Maurice Wilks
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Maurice Wilks was the chief designer at the British car company Rover at the end of World War II, responsible for the development of the Land Rover utility vehicle. He discovered a need for the vehicle when using his own Willys Jeep, (an old war jeep) on his farm in Newborough, Anglesey. Parts for this were available but could only be bought in bulk due to the army's overproduction of parts during the war. Wilks then decided, along with his brother Spencer Wilks, the general manager at Rover during this time, that Rover should invest in an off road utility vehicle for farmers. Thus, the Land Rover was born. His first Land Rover was made in 1947. He designed the Land Rover as Britains own 4x4 and because spare parts for a Jeep could only be bought in bulk from military over production. Also the Land Rover came in a light shade of green from a surplus stock of aircraft cockpit paint. Along with the Land Rover series 1 he made a Land Rover center steer which was based on a WW2 Jeep chassis.
