LandRover Freelander

1997 September: Details of the long awaited small LandRover, the Freelander, code-name CB40, were released at the Frankfurt Motor Show.

4-door station wagon or 2-door roll-top

loa 4382mm (inc' spare), width 1805mm (2074mm mirrors), height 1757mm wheelbase 2555mm (100.5"); ground clearance 200mm

Engines:

1.8L, petrol, 4-cyl, 4 valve/cyl or

2L 4-cyl turbo-diesel

Transmission front wheel drive with viscous coupling to rear wheels. (No low-ratio)

Suspension independent/ independent by MacPherson struts

The LandRover Freelander is essentially a front wheel drive car with a transverse engine and gearbox. Drive is also taken, via a viscous coupling, to the rear wheels. The rear differential ratio is slightly taller than the front (3.214:1 v. 3.188:1 with the petrol engine) so that some torque is always going through the rear wheels, even in the absence of any wheel slip at the front.

The 1.8 litre K-series petrol engine is shared with the MG-F sports car but here tuned differently. It is really too small, especially compared to the competition which has 2-litres, or more. The 2-litre turbo charged diesel, on the other hand, looks good for economical driving.

1998

LandRover Freelander 1998: bodystyle, 5 seats, 4 doors, driver's airbag

loa 4382mm (inc' spare), width 1805mm (2074mm mirrors), height 1757mm

wheelbase 2555mm (100.5"); ground clearance 200mm

approach 30°, ramp-over 156°, departure 34°

weight 1425kg (unladen), GVM 1960kg (petrol), 2050kg (diesel)

K-series, 1796cc, petrol, 4-cyls, mpfi, 4-valves/cyl, dohc

bore 80mm, stroke 89.3mm, c.r. 10.51

power 84kW (118bhp) at 6000rpm, torque 158 at 2750rpm

L-series, 1994cc, diesel, 4-cyls, direct injection, 4-valves/cyl, sohc

bore 84mm, stroke 88.9mm, c.r. 19.51

power 72kW (96bhp) at 4200rpm, torque 210Nm at 2000rpm

transmission 5-speed manual, the gearbox drives the front wheels directly and the rear wheels through a viscous coupling, no centre differential

suspension MacPherson-strut/MacPherson-strut, brakes disc/disc, ABS on XE models

tyres 195/80R15 on steel 5.5Jx15 std, 195/80R15 on alloy 5.5Jx15 (5 door XE), 215/65R16 on alloy 6Jx16 (3 door XE) or 225/55R17 on alloy 7Jx17 (accesory), fuel tank 59L

also available as 3-door 4-seats, 1425kg, softback version has removable rear roof

insurance rating NRMA 16 points

prices 3-door softback i $27,950, XEi $31,950, hardback XEi $33,450, 5-door wagon i $30,950, XEi $34,950, di $32,950, XEdi $36,950;
options (all models) air-con $2000,
options 5-door i/di ABS+ETC+HDC+air-con $3,800 ($au 1998)

competition Subaru Forester, Toyota RAV4

V6 & Td4

2000 August: A revised LandRover Freelander was released in the UK with a choice between a 2.5-litre V6 petrol engine, and a Td4 2-litre direct-injection diesel. The V6 (as in the Rover 75) develops 130kW at 6500rpm and 240Nm at 4000rpm. It can be had with a 5-speed automatic transmission with sport mode and Steptronic control. The Td4 is a 2-litre, 16-valve, direct injection engine, with "common rail" injection.

2001 February: 3-Door Softback V6 auto SE $37,950, 3-Door Softback V6 auto ES $41,950, 5-Door Wagon V6 auto SE $39,950, 5-Door Wagon V6 auto ES $43,950, 5-Door Wagon Td4 manual SE $39,950, 5-Door Wagon Td4 auto SE $41,950 ($au 2/2001).

2001

2003 August: The Freelander got the overlapping head-lights of the new LandRover "look", as on the current Range Rover and Discovery.

8/2003

Freelander 2, 2006

July 2006: The all new Freelander 2 has grown by 200kg v. the previous model -- as cars almost always do.

ground clearance 210mm, wading 0.5m.

petrol

3.2 litre, straight-6 (I6), 171kW, 240Nm, 11.2L/100km claimed.

diesel

2.2 litre, 4-cyl, turbocharged, 118kW @ 4000rpm, 400Nm @ 2000rpm, 7.5L/100km claimed.

6-speed automatic in .au. (and manual transmission UK?).

5-star European NCAP European NCAP.

price from au$50K (SEi6).

2007 July: The Freelander 2 is on sale in .au.

SE, I6 $50K; HSE, Td4 $58K ($au).