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This is the new soon to be released Land Rover Freelander. The above photo is at it's official launch at the Frankfurt Motor Show. I can't tell you much about the Freelander as it isn't available to buy yet. You've got to wait until January 1st 1998 before you can do that. I can tell you that I have seen a Freelander on the road. The first time was when myself and some friends were visiting the British Motor Industry Heritage Trust at Gaydon. We saw one driving in the opposite direction on the road leading to the Trust. We believe it was headed for a Rover factory which is next door to the Trust.
I've also seen a red Freelander in Bristol where I live. I've seen it twice now, both times in roughly the same area. The first time it had red and white number plates on it like the ones used by garages (perhaps it's being used as a demo vehicle) I didn't notice the second time I saw it, but I'll update this page if I find out more.
The Freelander is significantly different to any vehicle previously built by Land Rover. To start with, it is the first Land Rover not to have a separate chassis and bodyshell, but instead uses a monocoque bodyshell. Also the suspension system doesn't have two live axles, but is a fully independant wishbone suspension system. A huge difference with the Freelander is that it doesn't use a high/low ratio transfer gearbox like traditional Land Rover's. The transfer box is used to descend/ascend steep inclines, it lowers the gear ratios low enough so that the engine can be used to do all the braking when descending steep inclines.
If you used the brakes while descending a steep incline which was slippery in a traditional Land Rover you would run the risk of sliding out of control down the slope and possibly having an accident. So if the Freelander doesn't have a transfer box to allow you to use engine braking to descend steep slopes, how do you do it with a normal gearbox? Well the Freelander has ABS brakes fitted as standard and a button marked something like "Hill Descend". What this button does is pulse the ABS brakes for you automatically so that you can descend a slope at a safe and constant speed. |
