According to the legend, Maurice used to spend all the free time on his farm on Isle of Anglesey, North Wales. Being in dire need of hybrid between cross-country vehicle and a light truck, he bought an American Willys Jeep form army property clearance sale. When old jeep got worn-out, Wilks brothers designed their own, instead of buying a new one.
The first Land Rover was officially presented in 1948, at the Amsterdam Motor Show. The car was offered in single configuration: open body on 80 inch (2032 mm) short-wheelbase chassis.
Land Rover has been very warmly received by the market. Starting with 3 thousand cars in the first year of production, the company increased its output to 8,000 in 1949 and doubled it in 1950. In subsequent years, production capacity was increasing steadily, reaching 30,000 cars in 1958, and 50,000 – in 1968. The car, created in fact only to make use of idle plants, overshadowed production of passenger cars which used to be the main Rover products.