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Comments
My main concern is safety and stability.
Chuck:
It will be interesting to see how the price points of the Freelander overlap with that of the Jeep Liberty. A loaded Liberty is about 27.8K and a loaded Freelander will be approx 32K....Interesting to see if they get crossed shopped by a lot of people besides myself.
DC isn't targeting 100,000 Liberty sales... DC isn't targeting 125, 000 or 150,000 for that matter... They are targeting 250,000 as the sales figure for Liberty's...Yes, you heard it right 250,000. Plans are already underway to add a third shift to the brand new TNAP assembly line in January of 2002. This is all from DC themselves.
It doesn't matter that the old Cherokee sold a Max of 150,000 per year, DC believes that this vechicle so superior, it will out sell the Tribute, Escape, CR-V and Freelander. Heck, they are basically betting it'll sell as well as the full sozed Grand Cherokee.
Any word of safety features in the Freelander? I think that will wind up being the major factor in my choice.
The center-stack areas of these vehicles are so modest that you can easily scoot from the driver’s seat to the passenger’s seat. Very nice. The CR-V was as comfy as my Honda Civic, which is cavernous inside.
Unfortunately, the Freelander display model was locked up, so I could not climb inside. But the pictures offered by this forum (thank you) show an elaborate center stack (the area where the console meets the dash).
Can someone report on how the Freelander fits? Is there room for one’s right foot to roam? Does one’s left knee bang into the area for the power-window switches?
Thanks.
P.S. The Jeep Liberty might be a dandy vehicle, but it sure is goofy looking. The Freelander may be a bit plain, but the designers kept it masculine and functional looking. Studly, but without being a poseur (read Xterra).
Thanks for the good news.
How would you say the knee and ankle roominess compares with other SUVs you have been in?
Do you find other SUVs cramped, or am I alone on this one?
This may be a small issue with some people, but for me at least, if I don't have a place to put my limbs, I just can't be comfortable.
Any ideas about the expected dependability for this pseudo-first-year car? How about expected mileage?
Thanks again,
"ankleroom"
http://www.imarketingnews.com/cgi-bin/artprevbot.cgi?article_id=15331&dest=article
20,000 as a goal for the US market huh? Those will sell out by January.
Since the car is being ordered, will Fords A plan or X plan be applicable or will none of the plans be applied to Land Rover?
Are the colors LR will use for the Freelander the same colors LR uses for Discovery and Range Rovers? I am hoping I can look at existing cars to see which color I like the best.
Tincup, thank you for the information on the cup holders, it makes me feel better knowing they are not just on the door.
I really appreciate you spending the time to come here and answer our questions and provide details as they are released. It is nice to know LR employees have such loyalty.
Thanks!
Jackie
Configure a vehicle and then go to a dealer to find out how much it'll cost...What a revolutionary concept in....possibly gouging a customer.
Over on the CR-V Board they are discussing the CR-V versus the Freelander. Chuck, you ought to go check that out.
Land Rover Freelander
CONSTRUCTION
Welded steel monocoque body.
Two longitudinal box-section rails located by integral crossmembers and box-section outriggers mounted to side sills.
Front and rear subframes.
Zinc-coated (galvanized) steel body panels.
ENGINE
Type: 24-valve DOHC V6 with Variable Induction System (VIS).
Construction: Cast aluminum-alloy cylinder heads and block.
Wet cast-iron cylinder liners.
Displacement: 2.5 liters (152 cu. in./2497 cc).
Bore x stroke: 3.15 in. x 3.27 in. (80 mm x 83 mm).
Compression ratio: 10.5:1
Horsepower @ rpm: 175 @ 6,250 rpm
Torque @ rpm: 177 lb-ft @ 4,000 rpm
Engine management: Siemens 2000
Fuel management: Sequential fuel injection.
Ignition: Direct ignition.
Alternator output: 120 amp.
Fuel requirements: Regular unleaded 87 octane minimum.
Fuel tank capacity: 15.6 U.S. gallons (59 liters).
SUSPENSION & STEERING
Front: Independent. MacPherson struts, lower arms, coil springs, anti-sway bar.
Rear: Independent. MacPherson struts, trapezoidal links, coil springs.
Steering type: Power-assisted rack-and-pinion.
Turns lock-to-lock: 3.2
Turning circle: 38.0 ft. (11.6 m).
DRIVETRAIN
Drive system: All-wheel drive with center viscous coupling
and four-wheel Electronic Traction Control (4ETC).
Transmission: Jatco five-speed Steptronic automatic with intermediate reduction drive and locking torque converter.
Gear ratios: First 3.47:1
Second 1.95:1
Third 1.25:1
Fourth 0.85:1
Fifth 0.69:1
Reverse 2.71:1
Final-drive ratio: 3.66:1
BRAKES
Power-assisted front disc and rear drum brakes.
10.9-inch (277-mm) front disc/10.0-inch (254-mm) rear drum.
Dual hydraulic circuit with front/rear split.
Four-channel, all-terrain Anti-lock Braking System (ABS).
