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The first meaningful design for the Land Rover brand came as a sketch on one of the magnificent Welch beaches. The Rover Company created Land Rover’s name in 1948 and went on to be a global force in the automotive landscape. Using surplus aircraft parts and off-the-shelf components, Land Rover created the Series 1, making it the brand's first vehicle, which debuted at the Amsterdam Motor Show that same year.

Model years 2023 and 2024 saw wholesale sales increases of 29% and 11%, respectively. The company continues to push the boundaries on next-level performance and technology initiatives. Land Rover, prior to 1981, used a series of six to nine digits stamped on a plate that was riveted to the frame to identify the origins of a specific model. Since 1981, the brand has accepted the NHTSA mandates of VIN formatting.

Land Rover VIN Decoder

Land Rover VIN Decoder

Vehicle identification numbers (VIN) are 17-digit alphanumeric codes used by the automotive industry and many others to identify a specific vehicle and its installed options. VIN decoders take the alphanumeric code and analyze each character to reveal basic information manufacturers want users to know. When you use a quality service such as the GoodCar VIN Decoder, the tool returns a basic profile, including the make, model, year, and place of manufacture.

Deciphering an Land Rover VIN

The LR VIN can be divided into three sections, as defined by the SAE. These separate divisions help us better understand the code.

The first three digits of the Land Rover VIN are covered under the World Manufacturer Section (WMI). These characters are often rearranged and combined to offer specific information on a brand.

Manufacture Identifier
  • 1
Country
  • F
Manufacture
  • T
Type
Vehicle descriptor section
  • 8
  • W
Body Style
  • 3
  • D
Model Types
  • T
Restraint Systems
  • 8
checksum digit
 
  • 5
model year
 
  • 5
manufacturing plant
Vehicle identifier section
  • c
  • 3
  • 8
  • 8
  • 9
  • 9
serial number
VIN Digit
Meaning
1st - 2st
The first character in the VIN indicates where the Land Rover Range Rover was built. The number “5” in the first position means the United States, and the letter “W” represents Germany.
2nd
Characters two and three are generally combined to provide specific information.
3rd
Character three is the vehicle type or series.
4th - 5th
Characters four and five of the Land Rover VIN provide the model, seating, and trim level. Land Rover adds a letter or number to model redesigns, so the Discovery II is the second generation of that model.
6th
Character six represents the body style, such as a 3-door wagon, 5-door Defender, or Range Rover. Soft tops are also defined in this character, along with a three-door or five-door Land Rover model.
7th
Character seven provides information on the engine type. Currently, Land Rover features 19 distinct engine types, including the 2.7l turbo diesel or 3.5l V8, 4.2l supercharged V8 or 4.6l V8, and the 5.0l V8.
8th
The eighth character is the transmission configuration, such as the Automatic 5-speed (Freelander) or Automatic 6-speed.
9th
Land Rover reserves the ninth character for the checksum digit. A mathematical formula created by the US Department of Transportation is a security feature used to detect fraudulent VINs. The formula consists of all other VIN characters combined with a proprietary algorithm designed to authenticate a specific VIN.
10th
Character ten is standard across all other vehicles, which may be different than the calendar year. The code system for this character cycles through the alphabet and the numbers 1 through 9 every thirty years. Identical Land Rover models produced in two separate years may have the same character. Any ambiguity is cleared up when viewing the VIN in relation to all other characters.
11th
The eleventh character is the assembly plant where a specific Land Rover rolled off the production line. Land Rovers are manufactured in several countries around the globe, including the United States, China, India, the United Kingdom, and Brazil.
12th-17th
Characters twelve through seventeen are the vehicle’s serial number or production code. Manufacturers have considerable leeway when including this sequence in the VIN. These letters and numbers are especially helpful for vintage Land Rover owners and rebuilders who may need a specific part for an older model.

Location of the Land Rover VIN

Every Land Rover model will have two specific locations for their VIN codes.

  • The first location is on the interior, driver’s side dashboard, underneath the windshield.
  • The second location is on the driver’s side door pillar, stamped on a plaque with other vital information.

Popular Land Rover Models

Land Rover Range Rover SV
Image by Damian B Oh via Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Land Rover Range Rover SV

For those driving and performance aficionados, look no further than the 2025 Land Rover Range Rover SV at $226,930 and get your name on a considerably long waiting list quickly. Even test drives are hard to come by. The Range Rover SV features two distinct models and three body styles. The SV offers three engine types, from full electric to mild electric and gas. The SV Gas V8 delivers 606 hp, with a top speed of 162 mph and a 0 to 60 time in a stunning 4.3 seconds. Powertrain, weights, towing, and cargo capacity are off the charts. Next-generation infotainment systems are intuitive for every member of the refined Land Rover cabin. The rear-view mirror offers live video feeds from an antenna-mounted camera along with 3D surround views of the SV’s cabin.

