Land Rover Freelander

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Land Rover Freelander
2008 Land Rover LR2 (US)
Manufacturer Land Rover
Parent company BMW 1996–2000
Ford 2000–2008
Tata Motors 2008–present
Production 1996–present
Class Compact crossover SUV
Layout Transversely mounted, front engine, four-wheel drive

The Land Rover Freelander is a compact SUV made by the British company Land Rover; a subsidiary of Tata Motors. The current generation is sold as the LR2 in North America, as opposed to Freelander 2 in Europe.

Contents

[edit] Freelander: The first generation

First generation
2002–2003 Land Rover Freelander 4-door (US)
Production 1996–2006
Assembly Solihull, Birmingham
Rayong, Thailand
Body style(s) 3-door SUV
5-door SUV
Engine(s) 1.8L K-Series 136 hp (101 kW) I4
2.5L KV6 174 hp (130 kW) V6 2.0L Td4 Diesel
Transmission(s) 5-speed automatic
5-speed manual
Wheelbase 101.0 in (256.5 cm)
Length 2002–2003 5-Door: 175.0 in (444 cm)
3-Door: 175.1 in (445 cm)
2004–2005 5-Door: 174.1 in (442.2 cm)
Width 2004–2005: 71.2 in (180.8 cm)
2002–2003: 71.1 in (181 cm)
Height 2004–2005 5-Door: 72.0 in (182.9 cm)
3-Door: 71.2 in (181 cm)
2002–2003 5-Door: 69.2 in (176 cm)

The Freelander, wholly designed with Land Rover owned by the Rover Group, was born after market research in the late 1980s suggested 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 (after Canley Building 40, where the concept was initially developed). Rover's then-partner Honda declined and chose to develop its own CR-V model, which launched in 1997.

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. Although BMW took over Rover Group in 1994, they did not get heavily involved in the development of the Freelander. The car was launched in 1997. It became Europe's best-selling four-wheel drive model until 2002.[citation needed] The last Freelanders in North America were sold as 2005 models.

[edit] Model variations

[original research?]

2004-2006 Freelander Sport 3-door

There were a variety of models, based around 5-door estate and 3-door softback (semi-convertible), hardback, and commercial (van-like) versions. In 2004, Land Rover introduced an improved and upgraded version of the Mark I; changes included a new interior and major external revisions, including a new face and rear.

The 3-door model was available in E, S, SE, Sport and Sport Premium trim and the 5-door model in available in E, S, SE, HSE, Sport and Sport Premium trim.

[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.

Freelander K-series engines have been known to drop the cylinder liners into the block. Because the liners are steel and the block is alloy, the liners being harder, work their way into the block. This is due to the engine block and cylinder head being composed of different materials that expand at different rates with heat generated during running of the vehicle. This can cause the head gasket to fail. The head gasket/cylinder liner design fault has not been classified as a recall.

[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 Land Rover stable mates, 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.

Lack of the MG Rover K18 and KV6 engines after the death of the MG Rover lead Land Rover to discontinue the model after 2006 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) 5-door SUV
Platform Ford EUCD platform
Engine(s) 3.2L i6 Petrol
2.2L Td4 Diesel
Transmission(s) 6-speed automatic
6-speed manual
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)
Curb weight 3,902 lb (1,770 kg)
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 litre I6 engine of the Volvo SI6 series, which first debuted in the new Volvo S80, as well as the 2.2 litre DW12 common rail turbodiesel engine, co-developed by Ford and PSA.

Unlike previous Land Rovers, this car would 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 as standard.[2] 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 4WD system was developed in conjunction with Haldex. It uses Haldex's Third generation coupling.

2007 interior.

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 inch wheels. A Volvo 230 hp (170 kW) 3.2 litre 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 windscreen, heated front seats with two heating levels and heated windscreen 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] Freelander 2 TD4_e

The Freelander TD4_e marks the first SUV in Britain with stop-start technology that improves fuel economy and reduces carbon emissions.

The "e" means the vehicle is part of Land Rover's "e_Terrain Technologies", which is its green, environmentally friendly programme. Eventually, e_Terrain Technologies will give birth to a diesel hybrid production model. Currently the "e" signals a stop/start system, which means the engine cuts out when the vehicle is stationary, neutral is selected and the clutch engaged, and starts again when the clutch pedal is depressed.[3]

The Stop/Start system will be available from spring 2009 on all Freelander 2 TD4 models.

[edit] References

  1. ^ Engine choices available in 2001. landyonline.co.za, 2001, Retrieved 27 April 2007
  2. ^ European report on Freelander safety
  3. ^ Land Rover Freelander TD4_e launch of the first of its low-emissions initiatives

[edit] External links

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