Land Rover owners expect rugged British style and refinement. But lift the hood on certain models and you might find a surprise stamped right into the metal: Ford Motor Company.
Mechanic and automotive-minded creator Larry Law (@larry.law94) is all smiles in a viral clip where he reveals the provenance of Land Rover’s critical components to potential owners.
“This motor might say Land Rover, but on the side of it, it says Ford Motor Company. So you thinking you getting some kind of Porsche,” he says while looking under the hood of a Land Rover sitting in his repair bay. “This is a 5.0. This is a 302 Ford.”
When Ford and Land Rover Shared Parts
In the world of automotive manufacturing, luxury brands sometimes borrow engineering from broader platforms, especially when cost-sharing or corporate ownership comes into play.
Following Ford’s 2000 acquisition of Land Rover, several V‑8 engines in Land Rover models were produced at Ford facilities. The AJ‑V8 family, designed by Jaguar, is a perfect example. Despite its British design, production occurred within a dedicated “plant‑within‑a‑plant” at Ford’s Bridgend Engine Plant in Wales.
The Bridgend plant, active from 1980 to 2020, produced over 22 million engines during its lifetime and served Ford, Jaguar, Volvo, and Land Rover operations. In August 2020, Land Rover confirmed it would shift engine production in‑house after Bridgend’s closure.
The 5.0-liter engine that Larry refers to is most likely the AJ-V8 (AJ133), which powered certain Range Rover models between 2009 and 2012. While its displacement matches Ford’s classic 302 cubic-inch V-8, the AJ-V8 is a distinct design, making it more of a cousin than a direct descendant. Automotive enthusiasts point out that, although these engines were built in Ford facilities, their internals were explicitly developed for Jaguar and Land Rover applications.
The AJ-V8 also features direct fuel injection and a hemispherical-like combustion chamber, which the mechanic likened to Chrysler’s “Hemi” design. While the comparison captures the general shape and injector placement, it’s more a colorful analogy than a technical match. Many of the Land Rover models using this engine were also paired with Ford-sourced automatic transmissions, underscoring the level of component sharing between the two brands during and after Ford’s ownership.
Sharing powertrain components is a strategy that demonstrates smart economics. By using a common engine platform, manufacturers reduce development costs and leverage proven systems. Ford’s use of the Bridgend facility exemplified this: Jaguar (and later Land Rover) could tap into existing production lines without setting up a completely separate factory.
After the Bridgend closure, JLR invested in its engine production capabilities, bringing operations to its Wolverhampton Engine Manufacturing Centre.
Why It Matters to Owners
For Land Rover owners, the connection to Ford has real-world implications for maintenance, repair, and brand perception. On the positive side, using Ford-sourced internals can make it easier to source replacement parts, particularly in markets with an extensive Ford service network. Many independent mechanics are already familiar with Ford V-8 systems, which can translate into shorter repair times and potentially lower labor costs. The components themselves also carry a track record from years of use in other vehicles, lending them a degree of proven durability.
However, the discovery that a luxury SUV’s engine bears Ford branding can be unsettling for some buyers who expect entirely bespoke engineering under the Land Rover badge. Paying premium prices for a vehicle that shares significant mechanical DNA with less expensive models also raises questions about perceived value. However, in practice, the integration and refinement often remain firmly in the luxury category.
The Ford–Land Rover collaboration is far from unique in the automotive world. Across the industry, luxury automakers have long relied on sister companies or corporate group resources to source components and share technology.
Aston Martin, for example, has incorporated Ford-derived switchgear and electronics into several of its models, a legacy of Ford’s former partial ownership stake in the brand. Bentley, meanwhile, has built vehicles on Volkswagen Group modular platforms and used VW-sourced powertrains, blending high-end craftsmanship with shared engineering foundations.
Such practices are rooted in economics. Component and platform sharing allows manufacturers to maintain brand identity while achieving the cost efficiencies of large-scale production.
For owners curious about their own vehicle’s mechanical heritage, there are several ways to trace an engine’s origin. VIN decoding tools, available online or through dealerships, can identify the specific engine type and where it was built. A visual inspection of the engine block may also reveal stamped markings such as “Ford Motor Company” that point directly to its provenance.
Additionally, reviewing factory service manuals, official parts catalogs, or detailed service histories can uncover information about part suppliers and manufacturing sources, offering a clearer picture of the vehicle’s lineage.
Motor1 reached out to Larry via direct message. We’ll update this if he responds.
