MIMS: Freelander sneaks in under $50K

Land Rover will offer its new Freelander 2 with a sub-$50K pricetag when it arrives in Australia in June... Just! The all-new Freelander 2 unveiled Down Under at MIMS will debut in six-cylinder petrol Si6 SE form priced from $49,990 and spearhead a four-model line-up.

With no carry over parts from the original Freelander and featuring what Land Rover claims to be class leading off-road ability and fine on-road manners, the maker will be hoping the new five-door premium compact SUV will shake off the rather lacklustre reputation of its predecessor.

In addition to the Volvo-sourced 3.2-litre 171kW inline six Si6, Freelander 2 will also be available in a Td4 variant powered by a 2.2-litre 118kW/400Nm four-cylinder common rail turbodiesel. The SE Td4 asks a premium of $2000 over its petrol counterpart.

The Freelander 2 range will feature the turbodiesel Td4 HSE, for $57,990. The Si6 HSE is priced from $55,990.

All variants get the same all-new six-speed auto as featured in Volvo's I6 models. No manual versions are offered.

In the case of the Freelander 2, the auto tranny is paired with LandRover's now-trademark 'Terrain Response' electronically-controlled four-wheel-drive system. The system echoes those used in the bigger Range Rover models and incorporates traction and stability control as well as hill descent control and anti-roll mitigation.

Freelander offers worthy passenger airbag safety and luxury-fit standards across the range such as leather, climate control air, park distance control (both ends on the HSE), electric seats and premium audio. Technology options include DVD sat-nav. The SE models get 17-inch alloys; the HSE wears 18s.

Sharing star billing at the Land Rover stand (the Range Rovers sported new V8 diesel engines but nobody noticed!) was the latest Defender 2 -- flown from the UK for the Melbourne show.

The biggest external change is the power bulge on the bonnet but under the skin there's a new four-cylinder 2.4-litre 16-valve common-rail turbodiesel rated at 90kW/360Nm coupled with a new shorter-throw six-speed manual gearbox.

Inside there's a new Discovery-style dash and seating for up to seven.

It's likely Land Rover Australia will continue to offer the 110 and 130-inch wheelbase models when Defender 2 arrives later this year. Alas, no news on the return of the short-wheelbase, but tough-as-nails, 90 to the Australian range.

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