New Freelander

[GDIzen]

Freelander Opens Up A New Front

 

 

ith new rivals appearing on the horizon, it looked as if the road ahead was rocky for the Land Rover Free-lander. But Britain's best-selling 4x4 is getting tough, with a fresh face, a tidier rear and an all-new interior. These are exclusive first pictures of the revamped off-roader, which is set to arrive in showrooms from November.

 

Now meaner than ever, the Free-lander's nose sports distinctive dual beam headlamps and bold black trim. It's all part of giving Land Rover's entry- level SUV the family look that graces the luxury Range Rover and hard-working Discovery. However, this change isn't simply cosmetic - the new units offer better visibility, with a 70 per cent increase in light intensity.

 

There's also a controversial new model. Pictured here is the Sport version, and it's seen as an acknowledgement by Land Rover that its cars might never be taken off-road by their owners. The Sport comes with 18-inch alloy wheels as standard, while the suspension has been lowered by 30mm and the springs have been firmed up to reduce body roll and improve feedback.

 

Richard Woolley, studio director of design at Land Rover, said: "People's expectations are greater now. Although it's an SUV, they demand car-like driving dynamics." But despite the loss of ride height, bosses are adamant the Sport is still almost as capable off-road as any other model in the range.

Although this is the more obviously road-going version of the compact mud-plugger, all Freelanders will get the same styling revisions as the Sport. The reshaped bumpers are now colour-coded, while the tail-lights are set higher up than before for better visibility. Woolley added: "As soon as the units on the last car got a bit muddy, they weren't as visible."

 

The interior was arguably the weakest feature of the outgoing Freelander, but quality has certainly been improved. Flashes of brushed aluminum in the centre console ape the style of the flagship Range Rover. Woolley told us: "Ergonomically, there were some issues with the old Freelander. Some of the switchgear wasn't particularly easy to use, so that has been changed."

 

New dials, controls and door trims give a modern, upmarket feel, while the seats get better side and under-thigh support. But despite all the changes, the engine line-up remains the same. Buyers still have the choice of the 1.8 and 2.5-litre V6 K-Series petrol units borrowed from Rover, along with the BMW-sourced 2.0-litre Td4 oil-burner.

 

Power is transmitted via either a five-speed manual or automatic transmission, with the latter being the only option for the V6. Three or five-door bodystyles also remain. Prices have yet to be announced, but the facelifted car is expected to be slightly more expensive than the model it replaces.

 

If the changes aren't quite dramatic enough for you, an all-new Freelander will make its debut late in 2005. Gavin Ward

[Accenture]

looks sui man...

[S2P2]

more like a face lift only leh

[GDIzen]

Interior...

[Accenture]

yummy...but sure gonna be expensive when it arrives here...