The complete guide to the third generation Range Rover · 2002 to 2012

History of the Range Rover L322

Last updated: 18 June 2012

The L322's story is unusually tangled for a single model: conceived under BMW, born under Ford, and finished under Tata. It was designed from a clean sheet in the late 1990s, reached volume production in December 2001, and ran until 2012. Along the way its ownership changed twice, which is why its engines and electronics were re-engineered mid-life. This section tells that story in full.

Dark blue 2004 Range Rover L322 Vogue, front three-quarter view

A Range Rover L322 Vogue (2003–2004) · Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA

Key takeaway: The L322's badge covers three almost-different cars: BMW (2002-05), Jaguar (2006-09) and late (2010-12). Knowing the era is the fastest way to understand any L322.

IN SHORT Designed under BMW → sold to Ford in 2000 → launched 2001/2002 with BMW engines → re-engined by Jaguar in 2006 → Land Rover sold to Tata in 2008 → final 2010 facelift → replaced by L405 in 2013.

The three eras

Years	Era	Defining features
2002-2005	BMW era	BMW 4.4 V8 & 3.0 Td6, BMW-derived electronics, 5-speed GM auto. Read »
2006-2009	Jaguar era	Jaguar V8 petrols, 3.6 TDV8?TDV8 — Land Rover's twin-turbo diesel V8 (3.6, later 4.4) — the 'AJD-V8' / 'Lion' engine, prized for huge torque. diesel, Terrain Response?Terrain Response — Land Rover's rotary off-road system: one dial reconfigures throttle, gearbox, ride height, ABS and diffs to suit grass, mud, sand, rock or normal driving., new infotainment. Read »
2010-2012	Late models	5.0 V8s, LED lights, virtual dials, 4.4 TDV8. Read »

Key dates

Date	Event
1994	BMW buys Rover Group (incl. Land Rover) from British Aerospace.
1995	Work on a P38A replacement begins; project codename L30.
1990s	Design developed at BMW's FIZ centre in Munich and at Gaydon.
2000	BMW sells Land Rover to Ford for around $2.6 billion; L30 renamed L322.
Dec 2001	Volume production starts at Solihull; global debut 2001.
2002	On sale; last P38A built 9 February 2002.
2005-2006	Facelift; BMW engines replaced by Jaguar petrol V8s.
2007	3.6 TDV8 diesel, new dashboard, Terrain Response, Brembo?Brembo — Premium Italian brake maker; larger discs and multi-piston fixed calipers give stronger, more fade-resistant braking on heavy/fast cars. brakes.
2008	Ford sells Jaguar Land Rover to Tata Motors.
2009-2010	Second facelift: 5.0 V8s, LED lighting, virtual instruments.
2011	4.4 TDV8 with 8-speed ZF auto; Honeywell turbos.
2012	Production ends; L405 announced (Paris Motor Show).

Why this history matters to owners

Because the car was re-engineered mid-life, the badge "Range Rover L322" covers what are almost three different vehicles. The engine, gearbox, electronics and even the dashboard differ sharply between a 2003, a 2008 and a 2011 car. Knowing the history is the fastest way to understand what you are buying and what tends to go wrong.

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