Chery Revives Freelander Brand for Europe with JLR’s Blessing

Chinese automaker Chery is reviving the Freelander brand with plans to launch several new models in Europe and the UK over the coming years. The initiative has received the blessing of Jaguar Land Rover (JLR), which does not view the new models as a threat to its existing showrooms.

The first model, the Freelander 8, was unveiled at the Beijing Auto Show and is set to debut with a 1.5-liter range-extender setup. Initially, sales will be limited to China, but Chery intends to expand the brand internationally. Freelander boss Wen Fei confirmed that export models will not be simple copies of the Chinese-market cars, with distinct derivatives developed for regional demands.

JLR chief executive PB Balaji expressed openness to the new Freelander brand entering the UK and European markets. Speaking to Autocar, he stated,

"The car will be sold primarily in China to begin with, and then they will have to decide their plans for bringing it out to the rest of the world," he said. "From our perspective, our role is ensuring that the design is in sync with what JLR stands for, and thereafter it is completely their baby. We see it as ‘together we should be expanding the market.’ So let them make up their mind as to how they want to play the game."

The Freelander 8 measures 5,185 mm (204.1 inches) in length, 2,050 mm (80.7 inches) in width, and 1,898 mm (74.7 inches) in height, with a wheelbase of 3,040 mm (119.6 inches). The SUV is built on Chery’s iMax architecture, which supports battery-electric, range-extender, and plug-in hybrid options. The initial launch will feature a 1.5-liter turbocharged engine in extended-range electric vehicle (EREV) form.

The Freelander 8’s technology suite includes standard LiDAR, Huawei’s Qianwu Intelligent Driving ADS 4.1 for assisted driving, and Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8397 as the central processing unit. Additional specifications will be revealed in the coming months.