New engines, improved interiors and a transmission we have been waiting for (in a Land Rover, at least) were the big news from a low-key Land Rover launch today. The Freelander gets a brilliant petrol engine that will seem strangely familiar and the Discovery gets a brilliant 8-speed auto transmission. We spent a day sampling them.
Freelander
The 2013 Freelander is largely unchanged on the outside, gaining new LED daytime running lights, a refreshed grille and fog lights at the front and LED taillights at the rear. The interior comes in for far more attention, with a new steering wheel, centre instrument panel, a five-inch touch screen, a new centre stack and centre console with additional storage, an electric park brake, keyless start and Bluetooth now standard and the Terrain Response control is now a switch, as opposed to the previous model’s dial.
But the biggest news is hiding under the bonnet, with the introduction of a 2.0-litre 177kW/340Nm four-cylinder petrol engine in the Si4. While Land Rover won’t like us calling it a Ford engine – it first appeared in the LR line up in the Range Rover Evoque – that is exactly what it is, and it’s a good’un too…
The same EcoBoost engine that is currently nestled under the bonnets of the Ford Falcon and Focus ST, the 2.0 also features to wonderful effect in the Jaguar XF on these shores.
And it is every bit as good in the Freelander as it is in the Evoque, the Fords and the Jag. Silky smooth and muscular, it feels far more like a six than a turbo-charged four and in tandem with the Freelander’s six-speed automatic transmission works a treat in this application.
The Freelander’s existing 2.0-litre 110kW/420Nm four-cylinder diesel was also on hand for us to sample in the TD4 and it remains a strong performer, with noticeably more torque down low, but the petrol’s refinement still wins the day.
The interior improvements serve nicely to update the aging Freelander, while the subtle exterior facelift brings it nicely in line with the Discovery.
Both the TD4 and Si4 cost $66,000, while the 140kW/420Nm SD4 is still available on special order at $69,000.
Discovery 4
The Freelander’s big brother didn’t miss out on the new engine love, with the Discovery getting a new 3.0-litre 155kW/520Nm twin-turbo V6 to replace the old 140kW 2.7-litre in the TDV6 model. The SDV6 also gets a small power increase to 183kW (up from 180kW) on its 600Nm 3.0-litre V6 diesel unit.
The new SE variant of the TDV6 boasts the same off road features as the SDV6 HSE (including air suspension) and comes standard with 19-inch alloy wheels, seven leather seats and keyless start, but loses the HSE’s navigation, a rear camera and electric seats.
Nothing has changed on the outside of the Disco, but the interior has come in for a few upgrades with paddle shifters added to the steering wheel, a Terrain Response switch (as opposed to the dial of the previous car) and upgrades to the touch screen and navigation system.
The transmission lever is replaced by rotary dial (same as in the new Range Rover) on the new 8-speed automatic transmission.
While this has been available for more than a year in the UK, it is the first time it has been available in the Discovery in New Zealand and it is every bit as smooth and impressive in the Disco as it is in the likes of the Range Rover and Jaguar XF.
The increase in power and new transmission only serve to make the Discovery even more impressive on the road. It has always been one of the best in terms of sheer comfort and that hasn’t been lost with this upgraded model. It is still extraordinarily heavy though, although it isn’t really all that noticeable on the road.
The TDV6 SE is available for $99,500, while the SDV6 HSE will set you back $124,000.
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