Land Rover Freelander 2004 News

It should be previewed early next year and on the road in 2015. Land Rover's next bedrock car will be bigger and more luxurious but still in the affordable mid-sized SUV class. This reporter is on Twitter: @paulwardgover

Land Rover is currently working on its next-generation Freelander, which is expected to ride on an extended version of the platform it shares with the Evoque, and is due to appear late next year. However, the new vehicle isn’t expected to wear the Freelander name. Instead, Autocar reports that the next generation will likely adopt the Discovery nameplate. As was previously reported, Land Rover is planning to expand its lineup with several new crossovers and SUVs and to help differentiate these will group them into three distinct categories: luxury, leisure and utility. The luxury category will consist of the Range Rover-branded models like the regular Range Rover, Range Rover Sport and Range Rover Evoque. An ultra-luxurious, long-wheelbase Range Rover will be the next to join this group and it's rumoured that a long-wheelbase Range Rover Evoque is also planned. The utility category, meanwhile, will be made up of models derived from the next-generation Defender, which was previewed by the DC100 concept first shown in 2011. The last we heard, development of the new Defender was being delayed and the number of variants likely to be pruned back. Finally, the leisure category will feature the Discovery and Freelander-replacing Discovery models, which will be targeted at buyers of the BMW X3 and X5 and similar premium soft-roaders, though there will be a distinct price difference between these and the upmarket Range Rover models. If given the green light, a compact crossover would also join this group. www.motorauthority.com  

A new model is coming in 2014 and will be much more edgy than today's Freelander, as well as bigger and more refined.  

The upgrade delivers more comfort, convenience and driving enjoyment. New colours, new exterior design features, upgraded equipment levels and the new lightweight and efficient petrol engine all contribute to make a better SUV. Interior equipment levels improve with a host of fresh and exciting features including new centre console, seven-inch colour touch-screen with enhanced audio systems from Meridian, seven-day timed climate system and satellite navigation. Passive start replaces key dock and there's a new 'intelligent' electric parking brake which adjusts brake force according to the slope the vehicle is parked on. 'Say What You See' - a voice activation system with visual prompts, and rear view camera capability are also both new to the Freelander 2. Exterior design details have been revamped for an integrated and co-ordinated appearance, including more contemporary lights front and rear using the latest LED technology and a new signature graphic in the front running lights. The exciting news on the engine front is that the six-cylinder Si6 petrol is replaced by the turbocharged Si4, four-cylinder engine. The direct injection, Si4 delivers 177kW and an increase of seven percent on torque to 340Nm, providing a broader spread of torque for relaxed cruising and strong low-speed response. The all-aluminium engine is a full 40kg lighter than the previous six-cylinder. It's essentially the same engine used in the Range Rover Evoque, this lightweight Si4 GTDi produces more power than the Si6 yet is more economical and sees a 14 per cent reduction in CO2 to 224g/km. These new features are underpinned by the fact that the Freelander scores five stars in the Euro NCAP for occupant safety.      

Land Rover will be taking the covers off its all-new Range Rover at the 2012 Australian International Motor Show – for just the second time in the world. Fresh from its world unveiling at the Paris Motor Show in September, the all-new Range Rover will be a highlight of the Australian International Motor Show as it shows off a new modern interpretation of the classic Range Rover design cues. The all-new SUV has been engineered from the ground up and is the most capable and refined Range Rover ever, capturing the design of the original model, but with a bold evolution. Land Rover says the all-new Range Rover sits at the pinnacle of SUV refinement, with a spacious and luxurious interior, enhanced all-terrain performance and a truly composed driving experience. The all-new Range Rover will be the world’s first luxury SUV with a lightweight all-aluminium monocoque body coupled with all-new aluminium front and rear chassis’, resulting in a weight saving of up to 420 kilograms. This in turn results in significant enhancements in performance and agility, along with a transformation in fuel economy and CO2 emissions. “Land Rover really did change the global automotive landscape when it launched the world’s first luxury SUV, the classic Range Rover over 40 years ago,” said Russ Tyrie, Show Director. “Evolutions of this model over the years saw exciting increases in refinement, performance and comfort – and the fourth generation Range Rover certainly takes luxury SUVs to the next level. “We are very excited that it will be revealed at the Australian International Motor Show, which also marks the first time it is seen in the Southern Hemisphere.” Land Rover will also conduct the Australian reveal of the 2013 Freelander 2, which has had a premium overhaul to increase driver comfort, convenience and enjoyment. Featuring new exterior design features, upgraded equipment levels and a new lightweight petrol engine, the five-star Euro NCAP safety-rated 2013 Freelander 2 is sure to impress all who see it. The 2012 Australian International Motor Show will be held at the Sydney Convention & Exhibition Centre, Darling Harbour from October 19-28, 2012. For further information about the Show and to purchase early bird tickets, visit the AIMS website, which is also compatible with all android and Apple mobile devices. www.motorshow.com.au

It will become a baby Range Rover when it hits the road in 2011 and that means hot laps at the 'Ring are essential for its road-focussed chassis. The LRX caught by the Carparazzi crew looks more like a Freelander 2 than the LRX show car, but the mechanical package under the car is exactly what will be coming to showrooms.  A close look shows the rear end is shorter than a Freelander and the front fascia area has a different shape. The LRX is currently testing as a five-door wagon but European sources hint at both three and five-door wagons, while the final design is also going to be taller than the concept vehicle to improve headroom in the cabin. The Land Rover LRX is expected to be unveiled next year, perhaps as early as the Geneva Motor Show in March, with a 2.2-litre turbodiesel engine in the basic car and a 3.2-litre petrol six also available. Further into the LRX story there is also expected to be a diesel-electric hybrid model.

