Jaguar Land Rover has partnered with a Chinese firm, Chery, to resurrect the Freelander nameplate. The new Freelander will be based on the Concept 97 that was revealed earlier this year and will be built on Chery’s X1 platform.
The original Freelander was launched back in 1997, and upon its arrival, it became an instant hit, becoming the best-selling four-wheel-drive car in Europe. The second-generation Freelander 2 was launched in 2006, but it failed to live up to its first-gen counterpart in terms of sales due to the market pivoting towards bigger, more premium SUVs. The Freelander production stopped in 2015, with JLR replacing the Freelander with the Discovery Sport series.
Freelander modernised
The new Freelander retains the boxy silhouette of the original Freelander, with a high bonnet and squared-off wheel arches. It gets a two-tone finish on the bonnet and bumpers, with the same treatment given to the rear tailgate. The production version may get a closed-off grille with Freelander badging, and it will also have dual-tone alloy wheels. The headlamps and taillamps will have the signature light pattern that was showcased on the Concept 97 and will have LED daytime running lights and turn indicators integrated into them. The Concept 97 also featured a hinged rear door, but that's unlikely to make it to the final production-spec model.
Interior dominated by screens
On the inside of the new Freelander, the dashboard will be dominated by a huge screen spanning from one end to the other, along with a floating central infotainment screen with physical buttons and dials underneath it. The steering will be a three-spoke design with physical buttons, and it'll get wireless phone charging and connectivity features like Apple CarPlay and Android Auto on its infotainment screen. All the intelligent functions on the car will be operated by Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8397 chip, with a Huawei LiDAR sensor mounted on its roof for the ADAS system.
The Concept 97 that was showcased had a rear wraparound bench seat, but the production versions will have a standard 6-seat configuration spread across 3 rows.
Powertrains and entry into service
The Freelander will be offered with multiple powertrain options, including 4x4 electric, plug-in hybrid, and a range extender hybrid powertrain with a 1.5-litre petrol engine acting as a backup generator.
Production is expected to start in the latter half of this year. This won't just be a one-off model, as Chery JLR is going to make Freelander a brand of its own, with six new models expected to be added over the next 5 years.
