Land built in Spain from 1958 to 1994

Why build Lands in Spain?

In 1953, Land Rover had an enormous success and it was necessary to invest on new markets. However in Spain, Rover Company, via Tabanera Romagosa (the official importer based in Madrid), sells small quantities of English trucks. But the car industry in this country is almost non-existent. To protect the economy, the Spanish government, increases the taxes of the imported vehicles but facilitates the car manufacturers to install factories on his territory. In addition, the General Franco, dictator of the country at that time, saw there a notable military interest in the event of conflict. In fact, in this agreement with Land Rover, his country had the possibility of having a sizeable stock of parts spare his military vehicles. Side of Land Rover, the commercial interest was serious. Franco had good political relations with the leaders of certain countries of America Latina, Colombia, and Cuba. A opportunity for the mark to thrive where Land British were not imported.

The Santana production.

In the town of Linares, the factory of the MSA company (Metalurgica de Santa Ana) manufactured agricultural machinery as well as gear boxes for Citroen. After long negotiations, Tabanera Romagosa and Rover, with the support of the Spanish government, transformed this factory to assemble there, Land Rover coming from England. The MSA factory assembled their first Land in 1958, which was offered to the Franco General. Left the factory, these land received the small name of Santana. It’s only in 1967, almost 10 years after, that MSA which been able to manufacture and assemble in an autonomous way these Land Rover. From this date small differences start to appear between Land Santana and their English brothers. Indeed, the factory did not follow inevitably, at the same time on their Land Santana, the improvements made by Land Rover England. Thus, for example, Land Rover Santana SIII will preserve for a long time the frame, the axles and the suspensions of Land Rover SIIA. On certain SIII Santana, they will find even the engine and the clutch of the SIIA.

End of the Land Rover Santana production.

Santana Motor return to their origins with the PS10 Anibal project

In 1998, Santana became Santana Motor jumped into the PS10 Project, a 4x4 derived from the Land Rover Series IV of 1989. The 4x4 market tends to produce more and more comfortable vehicles, non adapted to a professional use (Suzuki contract). Consequently, in January 1998, the Santana administration council, decides to create a vehicle to professional use. This project is called PS10. The purpose is to put on today’s market a practical engine, as those sold by Santana in the past with the first Land Rover Santana. Deeply inspired on the Santana Serie IV from 1989 model, the PS10 will propose new characteristics in order to satisfy the most exigent professional clients.