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Show V- J fpoi ; if 25 Y 1 v lrv:J (WAV It sells like schnitzel or steak-and-kidney pie in other countries, but will it ever sell like hotcakes here? With some adaptation, maybe. . . just maybe. 2004 Freelander Tc- or tour-doof sport -utility vehicle. 2 5-liter V6 producing 1 74 horsepower. Five-speed automatic transmission. The most affordable Land Rover gets a new look tor 2004, ottemg a reworked interior and exterior. Unique qualities, improved comfort and an ability to head off road are the biggest pluses. A four-wheel independent MacPherscn strut suspension with cal springs provides pro-vides 7.1 inches ot vertical wheel travel in front and 94 inches in the rear along with a comfortable nde and European handling. The steering is a rack-and-pin-ion design with power assistance offering easy parking and excellent feedback. Since its onginal launch in 1997, the Freelander has been one of the best-selling best-selling sport-ute s in most countries in which it has been sold The latest changes inside and out are designed to sell it in a very competitive North American market. Standard safety: Front arbags, ant-lock brakes, traction control MPG (cily'hwy): 17,21 Base pnce: S26 000 I By JASON STEIN FOR WHEELBASE COMMUNICATIONS t mmht be a little tough to pin down the reworked 2004 Freelander, but you can't accuse this smallest small-est and least-expensive Land Rover sport-utility vehicle of being boring. bor-ing. As part of Aston Martin Jaguar Land Rover in Irvine, Calif., manufactured in Solihull, England, and with its worldwide operations wholly owned by Ford Motor Company i n Dearborn, Mich., the Freelander couldn't be blamed if it's a touch confused about what (or where) it's supposed sup-posed to be. Six years after it debuted in Europe to critical acclaim and after substantial adaptation adapta-tion and revision the Freelander is still trying to find its place in a sea of North American competitors. competi-tors. Reworked, refreshed and restyled for 2004, the Freelander wants to be a sport-ute mats worthy of your The big news is that the family resemblance trickles down from the top-tier Range Rover. Freelander has body-colored front and rear bumpers, new-tail new-tail lamps and a new grille. The front fenders are still made from thermoplastic ther-moplastic so that they can shrug off minor dings. There are also brighter and more stylish headlamps head-lamps that are similar to those found on the larger Discovery and Range Rover models. Inside, the Freelander has been restyled to improve comfort and provide pro-vide more up-scale appeal. The dash, instrument layout, door panels and front seats have been remade with higher-quality materials mate-rials (including shiny metal pieces) that exude a sense of luxury, while the switchgear is easier to operate. With its sights squarely set on being competitive with established estab-lished European brands, the ergonomics are better than in previous models. Land Rover also figured fig-ured if its unitized-con-struction (instead of the usual body-on-frame method) Freelander was going to fit in here, some model simplifi-j cation' w a S; needed. Gone! is the base S, w h i c h leaves the SE and USE to fill in the blanks. That means the 'new' base SE takes a! price dip to help fill the void and adds more standard stan-dard gear, including leather seats (something even the larger and more lavish Discovery doesn't offer as standard), 1 7-inch wheels and a six-disc CD changer. Returning for 2004 is the two-door SE3: that features a removable aft roof section. ! Although the Freelander will seldom see the wilderness it is intended to traverse, it offers an abundance of technology to keep you on the straight and narrow 'you do decide to head off the beaten path, ' Even if it doesn't of. a low-range transfer cc: all models are propel! by a full-time four-wh: drive system with tract! control and Land Rove exclusive Hill Desc Control, which, w! engaged on a steep si: limits the vehicle's sp to less than six m.p.h. L all driven through a five-speed, five-speed, BMW-built automatic auto-matic transmission that is pushed by a double-overhead cam, all-aluminum 2.5-liter V6. If you're looking for nothing more than a station sta-tion w agon to bring home the groceries, the Freelander is probably overkill. There are other rides that are more practical, practi-cal, more user friendly and cheaper. How ever, if that wagon needs to go just about anywhere at the drop of a hat, the Freelander almost assures you of getting back in once piece. The rest of the world knows it and has gobbled up the Freelander like it's hot schnitzel or steak-and-kidney pie. Perhaps it's just a matter of time before they're snapped up like hotcakes in North America. When you compare "apples to apples',' it becomes clear that the 2004 Freelander SE is not only the most capable small-midsized SUV, but the best value as well. . , . 2004 Jeep Liberty 2004 Freelander SE Sport 4WD MSRP $25,995 $20,030 V6 Engine You got it standard, they don't Optional $850 4-Speed Automatic Transmission 5-Speed Automatic! Even Better! Optional $825 Air Conditioner Power Package You Bel! Optional $2,325 4-Wheel Anti-lock Brakes Safety is never compromised. Optional $600 Full-time All-wheel-drive It's a Land Rover, isn't it? Optional $395 CD Player Of course. It's not 1985 anymore! Optional $125 Traction Control Electronic - we wouldn't go off-road without it. Optional $765 Vehicle Security System You can count on it. Optional $520 1 6" Alloy Wheels Cool. Optional $310 Cruise Control You've got it for the road trips! Optional $300 Independent Rear Suspension Standard. Not available Bumper-to-Bumper Warranty 4 years50,000 miles 3 years36,000 miles Rust Warranty 6 yearsunlimited miles 5 years100,000 miles Adjusted msrp $25,995 $27,045 2004 Land Rover Freelander SE Now available at our most attractive price, ever. 7C or receive $299 0.0c lease per month plus lax APR Financing for up to 60 months Lease payment based on MSRP of $25,995, 48 month lease10,000 miles per year. Total due at signing $2,495 plus tax, title, and licensing fees OAC. Comparison deemed reliable, dealer not responsible for errors or omissions. 1 1 MSRP Starting at: Over 368 changes, including: New 4.6 Liter high-output engine. Scheduled maintenance for up to 48,000 miles included. New "Trail Edition" packages available. Currently offering: $1 ,000 Owner Loyalty Rewards Program? Current lease waiver for up to 6 months 2004 Land Rover Discovery Our best value on Discovery, ever. lease per month plus tax on the "S" Senes $399 2.9 APR Financing for up to 60 months Lease payment based on MSRP of $34,995, 48 month lease10,000 miles per year. Total due at signing $2,495 plus tax, title, and licensing fees OAC. 7 |