The whole vehicle is new from the ground up and will include Land Rover's terrain response system for more surety off bitumen. The technical highlights of Freelander 2 include a choice of two new engines in this compact wagon. A 2.2-litre four-cylinder turbocharged diesel delivers 118kW of power and an impressive 400Nm of torque – much better than the current model's two-litre unit which delivers 82kW of power and 260Nm of torque. The petrol engine is a 3.2-litre six-cylinder producing 171kW of power. The previous 139kW, 2.5-litre V6 as dropped from the range in Australia early in 2004. The two engine options in Freelander 2 are said to be fractionally better than their predecessors in fuel economy despite the big improvements in power output. Freelander 2 will have a full-time "intelligent" four-wheel-drive system. It will have an electronic centre coupling to continuously vary the amount of torque directed to front and rear wheels, according to grip available. Land Rover's terrain response system has been a big hit on Discovery 3 and it will be put into the Freelander 2 offering four settings. The driver can dial up settings for the sort of terrain about to be driven and the car's electronic management systems and traction controls are adjusted accordingly. Land Rover says more technologies will be revealed as Freelander 2 is formally released. Land Rovers are designed for serious off-bitumen ability no matter how much comfort and driving ease is put into them for on-bitumen commuting. Few compact lifestyle wagons can be expected to go near a Freelander 2 off-road. SMALL TORQUE Land Rover's new Freelander 2 is expected in European showrooms in December and in Australia by mid-2007. It made its debut at the British International Motor Show in London alongside the V8 turbo-diesel powered Range Rover Vogue. Both will be at the Sydney Motor Show in October. POWER PROBLEM Although the Freelander appealed as a compact 4WD, it initially lacked power when launched here in 1998, the 1.8-litre petrol engine from the MGF sports car was not up to the job in a heavier, off-road vehicle. A 2.5-litre V6 overcame the power deficit in 2000 but that engine was dropped a few years ago. The current Freelander is not a big seller, available only with a two-litre turbo-diesel. ALL ANGLES Freelander 2 will have a 31-degree approach angle, a good 34-degree departure angle, 210mm ground clearance and a 50mm wading depth.

There is a clear-cut champion in the compact four-wheel-drive class.It is the Subaru Outback, which does easily the best job for the majority of shoppers who want the size, comfort and command driving position of a soft-roader but don't plan to do much of the rough-and-tough weekend work in the bush.The Outback is a high-riding and tougher-looking Subaru Liberty wagon, which means it is a new-age station wagon for people who are convinced that four-wheel-drives are the best bet for the 21st century.But it's not the only way to go in a class which is as varied as any in Australian motoring.The all-paw smalls are a split-personality line-up which ranges from serious bush buddies to suburban shopping trolleys, with everything in between.Some talk the talk, but don't go remotely close to walking the wilderness, and others are surprisingly capable despite their soft-form looks. And looks aren't always the best – or easiest – way to make a choice.The Daihatsu Terios has the high-rider style you expect to see in a serious four-wheel-drive, but it could have come just as easily from the world's best-selling carmaker – Matchbox.The Suzuki Jimny is much the same, though it can really romp in the rough and is priced from just $17,990.At the other end of the action, there are several contenders which push past $40,000, including the over-priced and under-done Land Rover Freelander.The compact class also opens the options between "all-wheel-drive" vehicles focused on blacktop work and "four-wheel-drive" vehicles with serious off-road grip and dual-range gears, in a battle which rages all the way to the $100,000-plus machines in the luxury four-wheel-drive world.The split between the soft-road and hard-rock vehicles means it's important to split the winners, with the Nissan X-Trail taking top honours for real off-road work and the Subaru Forester and best-selling Toyota RAV4 – now with a punchier 2.4-litre engine – scoring on the soft side. The Outback was completely updated last year and picks up the five-star safety and top quality from the latest Subaru Liberty.But it also gets a tougher look, extra ground clearance, rough-road tyres and all the other gear you need for weekend expeditions.The price is pretty rich in a class where most of the action is below $30,000 – the H6 engine can lift it from $31,180 to more than $50,000 – but it's the one to recommend to friends and family if they can afford it. The Nissan Patrol is a heavyweight four-wheel drive star and you can see and feel the family connection to the X-Trail.It has the stumpy looks of a serious off-roader and backs it with a 2.5-litre engine hooked to a grippy drivetrain and a tough body.Nissan has also created a funky cabin for the X-Trail, with all the right stuff for twentysomething owners.It's not cheap, with pricing from $31,990, but the price is right for the class and the competition. The Forester, like the Outback, was developed for rougher roads than the regular all-paw Subaru family wagons.So the Forester sprang from the Impreza, as the Outback did from the Liberty, but with a much bigger change to the body.The Forester looks like it will work off the bitumen and it does, provided you recognise its limits.It also comes with a punchier turbo engine, though it's not WRX, and Subaru Australia has just rejected a Forester STi which would have really rocked the compact four-wheel-drive scene.