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.
In the mid-80s Land Rover engineers and designers were working on vehicle, intended for a family car market segment. It was decided to use a Range Rover wheel base with a simpler and less expensive body. The result of hard work on the project was the Land Rover Discovery, presented on 16 September 1989 at the Frankfurt Motor Show. Discovery was for Land Rover’s pioneer project for a new market segment of all-wheel drive cars.
In 1992 Range Rover got yet another upgrade. Swept-volume capacity of V8 engine was enhanced to 4.2 litres, vehicle got electronic traction control and, most notably, air suspension. Prior to that, suspension which supports the load on air-filled rubber bags, rather than steel springs was used only on buses, auto trucks and few luxury cars. This upgrade turned Range Rover into not only most comfortable, but most complex and technologically advanced SUV of its time.