Maurice Wilks was an automotive and aeronautical engineer who is responsible for the inspiration and concept work that led to the development of the Land Rover off-road utility vehicle. Wilks attended Malvern College between 1918-22 and was a House Prefect of No.2. After leaving the College, Wilks went straight to work for the Hillman Motor Car Company and later General Motors in the US, before moving to the Rover Company as chief engineer alongside his elder brother, Spencer, who was appointed managing director in 1932. With the outbreak of WWII the Wilks brothers began working on aircraft engines, leading to Rover’s first gas turbine powered car in 1949. After the war, Wilks was inspired by his army surplus Willys Jeep to develop a utility four-wheel drive vehicle for farmers and coined the name Land Rover. With Wilks as technical director, the prototype Land Rover was built by the summer of 1947 based on a Jeep chassis, before being properly launched at the 1948 Amsterdam Motor Show. Wilks later became joint managing director of the Rover Company with his brother Spencer in 1956, before taking over in 1960 and then becoming chairman of the company.