Electronic Brake Distribution (EBD).
Hill Descent Control (HDC).
Parking brake operates on rear drums.
STANDARD WHEELS & TIRES
16-inch aluminum alloy wheels.
215/65R-16 radial tires.
Full-size, exterior-mounted spare tire fitted to aluminum alloy wheel.
EXTERIOR DIMENSIONS
Overall length: 175.0 in. (4447 mm)
Overall width: 71.1 in. (1805 mm)
Overall height: 69.2 in. (1757 mm) including roof rails
Wheelbase: 101.0 in. (2557 mm)
Track front/rear: 60.4/60.8 in. (1534/1545 mm)
Loading height: 25.1 in. (638 mm)
Rear opening height: 41.5 in. (1055 mm)
Rear opening width: 42.8 in. (1086 mm)
INTERIOR DIMENSIONS
Seating capacity: Five.
Head room, front/rear: 38.4/38.9 in. (977/988 mm)
Leg room, front/rear: 41.8/36.8 in. (1062/934 mm)
Shoulder room, front/rear: 55.9/53.1 in. (1420/1350 mm)
Usable luggage capacity: 19.1 cu. ft. (0.54 m3) estimate
With rear seat folded: 46.6 cu. ft. (1.32 m3) estimate
Under-floor storage locker: 0.6 cu. ft. (0.02 m3)
OFF-ROAD DIMENSIONS
Ground clearance:
Under front suspension: 7.2 in. (186 mm)
Under rear suspension: 8.4 in. (214 mm)
Under frame: 8.7 in. (220 mm)
Angle of approach: 30.5 degrees
Angle of departure: 33.9 degrees
Ramp breakover angle: 22 degrees (excluded angle)
PAYLOAD & TOWING CAPACITY
Curb weight: 3,444 - 3,585 lb. (1562 - 1626 kg)
Gross Vehicle Weight Rating: 4,541 lb. (2060 kg)
Maximum payload: 1,488 - 1,599 lb. (675 - 725 kg)
Maximum trailer weights:
Trailers without brakes: 1,650 lb. (750 kg)
Trailers with brakes: 4,410 lb. (2000 kg)
The Freelander sounds almost too good to be true. So, what are the negatives?
It seems like almost every significant deficiency has a mitigating factor:
A mite pricier than the other small-utes and mini-utes; but also offers a lot for the money.
Less dependable than Honda and Toyota, but improving.
Less safe than Mercedes and BMW utes, but those are bigger and more expensive and look like minivans..
Less road-worthy than the Mazda Tribute and the luxury utes (or maybe not), but awesome off-road.
No audio controls on the steering wheel (easily fixed aftermarket)
Not the most powerful SUV engine on the market.
It would look better with some kind of composite lower body cladding on the sides.
Maybe the front suspension could be reworked (without lower arms?) to allow more ground clearance.
38-foot turning circle could be better.
38.4 inches of headroom ain’t much, especially if you’re wearing a cowboy hat.
Center stack inhibits pass through from driver’s side to passenger’s side.
Not available in yellow.
Cannot be rinsed out with a water hose.
No convertible top.
No side airbags.
Steering-column-mounted shifter not available, but it does have a mighty cool shifter.
Diesel not available in U.S.A.
No sensor to tell you when you are about to back up over a bike or something.
It is kind-of a first-year model, so there may be bugs to work out.
What else is wrong with the Freelander? Please be petty and idiosyncratic and list every missing feature that a non-luxury ute should have, or that you wish it had. Do you see any actual or potential design flaws?
Thanks.
• I know the Freelander does surprisingly well without a low range. However, I can't help but think it would do even better if it had a low range. Do you think we will ever see a low range offered, even as an option, down the road?
• There have been some rumors that the next Range Rover will have IFS/IRS. That it will essentially have a "beefed up" version of the BMW X-5's suspension. Also rumored, the next RR may also not have a low range. Any truth to these rumors?
Bob
Bob
I have two questions:
1) Is the sales experience very different between LR Centers and mere dealerships? I live near Pittsburgh and there is only a dealership in the area (Ascot Imports). Is it worth traveling to DC or Akron, OH?
2) Will there be Freelanders in the show rooms when on-line ordering becomes available? I would really like to sit in one, maybe even take a drive before buying.
Cheers, John.
Bob
I have driven the Freelander off-road, and while the lack of low range entails different technique, it handles most obstacles the Range Rover and Discovery do.
Land Rover's image is so tied into being able to conquer "any and all" terrain, that by not offering a low range, in the eyes of many, means it's nothing more than an expensive "cute-ute." It may be the best off-road cute-ute there is—but still just a cute-ute, none the less...
Bob
Bob
Granted, though, the Freelander may be a bit more off-road capable than the Audi or Volvo and cost a good bit less than both, I think the three will be cross shopped a lot.
I don't know, it'll require me sitting in one and feeling good about the vehicle and the money I spend. After getting treated like crap at a Jeep dealer last weekend, the game is wide open and customer service will play a huge part in my decision.