Spin-Offs and Revivals
Motoring history is littered with stories of names and models being revived or spun off into their own independent brands. A key example is the Mini, which was called the Morris Mini-Minor when it was still under the British Leyland umbrella in the '60s. Upon its sale to BMW, the Germans turned it into a standalone brand with different iterations of the Mini model, which exists to this day and just celebrated a milestone in the U.S.
The same type of thinking is underway with another iconic British model, the Freelander. It used to occupy the most affordable price point in the JLR lineup but was eventually discontinued. Announced last year, JLR is partnering with the Chinese auto giant Chery to bring back the Freelander as a brand.
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Freelander Returns Soon
Automotive News reports that the CJLR joint venture in charge of the revival has announced on its WeChat social media channel that the first Freelander model will debut to the public on March 31 in Shanghai, China. According to the report, the brand's first model will be a plug-in hybrid SUV based on Chery's T1X Platform.
Coincidentally, this platform is used for other Chery brands like Omoda and Jaecoo, with the latter unabashedly claiming they draw inspiration from the Land Rover brand.
Freelander's debut in China shows how JLR wants to have a foothold in the highly competitive mid-priced SUV segment. In China, having a local brand joint venture is not only key, but required; the Chery partnership allows JLR to focus on high-priced imported products like the Range Rovers and Defenders, while also having a stake in the Freelander brand.
A teaser of the car was shown as part of the social media announcement, with some translations saying the model itself might be called the Pathfinder or Navigator. The teaser shows a snippet of the front headlights, which feature a striking LED headlight design.
Replacement
The design of Freelander's new model was overseen by Gerry McGovern before his departure. Chery will be in charge of engineering the Freelander models, and the main manufacturing plant will be in Changshu, near Shanghai. It's also widely expected that the Freelander brand will take over the sales of the mid-priced JLR products in China, replacing the Evoque, Discovery Sport, and Jaguar XE.
Primarily, Freelander will focus on the Chinese market, but JLR CFO Richard Molyneux has said it will look into expanding into other regions and markets. Part of this expansion will also include a more extensive model lineup to better meet customers' needs and demands.
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