Land Rover design and cutting-edge Chinese technology: the new Freelander 8 confirms its arrival in Europe

The Freelander 8 will arrive in Europe. This new SUV, 5.1 meters long and developed jointly by JLR (Jaguar Land Rover) and Chery (the parent company of brands such as Omoda, Jaecoo, or Lepas, as well as EBRO’s technological partner), has already been available on the Chinese market for some time; however, its arrival in the Old Continent has now been officially confirmed.

Freelander is a new brand created from the name of a popular SUV sold by Land Rover between 1997 and 2014. The brand belongs to JLR, which is also responsible for designing its vehicles. Chery, on the other hand, handles the technical development and production, which takes place in China, as expected.

JLR currently has five brands: Discovery, Defender, Range Rover, Freelander (all part of the Land Rover universe), and Jaguar. Freelander features an international structure comprising over 5,000 employees, five strategic centers, and capabilities that include design, research and development, manufacturing, and global operations. This is a project aimed at leveraging the respective strengths of JLR and Chery.

The Freelander 8 is 5.1 meters long, 2.1 meters wide, and 1.9 meters tall. So far, only one powertrain option has been confirmed: a plug-in hybrid version that combines a 2-liter turbocharged gasoline engine, a 34 kWh LFP (lithium-iron-phosphate) battery, and an intelligent all-wheel drive system. This setup delivers 620 horsepower and 662 Nm of torque, enabling it to accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in 5.8 seconds.

The Freelander 8 is a plug-in hybrid with an electric range of 110 km.

The electric range is 110 km (assumed under the WLTP homologation cycle, but this has not been confirmed yet). It supports fast DC charging, and although its maximum power hasn’t been announced, it takes less than 20 minutes to go from 20% to 80% charge under optimal conditions.

The vehicle is designed to deliver excellent off-road performance. Its i-ATS (Intelligent All-Terrain System) offers up to nine driving modes, including programs tailored for different types of terrain. This is complemented by a dual-chamber air suspension and a ground clearance of up to 266 mm.

The cabin can accommodate up to 6 passengers, while the dashboard features two screens: a 15.6-inch touchscreen for controlling the vehicle’s main functions, and another 46.3-inch panoramic screen with 8K resolution and a width of 1.2 meters. Additionally, passengers in the rear rows have access to a 17.3-inch suspended screen.