Article: Lifestyles Magazine: The Modern Choice for Urban Safaris
A climb into the cockpit of the new Land Rover Freelander II makes it official. There is virtually nothing connecting this vehicle with the wellworn jalopy in the cult film classic The Gods Must Be Crazy except the Land Rover emblem – and the promise of traveling about anywhere.
But that connection is all that is required to fully appreciate the Freelander II.
Apart from Nambian bushman N!xau, the star of The Gods Must Be Crazy, was the old Series I Land Rover. Dubbed the Anti-Christ by its mechanic, the car was cursed with tight piston rings and blessed with the ability to winch itself up a tree.
Tough, crude, irrascible, and yet virtually unstoppable – Land Rovers have been the vehicle of choice for African safaris for nearly half a century. They are the car that we expect to see when a pride of lions grazes nearby or a few giraffes come galloping along. They have become as intrinsic a component of the landscape as the flat-topped acacia trees.
But this is just part of the Land Rover image. In recent decades, the manufacturer has worked to bring its cars closer to the needs of modern civilization without losing its ability to drive beyond the limits of the paved road.
While there are a few individuals that do need a vehicle that can travel just about anywhere under extreme weather conditions, Rover recognized that the need for a car that can safely and comfortably get its passengers to the grocery store or the opera was just as great as the demand for a vehicle that can ford streams and be repaired with a few hammer blows.
The Freelander II is aimed at this market. A highly refined, premium 4×4 that is perhaps more at home on the paved road than pursuing elephants in the bush, the Freelander II meshes the run-of-the-mill SUV profile with the more classic and boxy lines of the iconic Defender.
As the second generation Freelander, this car is both larger and better equipped than its predecessor. The clearest sign of its technological evolution is Land Rover’s Terrain Response™ technology, which automatically synchronizes all electronic systems in the car according to one of the four selected driving conditions.
In addition to the program for general driving on most road and light off-road conditions, programs for snow, mud, or sand are just the twist of a knob away. This technology was previously available on larger models such as the Discovery or the Range Rover. Thumbs are an intrinsic component of the Freelander II driving experience. While turn signal indicators and headlight switches are in the traditional steering column location, controls for the onboard computer, stereo, and phone are mounted within thumb’s reach, directly on the steering wheel. Even with modern technology, driving a car shouldn’t be a hands-free experience.
The Freelander II also comes with the full raft of gadgets we now expect in upscale, luxury cars. In addition to an impressive stereo as standard equipment, there are optional fittings for Bluetooth phones, iPod connections for both the driver and back passengers, and LCD monitors in the headrests for back seat passengers to view video entertainment. Options packages that reveal the vehicle’s wayfaring origins include a heated windshield to reduce ice-scraping on artic mornings.
The outdoor design of the Freelander is especially visible in the back end of the car, an area prone to neglect by automotive designers. For starters, the back door of the Freelander II has become more user-friendly. An upward swinging fifth hatch has replaced the side-hinged back door of the previous generation. On the negative side, the jockey box for the front passenger is about half as large at its exterior would suggest.
The vehicle also comes with a wide assortment of protective options to keep the interior as pristine in use as it was at the dealer. These include waterproof liners, cargo nets, and loadspace protectors. The Freelander II also has a range of specialized roof racks and tow bars available.
The Freelander II is available with two engine options: A V4 2.2-liter turbo diesel or a 3.2 gasoline V6. And drivers can navigate the route to work or across a rugged tundra using a six-speed automatic or manual transmission.
