New Freelander 8: reborn icon looks like a Land Rover but has a Chinese heart
We get the scoop on Chery’s upcoming Freelander 8, which is blazing a trail for a whole new SUV brand
Freelander 8 is coming to the UK, and it’ll arrive some time in the second half of next year. But don’t, whatever you do, call it a Land Rover, as this isn’t a new, low-cost entry into the iconic British company’s range. Instead, this is a licensing deal between Land Rover and Chery.
P.B Balaji, Land Rover CEO, recently clarified this relationship to Auto Express, saying: “From a design perspective, we’ll take ownership of it, but thereafter in terms of engineering, manufacturing and of course selling it, it’s Chery’s car, and we wish them well on that.”
The reason the model will be designed in the UK is simple. Balaji continued: “Our role is ensuring that the design is in sync with what JLR stands for.” Freelander isn’t just one new vehicle, either, but an entire family, with each embodying the iconic design traits from the original Freelander that arrived in the nineties.
These new Freelander models won’t be sold through existing Land Rover dealers, but they will be cheaper than the Land Rover Defender and Land Rover Discovery; Balaji insists they won’t directly compete against one another. So while no UK pricing has been announced, the first Freelander 8 model will be positioned under the Defender, which costs from around £60,000.
What is a Freelander 8 and how does it differ from Land Rovers we know?
The Freelander 8 is positioned at the upper end of the Freelander range, and therefore is not a small SUV. At 5.1 metres, it’s around 350mm longer than a Defender 110 without the spare wheel attached, and offers masses of space inside for up to six people. Other, smaller models will also arrive in time – next up will be a shorter two-row model.
It’s tall, too, and rides on a flexible architecture developed by Chery, which is used across various models. The Freelander 8 won’t need to meet the incredibly high metrics for torsional rigidity and off-road stiffness usually required of a Land Rover, but we have been told by Chery company representatives that it’ll have both centre and rear locking differentials and still offer impressive capability. This will also include the use of height-adjustable air-suspension, but other off-roading tech, such as anti-roll bars that can be decoupled, is still to be confirmed.
The plug-in hybrid powertrain features Chery-derived technology, rather than the expensive units found under the bonnets of UK-built Land Rovers and Range Rovers. This will include Chery’s PHEV arrangement that uses a small 1.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine largely as a generator to feed two electric motors.
Chery actually already produces a range of off-roader models called iCar in its home market, and these feature up to 451bhp in their top-spec format, with electric power drawn from a 34.3kWh battery pack. All-electric range is anyone’s guess, but even with such a big body, we expect a figure to rival that of the Defender – the 110 PHEV has a WLTP range of up to 30 miles.
We don’t quite yet know how these e-motors physically work in conjunction with the centre and rear locking differentials, but we’ll learn more closer to its international launch later this year. Battery-electric models are not currently planned, but this could change.
What does the new Freelander look and feel like in the flesh?
In the flesh, the new Freelander is an imposing character; it’s not just longer than a Defender, but also taller and wider. Compared with the Concept 97, the Freelander 8 retains many of that car’s key styling traits. Items such as new production-specific headlights look blocky and futuristic, without losing the Freelander’s connection to the more overtly off-road derived Defender.
In fact, in overseas markets, the headlights will incorporate two small screens that act both as daytime running lights and points of information for road users. These are unlikely to pass EU regulations, however. Another clever trick are the doors, which feature inset windows and run all the way up and over the bodyside. This doesn’t just remove a part line, but also increases the opening size of the door.
Other elements, such as the split rear-quarter window and large wheels, also mess with its scale, but one key differentiator will be the bold wheelarches and black rear section of the roof. These will always be finished in a high-gloss black, contrasting against two optional matt-finish colours. There will be a total of eight hues offered, including some lurid choices such as lime green and bright purple.
What’s it like inside?
As with the exterior, the cabin has been designed by Land Rover and the layout is all new to the brand. A full-width screen sits by the junction of the windscreen and dashboard, with the steering wheel flattened at its top to allow for visibility.
The panel will run a new digital interface developed by Chery, powered by a Chinese-based software system within the full-width display, plus a central touchscreen for most commands.
Unlike many Chinese-market models, there are also some physical controls below the main screen, but should these models make it to Europe, we could still see some tweaks to the overall layout and interface. Beyond this, the cabin feels optimised for the Chinese market, such as the option of a large roof-mounted screen for the second row, captain’s chairs in the second row and lots of vibrant ambient lighting.
As well as the eight colour options, the Freelander 8 will also be available with six interiors, with differing leather and dash colours ranging from black, brown, purple and beige. With each of these the trim elements will also vary.
No seven-seater option will be available, though, because the Freelander 8 will have captain’s chairs in the second row and then two in the third row. We wouldn’t be surprised to see a switch to a more traditional middle bench when the car eventually makes it to the UK. Space inside is vast, which isn’t surprising given the huge exterior dimensions, but the boot behind the third row is a little tight. Access is through a traditional top-hinged tailgate with a wiper hidden away in the upper shroud.
Why is Land Rover entering into a joint venture with Chery?
This collaboration leverages the individual strengths of the two companies; Jaguar Land Rover’s design expertise, and Chery’s advances in battery and platform technology. JLR insists that Freelander will be a standalone marque, distinct from the maker’s ‘House of Brands’, which currently includes Range Rover, Defender and Discovery.
This does complicate matters somewhat for Land Rover, though, as the size and scale of these new Freelander models will be comparable to not just one, but two of its own home-grown ‘pillars’. Defender is potentially one, but as it already has a solid footing in the market, it shouldn’t be too badly affected.
Discovery is more difficult. Land Rover has confirmed it will be relaunching the brand “sooner rather than later”, and that it needs to be given a clear identity from other JLR models. However if that planned identity is more space and tech for less money, it could wind up competing directly with Chery’s Freelander sub-brand.
During the Concept 97’s global reveal, Freelander global CEO Wen Fei, said: “In 2024, JLR and Chery signed a strategic cooperation agreement, establishing our commitment to deploy a new brand, adopt a new model, and wage a new campaign on the global stage.
“Freelander shall stand as an independent brand in its own right, to bear a new mission for a new era. [It will] address a new generation of discerning customers and take its rightful place at the pinnacle of global premium.
“To precisely address the demand of global markets, we have established a product roadmap that is as ambitious as it is capable of delivery,” Fei added.
“This is not a blueprint to be admired from a distance, but a declaration to the world: Freelander will conquer every market with the most formidable product capability on earth.
“Beginning in 2026, we will introduce a matrix of all-new models over five years, spanning large and full-size SUV segments, each endowed with SUV capability and compatible with extended-range, plug-in hybrid and pure-electric powertrains. This breadth is designed to serve the diverse needs of markets across the globe. Our inaugural model will make its world debut in China in the second half of this year.
“Thereafter a new model will follow every six months; a relentless cadence of innovation designed to ignite global markets and establish Freelander as the defining leader in premium SUVs for the new-energy era,” he said.
Prices and market positioning for the new Freelander haven’t been announced for the Chinese market – aside from the fact the brand will operate in the “premium” space. Historically, the Freelander name has been attached to affordable, go-anywhere SUVs, suggesting the new model should undercut the current Defender, which starts from around £60,000.
Of course, exchange rates and export costs would see a significant premium placed on local prices in China for the UK and Europe.
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