Charles Spencer King, the father of the Range Rover, passes away

Charles Spencer King, also known as Spen King, was the man who created the brilliant Range Rover. Sadly, he has passed away at the age of 85.

King first started working in the automotive field in 1942 when he worked at Rolls-Royce as a young apprentice. Three years later he joined Rover, which was run by his two uncles, according to The Telegraph.

King tackled a few new projects, such as the JET1 and T3 gas turbine engine, but in 1959 he was named head of new vehicle projects. This allowed him to become the father of the Range Rover in 1970.

Sadly, the Range Rover was built in the midlands of England and it would be known for its horrendous reliability. That being said, it was the perfect design and today, is one of the best, if not the best, all around SUVs on the road.

King eventually became the chairman of British Leyland Technology after the company took over Rover. He was very involved with the development of a concept study called ECV, or Energy Conservation Vehicle. The technology would eventually be introduced into production vehicles.

King was honored by the company he helped build with the Range Rover CSK, a special edition two-door model.