Development

In 1988, British Aerospace acquired the Rover Group for £150 million, which allowed resources across Rover brands and Land Rover to be pooled differently, and the idea of developing a smaller Land Rover became more attainable than previously.^[4]

When the board approved the Pathfinder project, it was codenamed CB40 (after Canley Building 40, where the concept was initially developed).^[4]

Launch

Remarkably, the new, compact Land Rover had become almost as long as the original Range Rover, that had been phased out just the year before, and even sported an inch (2.5 cm) longer wheelbase.^[4]

Production

When BMW acquired Rover Group, they terminated the agreement, and instead funded production facilities at Solihull, making use of the Rover SD1 assembly hall which had been inactive in the early 1980s, when Rover car production was moved to Cowley.^[4]

In 2002, Land Rover SA was awarded export contracts to supply 1,000 left-hand drive Defenders to Angola and more than 3,000 right-hand drive Freelanders and Defenders to Australia. This followed the move by the manufacturer to build Freelanders for local distribution at the Ford Motor Company of Southern Africa's Q1, ISO 9001, and ISO 14001 certified assembly plant in Silverton, Pretoria. Paul Melhuish, then Land Rover SA’s sales and marketing director, said: " “From November this year we will commence shipment of approximately 3,000 Freelanders and 216 Defenders to Australia. The Freelander shipments will comprise both TD4 and KV6 models, while the Defender 110 CSW and the Defender 130 double cab models will make up the majority of the Defender sales figures."^[5]

Popularity

The Mk1 Land Rover Freelander was an instant hit and went on to become the biggest-selling four-wheel-drive model in Europe, with over 540,000 units sold over its nine-year lifespan.^[6] The Freelander became Europe's best-selling 4WD vehicle for five consecutive years after launch in 1997; and in 2016 Land Rover embraced it as its 8th 'Heritage vehicle'.^[7]

Model variations

Pre–facelift Land Rover Freelander SE 5-door

Pre–facelift Land Rover Freelander 3-door

There were a variety of models, based around five-door estate and three-door softback (semi-convertible), hardback, and commercial (van-like) versions. In 2004, Land Rover introduced an improved and upgraded version of the Mark I; changes included a new interior and major external revisions, including a new face and rear.

The three-door model was available in E, S, ES, Sport and Sport Premium trim and the five-door model in available in E, S, ES, HSE, Sport and Sport Premium trim.

Engines

Engine choices included:

• 1.8-litre I4 Rover K-series petrol (1997–2006), badged as '1.8i', 'Xi' or 'XEi' (Not sold in North America)
• 2.0-litre I4 Rover L-series diesel (1997–2000), badged as 'Di', 'XDi' or 'XEDi'
• 2.0-litre I4 BMW M47 diesel (2001–2006), badged as 'Td4'
• 2.5-litre V6 Rover KV6 Engine petrol (2001–2006), badged as 'V6'

Manual gearboxes dominated the early models, but automatic Tiptronic-style gearboxes (Jatco JF506E) became increasingly popular and were standard on the V6. The Automatic Tiptronic gearbox was also available as an option on the Td4.

Marketing

The first generation Freelander was marketed as a premium compact 4x4,^[7] and used in the 1998 Camel Trophy and participated in Land Rover's G4 Challenge. The vehicle represented a compromise because it did not have a low-range gear selection, nor a locking differential, as found on larger Land Rover models. This meant that in comparison to other Land Rovers, off-road performance was not as good. In comparison to similar models produced by other manufacturers in the same period of time like the Honda CRV or the Toyota RAV4, however, the first generation Freelander was far more competent off-road.

It had more than sixteen patented features, including the IRD or Intermediate Reduction Drive, which acted as a front differential and fixed ratio transfer; the VCU or viscous-coupling, which reacts to the differing rotational speed of the prop shafts, allowing varying torque across itself; and the Hill Descent Control system,^[7] which was then implemented in the rest of the Land Rover range and even in the first generation BMW X5 (BMW was the parent company of Rover Group at the time of introduction of this model).

This first generation also used a Traction Control system and a special version of ABS produced by Wabco, modified to assist driving in off-road situations.^[7] Lack of the MG Rover K18 and KV6 engines after the end of the MG Rover production led Land Rover to discontinue the model on 31 August 2005 in the U.S. and Canada.

Freelander 2 TD4_e

The Freelander TD4_e features stop-start technology to improve fuel economy and reduce carbon emissions. The system cuts out the engine when the vehicle is stationary, neutral is selected and the clutch engaged; the engine restarts when the clutch pedal is depressed.^[13]

The system includes a heavy-duty starter motor that also acts as a generator to recover energy through regenerative braking that is then stored in capacitors to restart the engine reducing stress on the vehicle's battery and electrical system.^[14] The stop-start system became available in spring 2009 on Freelander 2 TD4 models.

Freelander 2 eD4

For the first time in Land Rover's history,^[15] from the 2011 model year, a purely two-wheel drive version, badged eD4, was available. This model also dropped the Terrain Response and Hill Descent Control systems.^[16] Omitting four-wheel drive saved 75 kg (165 lb) of weight, and the eD4 achieved a combined economy figure of 47 mpg_‑imp (6 L/100 km), along with emissions of 158 g/km CO₂.

After introduction of the Range Rover Evoque in 2011, this model competed with the Freelander 2, especially with the eD4, as the Evoque was both cheaper to purchase, more efficient, more premium, and combined this with standard four-wheel drive.^[16]

For the 2013 model year, the Freelander got a revised look with a different grille, and new interior trim.