Freelander 8 detailed as JLR-Chery brand prepares for Australia

The Freelander 8 has been detailed in international form ahead of the JLR-Chery brand's Australian launch, with a claimed 460kW plug-in hybrid all-wheel drive system, five- and six-seat configurations and a claimed 900mm wading depth.

At a presentation in China, the brand outlined the engineering and equipment of its first SUV, while naming Australia and New Zealand as priority markets for its right-hand drive rollout.

Freelander has previously confirmed plans to launch here in 2027 , although Australian pricing, servicing and warranty details, final specifications and a more precise arrival date have yet to be announced.

The powertrain and battery figures presented at the event apply to the international left-hand drive version. They provide a guide to the overseas offering, with the Australian specification still to be confirmed.

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Kym Mellow, Freelander's head of brand for Australia and New Zealand, said discussions with prospective local customers had highlighted an appetite for familiar four-wheel-drive styling and capability combined with improved comfort and technology.

He described a business owner who enjoys exploring Australia but believes his existing four-wheel drive falls short in those areas.

“He loves his current four-wheel drive. He loves the way it looks and where it can take him, but he sees that it falls short on comfort and technology,” Mr Mellow said.

A second customer, a company CEO, was interested in electrification, a quieter driving experience and more modern cabin technology. Mr Mellow said the vehicle's electric range appealed to that customer's preference for long-distance travel.

“Two different people, but the same message. They don't want to give anything up.”

Freelander is being relaunched as a standalone brand through Chery Jaguar Land Rover, the Chinese joint venture established by the two automakers in 2012.

The name originated with the Land Rover Freelander, which debuted in 1997. JLR owns the name and leads the new brand's design work through a dedicated Freelander design hub in Shanghai, while Chery supplies the underlying technology.

Freelander vehicles are built at the joint venture's manufacturing base in Changshu, China. The company cites investment of more than US$3.1 billion (A$4.4bn) in the facility, more than 1100 robots and fully automated welding.

The new brand operates separately from JLR's Range Rover, Defender, Discovery and Jaguar brands, and its vehicles carry Freelander branding.