Bigger, wider, longer and more upmarket

LandRover’s engineers are currently testing the upcoming new Freelander on the roads of Southern Germany.

Here are three recent photos showing the final shape of the car on an almost undisguised prototype. As can be seen from the pictures the next Freelander will be bigger, wider, longer and more upmarket than the current model and adapts styling elements from the new Discovery.

Accordingly the prototype is revealing the wider track, and flared wheel arches, and the extra height between the bodywork and the wheels shows that the test car is riding on an all new platform. The latter is Ford’s C 1 platform, which is a reworked version of what can be found underneath a Ford Focus and Volvo’s S 40 and V 50.

According to the wider front the next Freelander will switch to transversely mounted in line six-cylinder engines, expected to be 2,8 or 3.0 litre units from Volvo with a six speed manual transmission and a Diesel engine from Ford with 2,3 litre 5 cylinders. Talk is also of an additional V 6 cylinder Diesel engine as an option.

The 2006 Freelander will be available only as a five-door model, a three door version has been abandoned.