Land Rover Freelander 1 Information

Land Rover Freelander 1 information, history and specifcations
Introduced in 1997, The Freelander was first seen at the Frankfurt Motor Show. It was the first compact SUV Land Rover to be produced and went on to become a firm favourite around the world, selling over 540,000 units in its 9-year lifespan.
Designed by Gerry McGovern, who had a clear vision of how the Freelander was to look without detracting from where it came from, it featured Land Rover’s instantly recognisable vertical front end, the ‘command’ drivers seating position, and the straight lines along the side of the vehicle.
The real difference was seen in the Freelander’s overall body and suspension, using a monocoque body and strut suspension like that on modern cars rather than the ladder chassis found on other Land Rover models.
The Freelander’s initial body styles consisted of the 3-door softback and hardback and the 5-door estate. The Freelander came with four different engine options including the 1.8-litre petrol engine, the 2.0-litre diesel, the 2.0-litre diesel TD4, and the 2.5-litre V6. A manual gearbox was fitted as standard with the V6 featuring an automatic Tiptronic-style gearbox, also offered as an option on the TD4 engine too.
Despite the Freelander not having a low-range gear selection, or a locking differential like other Land Rover models, the Freelander’s off-roading capabilities in comparison to its competitors were far superior. The Freelander was renowned for its lively nature and its ability to tackle any terrain using the All-Terrain technologies and the optional Hill Descent Control.
It featured Intermediate Reduction Drive (IRD), which acted as a front differential and fixed ratio transfer, along with the Viscous-Coupling (VCU) that reacts to different rotational speeds of the prop shaft to give the Freelander its all-wheel-drive ability.
In 2004, Land Rover released an improved version of the Freelander 1 that included an upgrade to the interior and exterior, with a new front and rear fascia.
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