If you were to ask which was the most popular type of vehicle that we ship for our customers at Autoshippers, then the answer is easy. That most iconic British SUV, the Land Rover. We ship hundreds of Land Rovers all over the world, especially the USA, and you can see many examples on the gallery found on our website.
So, when Ian bought a Land Rover Defender 110 in the UK, and needed it shipped to the USA, he came to the right place.
The Evolution of Land Rover: From Series I to Defender 110
There is so much to say about this iconic British car manufacturer that we could quite easily make this a series of articles. The first Land Rover was produced in 1948 using a Jeep chassis and components, reportedly from a sketch made in the sand on a Welsh beach the previous year.
The first vehicles, Series I, only came in a light green colour, as they were painted using surplus aircraft cockpit paint, and had body panels that were built from light alloy and a chassis from offcuts, thus avoiding steel, which was rationed at the time.
After being shown in the 1948 Amsterdam Motor Show, the Land Rover was an immediate success, being exported to nearly 70 countries by the end of the year, and to the USA for the first time the following year. 10 years later saw the introduction of the Series II, with a wider body and a new 2.25 litre engine, again this was well received and the success continued, and the 250,000th Land Rover was produced the following year.
Other milestones followed, with the 500,000th Land Rover being produced in 1966 and there were changes in the boardroom with the Rover Company merging with Leyland in 1967, and then joining the British Motor Corporation (BMC) with Triumph, Austin and Jaguar, becoming British Leyland.
We jump forwards, with continued global sales success, the introduction of the highly successful Range Rover in 1970, and the 1,000,000th Land Rover being produced in 1976 a year after British Leyland was taken under state control to prevent the company gong bankrupt, to the beginning of the 1990’s and the introduction of the Land Rover Defender.
The Birth of a Legend: A Look at the Land Rover Defender’s Origins
The Land Rover Defender name was attached to the Land Rover 90 and Land Rover 110 models in 1990, as the Land Rover Discovery being introduced in 1989 had meant that the Land Rover name became the name of a broader marque, and not a specific model.
The new name came with a 200TDi diesel engine, a reworking of the old turbocharged diesel engine, and coil springs front and rear for a better ride quality. 1994 brought with it the introduction of a 300TDi engine which, unlike its 200TDi predecessor was virtually new, and the Land Rover Defender found itself more upmarket as the 90s progressed, from the original workhorse to more of a leisure vehicle.
Continued worldwide success, which meant that the 2020 Land Rover Defender was expected to be sold in 128 countries, and many much sought after special editions such as the “Tomb Raider”, “Paul Smith” and a “Bond Edition” which was made specifically to celebrate the 25th James Bond film, No Time To Die, shows that this amazing SUV, and the marque in general, shows no sign of disappearing.
The Convenience of Autoshippers’ Ro/Ro Option for Shipping Your Land Rover Defender 110
Due to their durability, Land Rover’s really offer themselves for export to the USA under the tight regulations around the registration of non-US specification vehicles. The 25-year rule means, put simply, that unless a vehicle is over 25 years old, it cannot be imported into the USA, unless it was originally a US registered vehicle, or without prior approval or costly work being undertaken before it is able to be used on US roads.
For this reason, we ship hundreds of Land Rovers to the USA, some for private individuals and some for regular exporter/importers. We were approached by Ian, who had bought a Land Rover Defender, as it was perfect for use at his home in Colorado.
As you can see from the picture above, the Land Rover Defender suits itself to this terrain and, as Ian say’s himself, his vehicle is now “all safe and sound in the Colorado mountains”.
Ian chose our Ro/Ro option, which uses specially built vessels which enable vehicles to be driven on and off for loading and unloading, avoiding the need for shipping containers. After they have been “Rolled-on”, vehicles are secured below deck, until they reach their destination and are “Rolled-off” again.
Our shipping services also have a choice of 3 marine insurance policies, to suit all requirements and budgets, underwritten by a specialist insurance broker, and our knowledgeable and dedicated team are happy to help with any help you need with Customs or registration documents on the way.
As Ian say’s “it’s a great service you all provide”, so if you have a vehicle that you need to ship, to the USA or anywhere else we can provide a service to, then please don’t hesitate to contact us on +44 117 982 8123 or 0800 389 0784 or by completing the quick and easy, no obligation, quotation form found on this page.
We expect to see many more Land Rover shipments, to the USA and all other destinations over the world, and would love to help you to export the car of your dreams, once you have found it!
