Land Rover has driven a Range Rover across a paper bridge at the Guangzhou Motor Show to celebrate 45 years of Range Rover.
LAND ROVER HAS driven a Range Rover across a paper bridge at the Guangzhou Motor Show in China without either glue or bolts to hold the bridge in place. It spanned five metres and was built to help celebrate 45 years of Range Rover.
“The hand-built paper bridge took three days to construct in the ancient water city of Suzhou, which is famous for its bridges and nicknamed ‘Venice of the East’. The unique crossing was made of high quality paper supplied by specialist British manufacturer James Cropper PLC,” Land Rover said in a statement.
Nick Rogers, Director Group Engineering, Jaguar Land Rover, said: “China is an important market for Range Rover, so we have picked the perfect place to celebrate 45 years of our luxury SUV family. Range Rover’s advanced lightweight body and peerless all-terrain capability were crucial factors in making this unique drive possible.”
Artist and paper bridge designer, Steve Messam, said: “Paper structures capable of supporting people have been built before but nothing on this scale has ever been attempted. It’s pushing engineering boundaries, just like the Range Rover, and the ease and composure with which the vehicle negotiated the arch was genuinely breathtaking.”
A Brief History of Range Rover world firsts:
1970 The original two-door Range Rover – known as the Classic – goes on sale
1972 The Range Rover is the first vehicle to drive the full length of the Americas from Alaska to Cape Horn including the near-impassable Darien Gap
1979 A specially modified Range Rover wins the first Paris-Dakar rally (a Range Rover wins again in 1981)
1981 First production four-door Range Rover appears along with the first factory produced limited-edition Range Rover – the ‘In Vogue’
1985 The diesel-powered Range Rover ‘Bullet’ breaks 27 speed records, including a diesel record for averaging more than 100mph for 24 hours
1989 Range Rover is the world’s first 4×4 to be fitted with ABS anti-lock brakes
1992 Range Rover Classic is the world’s first 4×4 to be fitted with Electronic Traction Control
1992 Automatic electronic air suspension introduced, a world first for a 4×4
1994 Second-generation (P38a) Range Rover launched
2001 Third-generation (L322) Range Rover launched
2002 Half-millionth Range Rover produced at the Solihull plant
2010 Range Rover celebrates its 40th anniversary,
2012 Fourth-generation (L405) Range Rover launched – the world’s first all-aluminium SUV
2015 6,000,000th Land Rover produced is a Range Rover LWB SE Vogue destined for China
