Currently arguing with a bloke who says a Freelander is not a land rover as no chassis/low range box,I have pointed out to him than in certain conditions a Freelander can embarrass disco\defender and I have had both

Yes...The small off road market was hitting off and in 1997 LR launched the FL1 it was a super hit globally and won best compact 4x4 awards. Similarly the D1 did the same when it was launched as the RR had moved more and more up market and again there was a gap for a large 7 seater off roader which the D1 catered for.

Both of these vehicles kept LR ticking over when times were tough. MY14 Kahn Converted Dynamic - Fuji White Ebony/Pimento Interior
MY15 Xenon Headlight Conversion

MY17 RRS SVR - Estoril Blue Cirrus/Ebony 🪣💺’s

Last edited by LR NUT on 19th Mar 2017 8:45 pm. Edited 3 times in total

Never argue with an idiot, they will always beat you with experience

Thanks chaps agree with both posts lol,and if he had seen me at 4x4 xtreme being held up in a mud hole by a disco on m\t,s when mine has a\t,s on lol

A bog standard Freelander 1 on decent AT tyres will surprise a lot of people

This was my camping pitch and said mudhole is other side of my tent ,it was the bottom of the field and only way on/off the field during the event so had to go that way to get on stage to Marshall

Click image to enlarge

Very common car to see driving about up my way. Probablely more common than the range rovers now the oil price has crashed and the finance junkies have departed.

I know a lot of people who have been affected by the oil crisis and a lot of businesses non oil related have also had a knock on effect and been affected. Sadly it's claimed 3 peoples lives that I knew. It's certainly nothing to mock! MY14 Kahn Converted Dynamic - Fuji White Ebony/Pimento Interior
MY15 Xenon Headlight Conversion

MY17 RRS SVR - Estoril Blue Cirrus/Ebony 🪣💺’s

I have been effected by it and am going on about the ones that get ticked up and hand them back when the lays offs come around. Can't see what that has to do with taking life's.

I'd say that the Disco was responsible for saving Land Rover, while the FL2 was responsible for saving Halewood and then helping LR become a successful volume manufacturer.

As for a "real" LR, it's a meaningless title. "Traditional" would be more helpful.

After everything they achieved in rescuing the company and brand image. Its just a shame about the design direction LR have taken now, there's just no distinction between the LR and RR brand types now, they all look the same, and all geared toward the super luxury market.

I guess from a marketing point of view that there are not enough "proper" LR users to keep them in business ie farmers and people who actually need a 4WD for work so they have to go for the Chelsea tractor market.
It's a bit like the Labour Party's problem where they haven't realised yet that there aren't enough "working class" people to get elected any more. Tony Blair understood this. 3 x FL1 2 manual + 1 auto
5 x FL2 4 manual + 1 auto
Now Discovery Sport P250 MHEV SE

BUNJI81 wrote:

After everything they achieved in rescuing the company and brand image. Its just a shame about the design direction LR have taken now, there's just no distinction between the LR and RR brand types now, they all look the same, and all geared toward the super luxury market.

At my local LR dealership the other day and one of the (shirt and tie) staff members was wondering around the parking area and forecourt with a set of keys in hand. I joked about needle in a haystack trying to find a black RR in a sea of black RR.... his reply was '' made worse by the fact they all look the same now ''...............

read into that what you will


as for the FL1 saving Land Rover, it certainly was a major help in keeping them afloat during difficult times. What with ownership changes (after the collapse of Rover) and the subsequent BMW, Ford, Tata buy outs etc the FL1 was a new direction for the brand name that appealed to Joe Bloggs in suburbia who bought it in droves. Personally I have no doubt that without the FL1 the Land Rover name would be all but non existant as a current new vehicle brand name.

I think the Freely 2 saved not only LR but also Jaguar. The X Type was a mere footnote in comparison. The poor reputation of Defenders and Discos for build quality and reliability was justified to a considerable extent. The Halewood production line turning out well built and thoroughly engineered Freely2s in volume showed the way to the other lines. There is considerable risk in the current strategic direction of abandonment of any semblance of the rugged utility ethos of the LR brand but there was certainly no future in turning out cranky old designs using cottage industry production process.

RogB wrote:

At my local LR dealership the other day and one of the (shirt and tie) staff members was wondering around the parking area and forecourt with a set of keys in hand. I joked about needle in a haystack trying to find a black RR in a sea of black RR.... his reply was '' made worse by the fact they all look the same now ''...............

read into that what you will