Solihull plant
Encyclopedia
The Solihull plant is a car manufacturing factory in Lode Lane, Solihull
, UK, now owned by Land Rover
.
The plant currently produces the Range Rover
, Range Rover Sport
, Land Rover Discovery
and Land Rover Defender vehicles.
as a contingency for anticipated war production. Following the outbreak of war, aircraft and tank engines were manufactured at the plant.
After the war, the plant became disused. In 1945 the Rover Company relocated from Coventry to the Lode Lane plant, and produced many of their cars there until the late 1970s. Lode Lane is also where Rover started producing the Land Rover
four-wheel drive vehicle in 1948.
Following rationalisation of car production in the late 1970s by British Leyland (by then the owners of Rover), all car production, except for Land Rover vehicles, ceased at Lode Lane, and Land Rover became a separate operating company based there.
Solihull
Solihull is a town in the West Midlands of England with a population of 94,753. It is a part of the West Midlands conurbation and is located 9 miles southeast of Birmingham city centre...
, UK, now owned by Land Rover
Land Rover
Land Rover is a British car manufacturer with its headquarters in Gaydon, Warwickshire, United Kingdom which specialises in four-wheel-drive vehicles. It is owned by the Indian company Tata Motors, forming part of their Jaguar Land Rover group...
.
The plant currently produces the Range Rover
Range Rover
The Range Rover is a large luxury four-wheel drive sport utility vehicle produced by British car maker Land Rover. The model, launched in 1970, is now in its third generation...
, Range Rover Sport
Range Rover Sport
The Range Rover Sport is a luxury-type sport utility vehicle produced by the Jaguar Land Rover business unit of India's Tata Motors.-Chassis:...
, Land Rover Discovery
Land Rover Discovery
The Discovery was introduced into the United Kingdom in 1989. The company code-named the vehicle "Project Jay". The new model was based on the chassis and drivetrain of the more upmarket Range Rover, but with a lower price aimed at a larger market segment and intended to compete with Japanese...
and Land Rover Defender vehicles.
History
The factory was built by the British government just before the start of World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
as a contingency for anticipated war production. Following the outbreak of war, aircraft and tank engines were manufactured at the plant.
After the war, the plant became disused. In 1945 the Rover Company relocated from Coventry to the Lode Lane plant, and produced many of their cars there until the late 1970s. Lode Lane is also where Rover started producing the Land Rover
Land Rover Series
The Land Rover Series I, II, and III are off-road vehicles produced by the British manufacturer Land Rover that were inspired by the US-built Willys Jeep...
four-wheel drive vehicle in 1948.
Following rationalisation of car production in the late 1970s by British Leyland (by then the owners of Rover), all car production, except for Land Rover vehicles, ceased at Lode Lane, and Land Rover became a separate operating company based there.