Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) does not see this as a threat and is ready to give its partner complete freedom of action, Carscoops reports.
The first model, called Freelander 8, has already been presented at the Beijing Motor Show. Initially, sales will be limited to China, but, according to Freelander brand head Wen Fei, separate modifications will be developed for export markets, taking into account local requirements.
JLR CEO PB Balaji is relaxed about the prospect of the Chinese Freelander coming to Europe and the UK.
“Initially the car will be sold in China, and then they themselves will decide how to proceed. The job on our part is to make sure the design matches what JLR stands for. And everything else is their area of responsibility. We look at this as a joint expansion of the market,” the publication quotes the top manager as saying.
Freelander 8 is built on Chery’s iMax platform, which supports all-electric, hybrid and plug-in hybrid versions. The first version to go on sale will be a modification with a 1.5-liter turbo engine that works as a generator to increase the power reserve. Dimensions of the new product: length – 5185 mm (more than that of the Land Rover Defender), width – 2050 mm, wheelbase – 3040 mm.
The brand is jointly owned 50/50 between Chery and JLR, with JLR retaining trademark rights and design control and Chery responsible for production, technology and market expansion.
The Land Rover Freelander existed as a model from 1997 to 2014 (about 17 years). In 2024, the Freelander name returned, but not as a Land Rover model, but as a separate brand – a joint venture between Chery and Jaguar Land Rover.
Previously, the most popular cheap foreign cars for import from China to Russia were named.
