MIAMI, Nov. 8 /PRNewswire/ -- Land Rover announced the arrival of its
newest North American model at the South Florida International Auto Show today
-- the Freelander SE3. The sporty 3-door shares its 5-door stablemate's
mechanicals and 101-inch wheelbase, and with twin removable sunroof panels and
a detachable rear hardback, the SE3 adds open-air motoring to the long list of
impressive Freelander attributes. The SE3 will be available in Land Rover
Retailers in December with a MSRP of $26,995 which includes destination and
delivery.
"The Freelander SE3 has a blend of characteristics that is unmatched by
any other vehicle currently on the market," says Sally Eastwood, vice
president of Marketing. "No other open-air vehicle offers permanent all-wheel
drive, four-wheel electronic traction control, Hill Descent Control and four-
channel anti-lock brakes. And, because it is a Land Rover, Freelander SE3
wraps capability and personality into a distinctive, upscale package that can
take you to remote places and bring you back in style."
While the 3-door SE3 shares the 5-door's mechanical components, it has a
completely different personality.
It's a personality that shows up in the black composite A-frame brush bar
and in the silver underbody brush plate. You can see it in the edgy 17-inch
Triple Sport Evolution alloy wheels and in the high-energy colors such as
Borrego Yellow and Tangiers Orange. You can feel it in the black "Technical
Fabric" seats and you'll hear it in the 240-watt, 9-speaker harman/kardon(R)
sound system with single in-dash CD player. You can grab it in the leather-
wrapped steering wheel which contains buttons for the cruise control and audio
system.
On top, there are roof rails that run down the back of the vehicle that
not only give the SE3 a distinctive appearance, but are ideal for hauling the
kind of equipment Freelander SE3 owners are likely to take with them -- like
snow and surf boards, kayaks and mountain bikes.
Freelander SE3 comes standard with air conditioning, power windows, cruise
control, power steering, heated front windscreen, side view mirrors and rear
window. The interior provides room for five, with supportive front bucket
seats, a 60/40 split rear bench and convenient storage space throughout the
cabin. There is 46.6 cubic feet of cargo space with the rear seats folded.
EUROPEAN HANDLING
The SE3 shares the 5-door Freelander's variable intake 24-valve, 174hp V6
engine and CommandShift(TM) five-speed automatic transmission. Factor in a
fully independent suspension and Freelander SE3 drives more like a small
sports sedan than a traditional SUV.
Freelander uses four-wheel independent MacPherson strut suspension with
coil springs all around. This design provides generous amounts of wheel
travel and outstanding bump control. The steering is rack-and-pinion with a
38-foot turning circle. The actual steering rack is mounted on the firewall,
up and away from road hazards.
Freelander is also exceptionally surefooted. Land Rover engineered the
company's innovative Hill Descent Control (HDC) to act in place of low range
gearing, thus assuring safe, sure travel down steep slopes. HDC uses the ABS
sensors to repeatedly pulse the brakes -- particularly on the downhill wheels
-- thereby allowing the vehicle to descend at no more than 5.6 mph.
In keeping with Land Rover's off-road reputation, Freelander SE3 has four-
wheel electronic traction control (4ETC) and anti-lock brakes (ABS) that work
both on- and off-road.
BODY ENGINEERING AND SAFETY
Freelander was the first Land Rover to be built with unitized body
(monocoque) construction allowing the vehicle to meet exacting standards of
strength and durability without excess weight. Freelander is equipped with
dual front airbags and height-adjustable seatbelts with pre-tensioners for
front-seat occupants and three-point seatbelts for all passengers in the rear.
In addition, a standard Lower Anchor and Tether for Children (LATCH)
system can be used to secure child seats to the outboard seating.
LAND ROVER WARRANTY & SERVICE
All Land Rover vehicles are backed by a 4-year/50,000-mile new-vehicle
limited warranty, a six-year/unlimited-mileage corrosion perforation limited
warranty and Land Rover Road Recovery(SM) 24-hour service provided for the
duration of the new-vehicle warranty.
Land Rover vehicles are offered through 147 Land Rover Retailers in the
U.S., including 106 exclusive Land Rover Centres, which look more like hunting
lodges or ski villas than traditional dealerships.
Land Rover North America, established in 1986, imports and distributes
Range Rover, Discovery and Freelander vehicles manufactured for sale in the
U.S. by Land Rover in Solihull, England.
Land Rover's worldwide operations are wholly owned by Ford Motor Company,
Dearborn, Michigan. For information about the Land Rover Retailer nearest
you, call 1-800-FINE 4WD or visit http://www.LandRover.com .
SOURCE Land Rover North America
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Related links:
http://www.LandRover.com
CONTACT:
Bill Baker, +1-949-341-6843,
wbaker18@landrover.com , or Lynne Slovick, +1-949-341-6809,
lslovick@landrover.com , both of Land Rover North America; or
Media Information Center, +1-800-665-1515, or +1-313-621-0504,
media@ford.com
NOTE TO EDITORS: The Land Rover G4 Challenge web site hosts a
dedicated media section where the latest news and images for
download are available on
http://www.landroverG4challenge.com/pressroom . Land Rover
related press releases and electronic photos of the company's
products are available on-line in the Land Rover section of Ford
Motor Company's news media web site (media.landrover.com ).
Electronic photos of Land Rover products can also be received in
digital form through Wieck Photo DataBase at +1-972-392-0888 or
http://media.wieckphoto.com . Go to http://media.ford.com for
news releases and high-resolution photographs.
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