Production of the Land Rover Defender didn’t start with the Defender name right off the bat. Between 1983 and 1990, the Rover Group Plc then under the Government before getting privatized when the British Aerospace bought it in 1988, came out with the Land Rover 90, 110 and 127/130 to reflect different wheelbase lengths in inches, enhancing its Series III Land Rovers that started in 1948 and was about to end its production in 1985. It was only in 1990 when, together with the new Discovery line started a year earlier, would break the company’s traditional naming convention over the last 40 years. It now has the Discovery, Defender and the future Freelander series.
Distinguishing Features
From the exterior, the Land Rovers of the 80s had little to distinguish them from the Series III Land Rovers, other than a full bonnet, a slightly revised grille and a wheel well arches covering wider tires from wider axles.