Four wheel drive (4×4) vehicles are currently more advanced than ever, with recent years having witnessed a number of new innovations. Here we take a brief look back at the origins of the 4×4 and discover where it all started.
There has been some controversy regarding the identity of the inventor of the first 4×4 vehicle. However, it is widely accepted that 4×4 technology first came into existence around the turn of the 20th century. One of the earliest recorded models, the Lohner-Porsche, was built by Ferdinand Porsche, engineer for the Loher Electric Car Company. Interestingly this car was also one of the first hybrid vehicles and Ferdinand Porsche would go on to become founder of the Porsche car company. Other early models included the Spyker 60HP Grand Prix racer, produced by Dutch manufacturers Jacobus and Hendrik-Jan Spijker in 1903, which was the world’s first 6 cylinder 4 wheel drive car.
Over in America 4×4 technology was similarly coming to the fore during this period. Notable early American manufactures of 4×4 vehicles included the Four Wheel Drive (FWD) Company, founded in 1909, which supplied vehicles for use in World War I. Such vehicles were required due to the unforgiving nature of the terrain that needed to be negotiated and were subject to extensive tests before being chosen for use by the military.
4×4 technologies advanced rapidly over the next few decades and a number of models incorporating 4×4 technology became available for purchase by the general population.
The year 1947 witnessed the birth of an icon, namely the first ever Land Rover, designed by Maurice Wilks and his brother Spencer Wilks, which combined a jeep chassis with a rover car engine. 1970 also saw Land Rover introduce a new range, namely the now hugely popular Range Rover, which set a standard for luxury 4×4 vehicles and was equipped with some pretty impressive off-roading abilities.
Today the 4×4 market is bigger than ever and thanks to the development of constantly evolving 4×4 technology these vehicles are fit to tackle a wide variety of different terrains, whilst also offering a pleasant driving experience. Here at CWS we are 4×4 specialists and have an impressive selection of Land Rover spare parts as well as a number of other brands, so you can keep your vehicle working in perfect condition. For more information about our range of products and services please do not hesitate to contact us and one of our knowledgeable team will be happy to help you with your enquiries.