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Land Rover Freelander

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Land Rover Freelander
Image:Land Rover LR2.jpg
Manufacturer Land Rover
Parent company Rover 1996–2000
Ford Motor Company 2000–2008
Tata Motors 2008—
Production 1996—
Class Compact luxury 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
Image:2002-2003 Land Rover Freelander.jpg
Production1996–2006
AssemblySolihull, 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
Wheelbase101.0 in (256.5 cm)
Length2002-03 4-Door: 175.0 in (4445 mm)
2-Door: 175.1 in (4448 mm)
2004-05 4-Door: 174.1 in (442.2 cm)
Width2004-05: 71.2 in (180.8 cm)
2002-03: 71.1 in (1806 mm)
Height2004-05 4-Door: 72.0 in (182.9 cm)
2-Door: 71.2 in (1808 mm)
2002-03 4-Door: 69.2 in (1758 mm)
Image:Freelander.JPG
2004 Freelander 4-door
Image:04-06 Land Rover Freelander 3door.jpg
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. Surprisingly, Rover's formal partner Honda also declined (although the very similar Honda CR-V appeared in 1997). 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 2 manufacturers was being proposed. Whatever the truth, it came to nothing. 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's thought that the Freelander was based on a heavily modified Maestro floorpan, with a unique body, transmission and suspension. 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 and it rapidly became the best selling compact 4x4 in Europe. 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. This did not stop the vehicle becoming a strong sales success, becoming Europe's best-selling 4x4 model and remaining so until 2002.

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

Engine choices include:[1]

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

The marketing puts much emphasis on the offroad heritage of the Land Rover marque. 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.

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
Image:Land Rover Freelander (LR2).jpg
Also calledLand Rover LR2
Land Rover Freelander 2
Production2007—
AssemblyHalewood, England
Body style(s)4-door SUV
PlatformFord EUCD platform
Engine(s)3.2L 230 hp I6
Transmission(s)6-speed automatic
Wheelbase104.7 in (265.9 cm)
Length177.2 in (450.1 cm)
Width75.2 in (191.0 cm)
Height68.5 in (174.0 cm)
RelatedVolvo 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 new "2008" LR2 is now on sale in the United States for a base price of US$34,700.

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 features 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 US in 2007 as the LR2. The 2008 version is called the LR2 HSE. The HSE has added side trim and 19" wheels. The LR2 It provides a much more car like driving experience retaining much of its'off-road ability. 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 will include an Alpine 440 watt 14 speaker surround sound audio and touch navigation screen options. (Technology Package). There is also a Cold Climate Package with 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. Historically with the former Freelander there were reliability problems. This Model is a completely different vehicle from the ground up and so far the reliability has been very good and it is selling well.

[edit] References

  1. ^ Engine choices available in 2001. landyonline.co.za, 2001, Retrieved 27 April 2007

[edit] External links

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