Freelander Is Back

This new Freelander brand has me flummoxed. Is it Chinese. Is it British? It features British design led by Land Rover with Chery engineering and technology. So that already says to me more Chinese input than British. Does it matter? It may be a sign of things to come. 

The model range: The Freelander 8 is first up, as a large luxury EV SUV, carrying only the Freelander name. More models will be coming along at a rapid clip, with several expected over the next four years. 

The new Model 8 size: It is a large, three-row SUV, 5,100 mm in length, seating up to seven people. 

Power: It comes with a dual-motor all-wheel-drive system producing a combined 610 kW (818 horsepower) and 813 Nm of torque. It uses a 60 kWh battery and a 1.5-litre turbocharged engine used as a generator, offering about 200 km of electric range. It also has an 800V architecture. 

Release: Deliveries are already taking place in China with 5,000 firm orders within 12 hours of official launch. An international brand rollout is also happening. Right-hand drive configurations are engineered for international markets, with regional rollouts confirmed for markets like Australia and the UK, although for the UK, for example, it's a late 2027 expected ETA.  

Likely sales success: Early indications are it will be a strong selling marque. It won't be making it to the USA, but there is enough world out there to keep production lines moving.