Topic: 2007 Land Rover Freelander

[Bullet Blue]

2007 Land Rover Freelander
PHOTOGRAPHY BY HANS G. LEHMANN/HIDDEN IMAGE
November 2005
Ford-owned Land Rover is preparing to launch the redesigned 2007 Freelander. The photo here shows the final shape of the SUV on a virtually undisguised prototype. The Freelander will be bigger, wider, longer, and more upmarket than the current model.

The prototype reveals a wider track and flared wheel arches. The extra height between the bodywork and the wheels shows that the Freelander is riding on an all-new platform. That platform is Ford’s C1, which is a reworked version of what can be found underneath the European-market Focus, the Volvo S40/V50, and the Mazda3.

In accordance with the increased width, the Freelander is expected to switch to a transversely mounted inline six-cylinder engine, expected to be either a 2.8- or 3.0-liter sourced from Volvo. A standard six-speed manual transmission will be sourced from Ford; an automatic transmission will be optional.

The Freelander will be available only as a five-door model; the three-door model has been abandoned.

Source: Car and Driver

[X-Traction]

This is obviously a Theta.

[gta_driver]

Volvo is supposed to get a small SUV too.

According to  all the chatter on many different Land Rover owner forums, this Freelander is supposed to me more off a softroader than an offroader, which will turn off many long time Land Rover owners.

I wish they bring the diesel version of the Freelander to Canada.

[robarakira]

The back reminds me of an Escape.

[safristi]

..TO WHERE!!!!...?.....

[mdxtasy]

Volvo is supposed to get a small SUV too.

According to  all the chatter on many different Land Rover owner forums, this Freelander is supposed to me more off a softroader than an offroader, which will turn off many long time Land Rover owners.

I wish they bring the diesel version of the Freelander to Canada.

I agree that going the conventional route will turn off the hardcore Land Rover fanatics.  But, that might bring in more people to the brand.  The sad reality is, most of these things are purchased to run on city streets, and in that respect, the LR is easily outclassed by cheaper alternatives.  The small size of the Freelander makes it an attractive sell to a lot of families, but when they go for a test ride, a lot of them may be surprised that such an expensive 'foreign' SUV rides so rough on the streets.  They turn to the CRV, XTrail, Tuscon and RAV4 alternatives.  This strategy might bring people back....but then again, might turn current LR owners away.  You can't please everybody.....

[sirAQUAMAN64]

That does look Escape-ish, but also very Freelander.

If it's not capable off-road, it's really a joke to me. That's what the image of L-R is. That and the luxury that goes along with the rugged off-road-ness.

[Bullet Blue]