At a Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) party in London, Maria Sharapova, tennis star and Land Rover spokesperson, gave guests a preview of the all-new Land Rover Freelander 2 (named the LR2 in the U.S.). The new LR2 was designed with U.S. markets in mind after the original Freelander didn’t sell as well in the States as it did in Europe.

Although barely 2-inches longer, the new LR2 is significantly larger inside, offering more head, shoulder and legroom, and uses Land Rover’s hallmark Stadium Seating for the front and rear passengers. The interior of LR2 was designed to be more elegant and simply structured than that of the outgoing Freelander.

Outside, the LR2 incorporates Land Rover’s current design language, with cues from Range Rovers and the LR3 without it being a clone.

The all-new LR2 includes a brand-new Volvo-derived 230-hp 3.2L inline-six engine mated to a new six-speed automatic transmission, with Land Rover’s CommandShift(TM) for manual sequential gear changes, and a driver-selectable sport mode for livelier performance.

## Source: Land Rover ##

Land Rover LR2 Sets New Standards in the Compact Premium Class

Land Rover today revealed the all-new LR2 that enters the compact premium SUV market with outstanding breadth of capability and Land Rover’s signature technologies.

The fourth new model from Land Rover in just four years, LR2 joins the impressive line-up of Range Rover (2002), Land Rover LR3 (2004) and Range Rover Sport (2005) that together have seen record-breaking sales performance around the world.

New from the ground up, LR2 delivers outstanding on-road performance as well as the class-leading off-road ability of a Land Rover. A dynamic design, purposeful stance, smart and spacious interior, and an abundance of advanced technologies complete the LR2 package.

“LR2 combines the advantages of a premium sedan — such as polished ride, accomplished performance, an attractive cabin and ease-of-use — with the attributes of a robust SUV, including go-anywhere ability, toughness, stadium seating, cabin versatility and spaciousness,” says Phil Popham, Land Rover’s managing director. “We believe that no other compact SUV gets closer to blending these best-of-both-worlds abilities.”

Technical highlights of the LR2 include a brand-new 230bhp* transversely mounted 3.2-liter inline-six engine featuring advanced technologies to deliver an outstanding combination of performance and economy.

The engine is matched to a new six-speed automatic transmission, with Land Rover’s CommandShift(TM) offering manual sequential gear changes when required. There is also a driver-selectable sport mode for livelier performance.

The exterior and interior design of LR2 is completely fresh, integrating the company’s unique design language with a form that is instantly recognizable as the latest Land Rover.

“We purposely kept strong Land Rover design cues, such as the clamshell bonnet, stepped roof and the basic form,” says Land Rover design director Geoff Upex. “The overall look is new and contemporary. The design is chiseled, geometric and simple — it looks like it’s hewn from the solid. We have kept a close design relationship with the LR3 and Range Rover Sport, but interpreted the design language to suit the requirements of customers for a more compact SUV.”

The body is a five-door monocoque structure, with a high level of torsional rigidity which benefits refinement, comfort and handling on-road as well as ensuring the vehicle is fit for serious off-road use. The suspension is fully independent and uses the most modern stability control systems, including Roll Stability Control (RSC(R)), a sophisticated technology that helps mitigate the risk of roll-over even in extreme conditions.

LR2 is packed with new technologies to improve both on-road and off-road performance. Land Rover’s unique Terrain Response(TM) is standard, making off-road use easier. Other interesting technologies include a new intelligent permanent all-wheel-drive system for superior traction and better on-road fuel economy, and the patented Gradient Release Control, which improves driver confidence and control when releasing the brakes on steep and slippery slopes.

Designed and engineered by Land Rover at Gaydon, near Warwick, England, LR2 is built at the Halewood plant in Liverpool, where outstanding build quality has been acknowledged with a JD Power European Plant Quality Gold Award in 2005.

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