Land Rover has been saying it will bring its entry-level Freelander to North America for some time, and it looks like they're about to make good on that threat this fall.
The Ford-owned British firm has delayed the arrival of the $43,000 (or thereabouts) SUV for some time while it struggled to get the quality levels to something North Americans might accept. Apparently, the people who shop in this category are far more discerning about quality than are the folks who buy the more expensive and highly questionable Range Rover and Discovery II models or Europeans in general.
History would suggest we'll see more of the same poor quality from Land Rover, but it's also impossible to over-estimate the importance of the company's new boss on how things might work out.
Land Rover chairman and chief executive Bob Dover is a highly respected car guy, having developed the XK-series for Jaguar before moving on to turn Aston-Martin around for Ford. Presumably, Dover wouldn't bring the Freelander to market if it weren't ready.
Dover calls Freelander a new, small, premium sport-utility targeted at driving enthusiasts. "The new Freelander will create and define the premium small sport-utility segment in the same way Range Rover helped establish the luxury sport-utility segment when it was launched in North America."
Dover expects that Freelander will nearly double Land Rover sales in North America next year because it's lower-priced and because, "With its capability on any road, it will speak to people who know and use sport-utility vehicles. It will appeal to customers who appreciate light and quick European handling along with true go-anywhere capability."
Freelander will be offered as a 5-door model and should carry a price below $45,000. It depends upon how Ford of Canada decides to equip and price it.
There's also the possibility that Ford will launch a 3-door Freelander model in North America at a later date.
"In keeping with the fundamental Land Rover values of engineering integrity and fit-for-purpose design," Dover explains, "Freelander's styling has evolved from a very carefully considered basic package that combines a roomy and versatile cabin layout with a rugged, all-wheel-drive chassis configuration that is exceptionally capable on- or off-road."
Land Rover's tradition is left behind on another front, however, as Freelander will be the first vehicle in the company's history to combine unibody construction with a fully independent suspension.
"This approach was chosen with consideration to the vehicle's size, which is smaller than previous Land Rovers." Dover says the result is an "ideal combination of ride and handling both on- and off-road. The basis of the suspension is a MacPherson-type strut arrangement for each wheel, with steel subframes mounted rigidly to the body at the front and rear."
For those few folks who might actually take Freelander over something more challenging than the country club's gravel drive, Dover says "Generous amounts of wheel travel are provided: 180 mm at the front and 204 mm at the rear.
Dover points out, however, that if you look underneath a Freelander "one could easily think that this robust vehicle has a separate frame. There are substantial longitudinal box-section rails running the length of the vehicle, tied together and to the floorpan by no less than eight integral crossmembers similar to the ladder-frame construction beneath other Land Rover models. The structure above the floorpan is equally strong."
Dover claims "this focus on structural rigidity allows Freelander to shrug off the most severe operating stresses and strains. Measured on a torsional test rig, the five-door Freelander is impressive: it requires nearly 13,000 pound-feet of twisting force to generate just one degree of deflection across its wheelbase."
The engine for the North American Freelander is Land Rover's KV6 engine, a 2.5-liter, 24-valve, DOHC V6. Final power numbers have not been established, but Dover is estimating something like 175 horsepower and 177 pound-feet of torque.
This engine will be mated to a Jatco 5-speed Steptronic automatic (aka a manu-matic) transmission that Dover says "offers either the smooth ease of an automatic or the responsive precision of a 5-speed manual shifter."
All Freelanders sold in North America will also feature permanent all-wheel drive; a centre viscous coupling unit (VCU) similar to that of Range Rover; four-wheel Electronic Traction Control (4ETC), Land Rover's patented Hill Descent Control (HDC); and an all-terrain Anti-lock Braking System (ABS).
"No other vehicle in the segment offers this level of innovation," Dover claims. Time will tell if Freelander offers the same level of quality as other vehicles in the segment.
The Ford-owned British firm has delayed the arrival of the $43,000 (or thereabouts) SUV for some time while it struggled to get the quality levels to something North Americans might accept. Apparently, the people who shop in this category are far more discerning about quality than are the folks who buy the more expensive and highly questionable Range Rover and Discovery II models or Europeans in general.
History would suggest we'll see more of the same poor quality from Land Rover, but it's also impossible to over-estimate the importance of the company's new boss on how things might work out.
Land Rover chairman and chief executive Bob Dover is a highly respected car guy, having developed the XK-series for Jaguar before moving on to turn Aston-Martin around for Ford. Presumably, Dover wouldn't bring the Freelander to market if it weren't ready.
Dover calls Freelander a new, small, premium sport-utility targeted at driving enthusiasts. "The new Freelander will create and define the premium small sport-utility segment in the same way Range Rover helped establish the luxury sport-utility segment when it was launched in North America."
Dover expects that Freelander will nearly double Land Rover sales in North America next year because it's lower-priced and because, "With its capability on any road, it will speak to people who know and use sport-utility vehicles. It will appeal to customers who appreciate light and quick European handling along with true go-anywhere capability."
Freelander will be offered as a 5-door model and should carry a price below $45,000. It depends upon how Ford of Canada decides to equip and price it.
There's also the possibility that Ford will launch a 3-door Freelander model in North America at a later date.
"In keeping with the fundamental Land Rover values of engineering integrity and fit-for-purpose design," Dover explains, "Freelander's styling has evolved from a very carefully considered basic package that combines a roomy and versatile cabin layout with a rugged, all-wheel-drive chassis configuration that is exceptionally capable on- or off-road."
Land Rover's tradition is left behind on another front, however, as Freelander will be the first vehicle in the company's history to combine unibody construction with a fully independent suspension.
"This approach was chosen with consideration to the vehicle's size, which is smaller than previous Land Rovers." Dover says the result is an "ideal combination of ride and handling both on- and off-road. The basis of the suspension is a MacPherson-type strut arrangement for each wheel, with steel subframes mounted rigidly to the body at the front and rear."
For those few folks who might actually take Freelander over something more challenging than the country club's gravel drive, Dover says "Generous amounts of wheel travel are provided: 180 mm at the front and 204 mm at the rear.
Dover points out, however, that if you look underneath a Freelander "one could easily think that this robust vehicle has a separate frame. There are substantial longitudinal box-section rails running the length of the vehicle, tied together and to the floorpan by no less than eight integral crossmembers similar to the ladder-frame construction beneath other Land Rover models. The structure above the floorpan is equally strong."
Dover claims "this focus on structural rigidity allows Freelander to shrug off the most severe operating stresses and strains. Measured on a torsional test rig, the five-door Freelander is impressive: it requires nearly 13,000 pound-feet of twisting force to generate just one degree of deflection across its wheelbase."
The engine for the North American Freelander is Land Rover's KV6 engine, a 2.5-liter, 24-valve, DOHC V6. Final power numbers have not been established, but Dover is estimating something like 175 horsepower and 177 pound-feet of torque.
This engine will be mated to a Jatco 5-speed Steptronic automatic (aka a manu-matic) transmission that Dover says "offers either the smooth ease of an automatic or the responsive precision of a 5-speed manual shifter."
All Freelanders sold in North America will also feature permanent all-wheel drive; a centre viscous coupling unit (VCU) similar to that of Range Rover; four-wheel Electronic Traction Control (4ETC), Land Rover's patented Hill Descent Control (HDC); and an all-terrain Anti-lock Braking System (ABS).
"No other vehicle in the segment offers this level of innovation," Dover claims. Time will tell if Freelander offers the same level of quality as other vehicles in the segment.
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