23 Jun 06
The all-new Freelander 2 is the fourth new model to be launched by the Land Rover in as many years, following in the wake of the Range Rover, Discovery 3 and the Range Rover Sport.
It will be shown to the public for the first time at July's British International Motor Show in London and will go on sale in the UK in November. Prices will be announced closer to the on-sale date, but are expected to be a little more than the current model and on a par with rivals such as the Toyota RAV4 - meaning prices ranging from about £20,000 to a high-end of £30K.
The Freelander 2 is based on a stretched version of the platform that underpins the Ford Focus, Mazda 3 and Volvo S40/V50. A sister Volvo model, badged the XC50, will follow. Freelander will be built at the PAG factory in Halewood, Liverpool.
The Freelander 2 will only be offered in five-door form; the three-door and soft-top versions of the old model will not be replaced, neither will the commercial van version.
Engines available are a Volvo-sourced 3.2-litre six-cylinder petrol and a 2.2-litre common-rail turbo diesel engine produced in conjunction with PSA Peugeot-Citroen. The petrol is available only as an automatic and the diesel will be launched with a six-speed manual gearbox, with an automatic option arriving early 2007.
The Freelander 2 follows the original Freelander, which was launched in 1997 (revised in 2003). Underlining how crucial this model is, the Freelander was the best selling 4x4 in the UK every year up until 2005.
