With the newly revamped Freelander on the driveway you might actually be looking forward to next winter.
At least someone has enjoyed the winter! As the weather worsened, things got a lot hotter for Land Rover dealerships which experienced a sharp upturn in interest.
The new 13MY Freelander, and in particular the recently revealed ‘Black and White’ special edition, proved to be one of the most popular choices for those looking for all-weather reliability. The new special edition was launched earlier this year offering 17-inch split-spoke alloys, signature LED running lights, Bluetooth, privacy glass, rear load cover and gloss black exterior features.
Land Rover gave the Freelander 2 a significant overhaul with the aim of delivering even more comfort and driving enjoyment. There are new derivatives, colours, exterior design features, upgraded equipment levels and continued choice of economical diesel engines.
Interior equipment gets a significant boost with three new colour ways as part of a ‘Dynamic’ derivative, a new centre console, seven-inch colour touch-screen with enhanced audio systems from Meridian and optional satnav.
There is a new ‘intelligent’ electric parking brake which adjusts its strength according to the incline and a passive start replacing the key dock.
This means that as long as the key is somewhere inside the car, the engine starts at the touch of a button. ‘Say What You See’ - a voice activation system with visual prompts and rear view camera capability are also new.
For those looking forward to next winter, the Freelander scores a reassuring five stars in the coveted Euro NCAP for occupant safety.As the most capable SUV in its class, the Freelander 2 offers the durability and sure-footed all-terrain breadth of capability both on and off road that only a Land Rover can provide.
Another new gadget is rear view camera capability. The view from the back of the vehicle is displayed on the Infotainment screen with dynamic lines representing the boundaries of the vehicle and your predicted path as you reverse.
The new ‘Say What You See’ voice activation system will prompt the driver visually with the commands he or she needs to speak in order to control functions in the audio, optional satellite navigation, climate and phone systems. The prompts are displayed in an easy-to-follow ‘step by step’ format on the screen.
Freelander buyers can continue to choose from two outstanding and highly refined diesel engines.
They were updated recently with a new turbocharger improving response and increasing torque.
They were also equipped with a standard DPF, reducing particulates by 80 percent – information that probably won’t have been lost on the Prince of Wales when he toured the Halewood plant recently.
