Land Rover will unveil a facelifted Freelander in summer 2010 – and our new spy shots capture the revised Freelander as it stepped out on test near the Midlands engineering base.
We hear the facelifted Freelander will be shown later this summer, with a series of cosmetic and hardware changes to keep the current entry-level 4×4 buoyant as Land Rover prepares the new, even smaller and cheaper Range Rover ‘LRX’.
What’s new on the 2011 Land Rover Freelander?
This is a mild facelift to keep the Freelander ticking over; most budget is being focused on the LRX. However, a series of engineering changes under the skin are designed to curb CO2 and boost mpg, while styling changes will keep the Freelander on message with the rest of the Land Rover range.
The most popular engine is likely to be the 2.2-litre four-cylinder turbodiesel; a new, more frugal version is being readied and Gaydon staff are working to offer stop-start on manual transmission cars too.
Why is the rear tailgate so disguised?
One theory has it that a new split tailgate could be fitted, bringing the Freelander in line with most other Land Rovers. However, we have yet to have this confirmed.