The Freelander was chunky, rugged and stylish, largely thanks to the considerable talent of designer Gerry McGovern. But, of course, being a home-grown model, it had been created on a tight budget, with Land Rover being part of the Rover Group back then – and so it was natural to parts-share with passenger cars wherever possible. Engines were therefore supplied by Rover: the hi-tech 1.8-litre K-series petrol, and the older 2.0-litre L-Series turbo-diesel. Gearboxes were Honda-derived, albeit mated to all-wheel drive running gear.
Many parts were indeed shared with other models within the Rover Group, and it was this control of costs that helped to make the Freelander possible in the first place. Not only was this a whole new sector of the 4x4 market, but the Freelander also represented a whole new way of engineering a Land Rover. Remember, this was the first Land Rover to be built on a car-like monocoque chassis, albeit one toughened-up to withstand the rigours of off-road use.
And if you think that was it for ingenuity, hold on. For the Freelander came in not one or two body styles, but a big round three. The five-door Station Wagon was the most conventional, but alongside this Land Rover offered three-door Softback and Hardback models. And, unusually, all three were the same length and shared the same wheelbase, with the three-door differing in rear roof aft of that distinctive sloping rear panel, as well as in tailgate design.
To continue reading this feature, grab a copy of the September 2010 issue of 4x4 Mart - on sale at all good newsagents or via www.4x4mart.co.uk
