The iconic Freelander name, synonymous with two generations of British-built Land Rover 4x4s produced between 1997 and 2015, is being revived by JLR's Chinese partner Chery, with substantial input from the Indian-owned British firm. Chery has operated a joint venture in China with JLR since 2012, assembling Range Rover Evoques, Discovery Sports, and various Jaguar models. Now, this Chinese-British collaboration will resurrect the Freelander brand with a lineup of six models slated for release before the decade's end, repositioning it as a "British premium intelligent all-terrain brand."
New Freelander Brand Unveiled
At the launch event in Chery's home city of Wuhu, Freelander International CEO Lucia Mao introduced the new brand, describing Freelander's mission as "reshaping British heritage through intelligent innovation, for boundless journeys on any terrain, in every moment." The brand's vision is to "become a global, leading premium new energy brand."
First Model: Freelander 8
The first new Freelander model, initially launching in Middle East markets, is the Freelander 8, a 5.1-meter-long plug-in hybrid SUV featuring clear Land Rover design cues. This is unsurprising, as the design work was executed by the JLR design team led by Briton Philip Simmons. The bold, upright front end hints at the current Defender and other Land Rover models, particularly with interlocking front headlights intended as a family feature. The rear three-quarter view echoes the style of the original Freelander 3-door model with its triangular side window, a design element also incorporated into the new Freelander logo.
Chinese influences are evident in the design, with a fussier appearance and more plastic add-ons than expected from a true Land Rover model. Inside, alongside a sizable central touchscreen, a full-width digital bar across the dash resembles BMW's new Panoramic iDrive system, displaying information for both driver and passenger.
Engineering and Production
While design was handled by Simmons and his JLR team, the car has been engineered by Chery and will be built at Chery's factory in China. Freelander International CEO Lucia Mao stated, "We will build it in three international versions: left-hand drive, right-hand drive and for the European market." Although Mao did not confirm UK availability, it is widely expected that the car will reach its spiritual homeland, with UK dealers at the launch event expressing interest in selling the vehicle.
All-Terrain Capabilities
Chery stays true to the Freelander's 4x4 roots with what it calls "the world's first intelligent all-terrain system," though Land Rover's automatic Terrain Response technology may contest this claim. The Freelander features nine terrain modes, a virtual centre differential lock, rear electronic limited slip differential, and dual chamber air suspension.
Technology and Powertrain
The Freelander 8 promises Level Two Plus ADAS (Advanced Driver Assistance Systems) and self-driving via a system called Advanced Valet Parking Driver. Few other details were disclosed, but a Chery insider revealed that the plug-in hybrid system uses a 2-litre petrol engine and functions as a range extender hybrid, part of Chery's new energy powertrain lineup. A range extender (EREV) model uses the petrol engine as a generator to charge a battery, which then powers the car's motors.
Testing and Future Models
Chery confirmed that over 1,000 vehicles will undergo road testing worldwide, including Northern Europe and Australia, potentially another right-hand drive market. Alongside the Freelander 8, the brand previewed a slightly smaller (4.9-meter) Freelander model with similar styling and likely the same underlying technology. A graphic shown during the presentation indicated that the other four Freelander models will all be SUVs of some type.
Production History
While previous Freelander models were built at JLR's Solihull and Halewood factories, the new cars will be produced at the Chery JLR manufacturing base in Changshu, China. Chery has reportedly invested over $1.5 billion (£1.11 billion) in the plant, including $440 million in upgrades featuring thousands of intelligent robots, to manufacture the new vehicle.
