Land Rover Freelander

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Land Rover Freelander
2008 Land Rover LR2 (North America)
Manufacturer Land Rover
Parent company BMW 1996-2000
Ford 2000–2008
Tata Motors 2008–
Production 1996–
Class Compact crossover SUV
Layout Front engine, four-wheel drive

The Land Rover Freelander is a compact crossover SUV made by the British Land Rover, a subsidiary of the Tata Motors. It is currently in its second generation, marketed as LR2 in a number of regions including North America and Middle East.

Contents

[edit] Freelander: The first generation

First generation
2002-2003 Land Rover Freelander 4-door (North America)
Production 1996–2006
Assembly Solihull, Birmingham
Body style(s) 2-door SUV
4-door SUV
Engine(s) 1.8 K-Series (136 hp) I4
2.5 L KV6 (174 hp) V6
Transmission(s) 5-speed automatic
Wheelbase 101.0 in (256.5 cm)
Length 2002-03 4-Door: 175.0 in (4445 mm)
2-Door: 175.1 in (4448 mm)
2004-05 4-Door: 174.1 in (442.2 cm)
Width 2004-05: 71.2 in (180.8 cm)
2002-03: 71.1 in (1806 mm)
Height 2004-05 4-Door: 72.0 in (182.9 cm)
2-Door: 71.2 in (1808 mm)
2002-03 4-Door: 69.2 in (1758 mm)
2004 Freelander 4-door
2004 Freelander 4-door
2004-2006 Freelander convertible
2004-2006 Freelander convertible

The Freelander, wholly designed by the Rover Group, was born after market research in the late 1980s suggest that a market for compact off-roaders was likely to develop. In the early 1990s Rover Group had a very restricted product development budget and looked for a partner to develop the Freelander project, which was codenamed CB40. Rover's formal partner Honda also declined (although the very similar Honda CR-V appeared in 1997).[citation needed] In December 2007, Autocar Magazine in the UK reported that early development designs and sketches of the Freelander prototype featured Hyundai badging, suggesting that a tie up between the two manufacturers was being proposed,[citation needed] which was not the case. Rover decided to go it alone with the CB40, which meant using parts from a limited parts bin, as it had done with the MGF roadster. It is thought that the Freelander was based on a heavily modified Maestro floorpan, with a unique body, transmission and suspension.[citation needed] Although BMW took over Rover Group in 1994, the Germans did not get heavily involved in the development of the Freelander. The car was launched in 1997. The early model Freelanders, however, suffered from chronic unreliability issues including blown head gaskets, failure of the differentials, total clutch failure and over-heating among other things which saw the Freelander rated at the bottom of almost all reliability surveys in the UK.[citation needed] This did not stop the vehicle becoming a strong sales success, becoming Europe's best-selling 4x4 model and remaining so until 2002.[citation needed]

There are a variety of models, based around 5-door station wagon and 3-door softback, hardback, and commercial versions.

[edit] Engines

Engine choices include:[1]

Manual gearboxes dominated the early models, but automatic Tiptronic-style gearboxes became increasingly popular and were standard on the V6.

[edit] Marketing

While the first-generation Freelander was considered quite capable off-road, earning its credentials in the Camel Trophy and Land Rover G4 Challenge, it represented a compromise. It did not have a low range gear selection nor a locking differential, as found on larger Land Rover models. This meant that in comparison to its stablemates, it had relatively poor off-road performance (although its sophisticated traction control system meant that on some terrain, such as wet grass or ice, it could easily embarrass a 'proper' 4x4 such as the Discovery. In its class, against vehicles such as the Toyota RAV4 and the Honda CRV it had superior off-road performance.[citation needed]

The first-generation was, however, the first Land Rover to feature hill descent control. This system, plus the capable off road Traction Control system used the ABS to control individual brakes and keep driving under control in offroad situations.

Poor sales of the Freelander caused Land Rover to discontinue the model after 2005 in the U.S. and Canada.

[edit] Freelander 2: Second generation

Second generation
2008 Land Rover Freelander 2
Also called Land Rover LR2
Land Rover Freelander 2
Production 2007–
Assembly Halewood, England
Body style(s) 4-door SUV
Platform Ford EUCD platform
Engine(s) 3.2L 230 hp I6
Transmission(s) 6-speed automatic
Wheelbase 104.7 in (265.9 cm)
Length 177.2 in (450.1 cm)
Width 75.2 in (191.0 cm)
Height 68.5 in (174.0 cm)
Related Volvo S80

The new Freelander 2 debuted at the 2006 British International Motor Show. While the new model retained the Freelander nameplate in Europe, it was to be marketed as LR2 in North America (mirroring the marketing of the new third-generation Land Rover Discovery as LR3). Preceding the official debut, a private presentation at the Kensington Roof Gardens had been held for journalists, featuring celebrity tennis player Maria Sharapova. [1]

The second generation Freelander is based on the Ford EUCD platform, which itself is based on the Ford C1 platform. The EUCD platform is also used by the new Ford Galaxy, Ford S-MAX and Volvo S80, and will be used by more upcoming vehicles from Ford and Volvo. The engine range is all-new for Freelander, featuring transversely-mounted 3.2 I6 engine of the Volvo SI6 series, which first debuted in the new Volvo S80, as well as the 2.2 DW12 common rail turbodiesel engine, co-developed by Ford and PSA.

Unlike previous Land Rovers, this car will be manufactured alongside the Jaguar X-Type at Halewood, near Liverpool. The new Freelander features improved ground clearance and promises greater off-road capabilities, closer to other Land Rover models and significantly above those of rivals such as BMW and Audi [2]. It has a much improved quality interior with more safety features[2] as standard. The Freelander 2 features a modified version of the Terrain Response off-road driving system as fitted to the Discovery 3 and the Range Rover.

The new Freelander was first sold in the U.S. in 2007 as the LR2. The 2008 version is called the LR2 HSE. The HSE has added side trim and 19" wheels. A Volvo 230-hp 3.2-liter inline six-cylinder engine is standard, with a six-speed automatic transmission and all-wheel drive. Interior appointments include an Alpine 440 watt 14 speaker surround sound audio and touch navigation screen options. (Technology Package). There is also a Cold Climate Package that includes heated front windshield, heated front seats with two heating levels and heated windshield washer jet and a Lighting Package that includes Bi-Xenon headlights, Adaptive Front-Lighting System, memory system for the driver seat and exterior mirrors and approach and puddle lamps.

[edit] References

  1. ^ Engine choices available in 2001. landyonline.co.za, 2001, Retrieved 27 April 2007
  2. ^ European report on Freelander safety

[edit] External links

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