Range Rover at the big 4-0

NEW JERSEY // On Thursday, Range Rover will be celebrating a milestone birthday as it reaches the 40th anniversary of its first vehicle rolling off the production line. 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 upgrades and variants, for just over 25 years. The second-generation vehicle went on sale in 1994 and was replaced in 2001 by the current model. A second model line, the Range Rover Sport, was launched in 2005, aimed at more sports-oriented, driver-focused customers. And later this year, a third and more environmentally-friendly model will be added to the brand. "The Range Rover is really four vehicles in one," said managing director Phil Popham. "It's a seven-days-a-week luxury motor car, a leisure vehicle that will range far and wide on the highways and off-road trails of the world, a high performance car for long distance travel and a working cross-country vehicle." Now it just remains to be seen if the Range Rover will have a mid-life crisis and start chasing younger models.