No detail is overlooked in the Land Rover SV, which features Adaptive Dynamics technology. The central computer monitors body movement and driving habits to optimize the damper settings. No other SUV on the market today can match the Land Rover’s ride, comfort, and performance technologies.

The Land Rover VIN

According to Heritage Parts Center, Land Rover’s VIN development started with various chassis numbers:

How many digits in a Land Rover chassis number? For the first two years of Land Rover production (1948 and 1949), six or seven digits were used in the chassis number. From 1950 to 1955, eight digits were used for the chassis number, then nine digits until 1962, when it switched to eight digits (but a completely different system).

What year was my Land Rover built? The first digit in the chassis number for Land Rovers produced between 1948 and 1955 indicated the year of production or manufacture. 8 stands for 1948-1949, whereas 0 is for 1950, 1 is for 1951, and 5 is for 1955. Realizing that the numbers were running out, Land Rover moved the year of manufacture to the fourth digit between 1956 and 1961, using 6 for 1956 and coming back around to 0 and 1 for 1960 and 1961, respectively. From 1962 until 1979, after which the new VIN style was introduced, the chassis number didn’t include any information on the year of manufacture.”

Land Rover VIN Lookup

VIN lookup is a reliable means of finding specific information about a vehicle, such as the model year and where it was manufactured. Each character in the 17-digit alphanumeric code, mandated by the NHTSA, is encoded with a specific bit of information and, when combined with the other characters, gives a detailed profile of any car or truck. Using the GoodCar VIN Check tool, the service offers a complete historical timeline of every significant event that has affected the vehicle.

For a deeper understanding and a complete timeline, prospective buyers, fleet managers, insurance personnel, and owners should turn to the GoodCar VIN Check service. GoodCar uses dozens of public and private databases to bring the most up-to-date information so its users can make wise decisions.

GoodCar Land Rover VIN Checks

odometer

GoodCar reports provide an odometer check whenever possible. Odometer fraud is one of the fastest-growing automotive crimes; with an accurate odometer reading, users can uncover any discrepancies.

tite record

Title condition is another vital piece of knowledge every prospective owner needs to know. GoodCar searches multiple public databases to uncover the current condition of a vehicle’s title, such as clear, salvage, rebuilt, and many other title brands. A salvage title indicates the vehicle has been in a severe accident and is deemed a total loss by insurance standards.

Recall

Recalls and technical service bulletins are a significant aspect of the GoodCar historical documents. GoodCar provides up-to-date recall notices, the cause of the recall, and the action the owner needs to take. Also, the service provides complete wholesale, retail, and trade-in values for a specific vehicle, giving users a base from which to make the right deal.

Technical Service Bulletins

NHTSA Item Number: 11007483, 09/2024, Involved vehicle is the Range Rover N846. The model year for the bulletin is 2023, with an issue with an issue on the integrated generator belt. Customer complaints have determined that the charging belt is inoperative at startup. Customers are advised to take their vehicle to the nearest dealership for inspection and repair free of charge.

Land Rover TSB #SSM74642, 15 DEC 2020. This TSB affects the Range Rover L405. Customers report a vibration felt through the base of the driver’s seat and can visually see the upper section of the passenger seat shaking. Customers are advised to take their Range Rover immediately to the nearest dealership for inspection and repair.

Recalls

Just like 33 other manufacturers and 64 million vehicles, Land Rover was involved in the Takata Airbag disaster. For Land Rover, the recall covers models 2007 to 2012 Range Rover. No recorded deaths or significant injuries have occurred in a Range Rover as opposed to 20 deaths and hundreds of injuries from other manufacturers. Owners should have received their recall notices to bring the vehicle into the dealership for replacement of the faulty parts.

In January 2024, Land Rover recalled 58,000 Range Rover and Range Rover Sport SUVs from 2018 to 2022 because backup cameras may not display a visible image, which could cause a crash. Only models equipped with the surround-view systems are being recalled. The problem happens when water leaks into the rear camera compartment, causing the rear camera to blur or not show an image. Consumers should take their vehicles to the dealership, where they will replace the seal around the camera compartment.