Jaguar Land Rover has built an authentic replica of the first production line used to build Series I Land-Rovers, and it's inviting the public to take a look.
The 'Defender Celebration Line' forms part of a new Defender tour to mark the last year of production, which was announced earlier this month. The line features a number of replicas in various states of completion, with each being meticulously built using identical components and construction methods to the original Series I.
Jaguar Land Rover hopes that more than 20,000 visitors will visit the attraction in its first year, with each being required to wear authentic 'cow gown' overalls to help reinforce the 1940s theme. Previously unseen footage of Maurice Wilks – the Land-Rover's designer – will be used to help tell the story.
The production line is housed in one of the Solihull firm's original buildings which, until the end of this year, is being used to construct the Defender.
"Land-Rover has a rich heritage based around the Series I and Defender models," said heritage director John Edwards. "We wanted to create something extra special that would give visitors and enthusiasts a unique insight into how it all started back in 1948.