation was particularly dire in North America where the SUV had become quite popular with consumers in the late nineteen-nineties. The Land Rover was one of the most sought after brands because they were both luxury vehicles and SUVs. Just before the company was offered to Tata Motors, sales of Land Rovers in Europe plummeted by more than a quarter. Not to mention the fact that Sport Utility Vehicle sales had been trending down for years. But with lower production and labour costs, the British expatriate may be able to return to glory… someday. |