Land Rover Unveils Next Generation Compact SUV: Freelander 2

Motoring Channel Staff - 26/June/2006

London, England — Land Rover will take the wraps off its new compact SUV at the London Auto Show, using the United Kingdom's largest motor show to publicise the new vehicle's launch, despite the new Freelander having been leaked to the media via a brochure weeks in advance.

But the extra controversy may have added to the unveiling, as the fourth new model in just as many years made a triumphant entrance in its first official appearance, showing off a refined new look that doesn't stray far from the marque's improving design DNA.

The new 5-door Freelander 2 is 50mm longer than the model it replaces, has more interior room, features more powerful engine options, new interior designs and takes many styling cues from its older siblings, the Discovery 3 and Range Rover Sport. While most of the body looks like a miniturised version of the larger Land Rover models, the front end and headlights seem to be a rework of the older model, and the result isn't quite as pleasing as the rest of the vehicle. The headlights, in particular, look too similar to the previous model's.

Called the LR2 in the United States, where the Ford-owned company hopes to increase sales, the model's American name suggests that there could be scope for an even smaller 4x4 in the Land Rover garage, possibly the LR1 (the Discovery is called the LR3 in America).

Phil Popham, Land Rover's managing director, was clearly pleased to be launching the new Freelander, singing its praises as he attempted to sell the new car to attending journalists: "LR2 combines the advantages of a premium sedan -- such as polished ride, accomplished performance, an attractive cabin and ease-of-use -- with the attributes of a robust SUV, including go-anywhere ability, toughness, stadium seating, cabin versatility and spaciousness. We believe that no other compact SUV gets closer to blending these best-of-both-worlds abilities."

Yet in regards to the styling of the new vehicle, Land Rover's design director Geoff Upex fails to mention the far-from-dynamic front end, talking up its closer connection with the larger Land Rovers on offer: "We purposely kept strong Land Rover design cues, such as the clamshell bonnet, stepped roof and the basic form. The overall look is new and contemporary. The design is chiseled, geometric and simple -- it looks like it's hewn from the solid. We have kept a close design relationship with the LR3 and Range Rover Sport, but interpreted the design language to suit the requirements of customers for a more compact SUV."

Larger than the vehicle it replaces, the new Freelander/LR2, the new vehicle has everything afforded to a new generation vehicle. To be built at the Halewood plant in Liverpool, England, Land Rover explains that the compact SUV is new from the ground up and will deliver outstanding on-road performance as well as the class-leading off-road ability of a Land Rover. Constructed around a monocoque frame, the British company claims the vehicle has a high level of torsional rigidity, which benefits refinement, comfort and handling on-road as well as ensuring the vehicle is fit for serious off-road use. Furthermore, the suspension is fully independent and uses the most modern stability control systems, including Roll Stability Control (RSC), a driving aid that helps mitigate the risk of roll-over even in extreme conditions says Land Rover.

Based on the same platform as some of Ford's other top sellers, including the Mazda3, Ford Focus, and Volvo S40/V50, the new model is expected to provide sedan-like handling on the road, with its tried-and-tested underpinnings, while still able to scrabble its way through low grip surfaces.

As such, the vehicle is targetted at buyers who want a luxury interior but with a chassis to tackle rough terrain, so the new LR2 has a number of features to improve not just off-road performance, but normal driving and commuting as well, foremost of which is the Terrain Response system. Standard across the range, it's described as "making off-road use easier," which doesn't really explain much. Simply put, Terrain Response consists of a dial that can be switched to a range of different surfaces, such as sand, mud, or asphalt, then adapting the power delivery and handling accordingly. A new permanent all-wheel-drive system has also been employed, for superior traction and better on-road fuel economy says Land Rover, while the patented Gradient Release Control helps to improve driver confidence and control when releasing the brakes on steep and slippery slopes.

Two engine types will offered for the Freelander 2, one petrol and one diesel, though more choices are expected to emerge six to 12 months into the car's life. The most powerful engine offered with the new Freelander will be a punchy 3.2-litre inline 6-cylinder engine, transversely mounted, and borrowed from another Ford subsidiary, Volvo. It outputs a healthy 171kW (230bhp), and is enough to make it a direct rival for BMW's 170kW X3 3.0i, which also features an inline 6-cylinder gasoline power plant.

With a kerb weight expected to be just under 1800kg, the new Freelander 2 with its 6-cylinder engine will allow for a 200km/h top speed, while the 0-100km/h dash will take 8.9 seconds, which is pretty nifty for something of this weight, and though Land Rover hasn't suggest a torque figure, expect it to be more than 300Nm due to the 0-100km/h times. Fuel consumption figures hover around the 11L/100km mark, which is quite respectable, all things considered.

The second engine that Land Rover will dump in the new LR2 is a 2.2-litre 4-cylinder turbo diesel motor, and is expected to be the more popular model in Europe, due to the exorbitant price of gasoline. The 2.2-litre turbo diesel develops 118kW (158bhp) and 400Nm of torque, is capable of reaching 181km/h and will charge from 1-100km/h in 11.7 seconds, while fuel consumption is an impressive 7.5L/100km. Two gearboxes will be offered: the first is a 6-speed manual, which is standard with the diesel-powered model, and a 6-speed automatic transmission. The latter system includes Land Rover's CommandShift system, offering manual sequential gear changes when required, and the auto 'box includes a driver-selectable 'sport' mode for livelier performance.

Land Rover's new entry-level model, as mentioned, is only 50mm longer than the model it replaces, but provides a massive 38% increase in boot space, from 546 litres to 755 litres. But for all the car's new features, high tech driving systems and even the pleasant new look, the new Freelander 2 has a secret weapon that will surely generate plenty of interest among male buyers, and that is the company's No.1 ambassador, tennis ace Maria Sharapova.