A Freelander To Match Your Lifestyle
A Freelander to match your Lifestyle
Petaling Jaya, Friday January 28 2005 – Land Rover Malaysia launched three enhanced variants of its small size Freelander Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV) toady at the 1-Utama Shopping Centre in Petaling Jaya. Now you can buy a Freelander that best describes your lifestyle and personality.
Only 100 units will be produced, so this series is going to be very exclusive. The three variants are African-themed, the Freelander Kalahari for the sporty and adventurous, the Freelander Kilimanjaro for the busy go-getter executive, and the Freelander Serengheti for the outdoor-loving family.
Each of the variants comes in its own characteristic colour, and packaged with its own set of accessories, which, if purchased separately, would cost at least 30 percent more. Buyers can opt for the 2.0 litre 4-cylinder common rail turbo-diesel, or the 2.5 litre V6 gasoline engine, mated to a 5-speed automatic transmission featuring ‘Commandshift’ (manual shift option).
The Freelander Kalahari, (named after the famous African Kalahari desert), is presented in a stunning orange colour scheme, with accessories patched on to accentuate the sporty personality of the free-spirited owner. Fitted with 18-inch sports rims and wheels, a body styling kit, A-Frame, and stainless steel protection tubes, the Kalahari can be taken off the beaten track anytime.
The Freelander Kilimanjaro, featured in green, comes with luxurious and sophisticated features such as a blue-tooth enabled mobile communication system, burr walnut finish, reverse sensors equipped with a camera, and a premium quality hi-fi set complete with CD changer, sub-woofer and amplifier. According to the brief presented to the press, it is designed for the busy executive who is always on the move.
The Freelander Serengheti, in ‘Serengheti Grey’, is aimed at the family unit that loves the outdoors and shares the passion for traveling together. Body graphics and safari type lamps give the vehicle a rugged look. A special roof rack complete with a ladder is added to carry additional luggage. To keep the kids occupied, a DVD player with wireless headphones is also fitted as part of the in car entertainment system.
According to En. Ali Shuib, Land Rover Malaysia Managing Director, the African theme was chosen to inject excitement and freshness to the Freelander. “The face-lifted Freelander was launched in Malaysia last year and received good response. However, our target market comprising (of) highly successful and discerning individuals (has) indicated a preference for a more exclusive vehicle that could be tailored to meet their needs and individual styles. The Freelander is currently the only SUV in the market that offers different vehicles to meet different needs and lifestyles and we are confident that this African-themed special edition will be well received,” he said.
Ali went on to say that the African theme also suited Land Rover’s brand image and core values perfectly and added,” It is about being the leader in inspiring and delivering a spirit of adventure. The African continent, with its vast, varied and often harsh landscapes, is the natural playground for a Freelander, whose ruggedness, true off-road capabilities and reliability mean that it revels in conditions that others find tough going.”
Land Rover Asia Regional Business Manager Simon Elliot echoed that the launch of the three new Freelander variants was consistent with the company’s global strategy of maintaining a distinctive positioning for the Landrover brand. “While the Land Rover name still conjures the image of a tough, reliable but basic go-anywhere workhorse which is what our Defender model is, we have long since become more accessible, cosmopolitan and dynamic as seen in our premium lifestyle models such as the Range Rover, Discovery and Freelander. However, each model still has that unique Land Rover DNA, heritage and the breadth of capability that none can match,” he said.
“We are constantly making Land Rover more relevant to today’s lifestyle and the ownership experiences more desirable than ever. That is why we created the Freelander to be never out of place either in front of a 5-star hotel’s lobby or parked by a stream in the jungle. And it is no different with the outstanding Kalahari, Kilimanjaro and Serengheti, exclusively created for the Malaysian market by the perceptive and attentive team at Land Rover Malaysia”, he said.
As with al Freelanders, the Kilimanjaro, Serengheti and Kalahari all come with permanent 4WD that continually varies the driving force between front and rear wheels to provide maximum grip and response on any surface. Other features include 4-channel ABS (Antilock Braking System), Hill Descent Control (HDC), Electronic Traction Control (ETC), and Electronic Brake Force Distribution (EBD).
HDC is a system that enables the controlled descent of steep or slippery inclines. At the touch of a button, it will bring the vehicle down at a steady 8.4 km/hr in forst or reverse gear. All that the driver has to do is steer.
ETC continually monitors all four wheels to sense any loss of grip and applies braking on each or all of the four wheels momentarily to redistribute the power and keep the vehicle safe and stable.
Depending on whether they are powered by diesel or petrol engines, the limited edition Freelander is priced between RM215,000 to RM226,000 for private registration, priced on the road without insurance.
The Freelanders will be on display at the 1-Utama Shopping complex (new Wing) for one week.
