Update: Freelander is back (sort of) with proper off-road credentials
Debuting at a global launch in Shanghai, the Freelander has been revived through the existing JLR-Chery joint venture, which was extended in 2024. For now, it’s strictly a Chinese market proposition, with the Middle East reportedly next in line. South Africa isn’t on the map yet, but the nameplate’s return is worth paying attention to anyway.
The concept shown, called the Concept 97, has no Land Rover badges. Look carefully, though, and the DNA is unmistakable; there are hints of the current Defender in the surfacing, which is no bad thing. The Defender’s design will age well, and if it’s rubbing off on whatever Freelander eventually becomes, the production car should too.
Inside, it’s a properly considered space. Three rows, six seats, a drop-down screen in the second row, and, this is worth noting, physical dials, steering wheel buttons, and traditional stalks. For a Chinese-market product, that’s almost out of the ordinary.
Underpinning it all is Chery’s E0X platform, with an 800-volt architecture that supports three configurations: a fully electric variant, a PHEV in which the engine drives the wheels alongside the motors, and a range-extended EV. For the range-extended version, a 1.5-litre turbocharged petrol engine will be used purely as a generator. It doesn’t touch the wheels; it just keeps the battery topped up on the go. It’s a setup that works. We know this because we’ve spent time with the Changan Hunter REEV bakkie, which uses the same basic principle, and range anxiety doesn’t dominate that discussion.
On the off-road side, Freelander claims the world’s first i-ATS intelligent all-terrain system, combining pre-emptive shock absorbers with three lockable differentials. For an electrified platform trying to be taken seriously as a proper off-roader rather than a lifestyle prop, that’s big news in itself.
The Freelander name still means something. Whether the production car lives up to the Freelander’s legacy or just borrows the badge remains to be seen, but the Concept 97 suggests continued ambition. And for now, that should be enough.
