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Land Rover Freelander - sounds like Highlander? Land Rover has announced that its much delayed small four wheel drive will be named the Freelander. It will come with options of Rover's 1.8 litre engine, a 2.5 litre V6 or a 2 litre diesel.
The transmission includes full-time four wheel drive but does not have a low ratio. In this regard the Freelander resembles the Toyota RAV4.
Land Rover has also abandoned the traditional four wheel drive's ladder chassis and gone for monocoque construction. Suspension is independent at both ends by Macpherson struts and coil springs.
There are five door and three door Freelanders.
The five door (left) looks very conventional
but the three door (below left) has a curious arrangement where
the rear section (only) of the roof is a
soft-top and can be rolled up.
Prices will start at "under 35,000" (Aus)
and go up to "about 45,000".
For comparison, the basic
Land Rover Discovery,
the
Land Rover may have been stung into releasing details
after many spy-camera pictures were taken, such as those in
Autocar 1 Jan 1997.
Full details of the Freelander range were announced at
the Frankfurt Motor Show, September 1997,
also at
Sydney '97,
and the Freelander is scheduled to go on sale
in early 1998.
- 4wd.sofcom.com/4WD.html - 1997
 Land Rover Freelander - L.R. press photo via Tony Luckwill, LROEC |
