UK Insurer Parts the Most Unreliable and Costly Car to Fix

In an article on a BMW-faced Honda Accord we found for sale on Craigslist back in 2008, we wrote that in a perfect world, our ultimate car would be “designed by Italians, engineered by Germans, built by Japanese and marketed by Americans”.

So, what’s the worst car one could imagine? Well, if we played around with the above statements, we’d say one designed by Japanese, engineered by Americans, built by Italians and marketed by Germans.

But UK insurance firm Warranty Direct had something a little bit different in mind. Instead of playing the origin card, the company decided to check out its database of 50,000 live policies on cars aged five years on average to part the UK’s most unreliable vehicle that would break down every other month and cost an average of £2,050 (equal to US$3,270 - €2,330) to fix each year.

Read more »

Land Rover Celebrates Production Milestone of 250,000th Freelander 2

Today, Land Rover celebrates a new milestone in the life of its Freelander 2 as the 250,000th vehicle rolled off the production line at the Company's Halewood manufacturing plant in Merseyside. The 250,000th Freelander 2 is a 2.2 litre TD4 Diesel GS in Fuji White and is destined for a customer who lives in Scotland.

Read more »

Land Rover Freelander 2 SD4 Sport Limited Edition 190HP Revealed at Bologna Show

A new limited version of the Freelander 2 was unveiled today at the Bologna Motor Show in Italy. Set to arrive in early 2011, the Freelander 2 SD4 Sport LE will be built in a limited run with the UK to receive 500 units priced from £33,945.

“The Freelander 2 SD4 Sport Limited Edition offers customers the practicality, performance and efficiency of our best-selling compact SUV with more dramatic, sporty styling and the overall package represents good value for money,” said Colin Green, managing director, Land Rover UK.

Read more »

Recall Alert for 3,000 Land Rover LR2 Freelanders

The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has announced a new recall for certain 2010-2011MY Land Rover LR2 Freelanders built from November 12, 2009, through August 23, 2010. According to the safety agency, in the affected vehicles the driver's frontal airbag may not deploy as intended or at all because of a potential problem with the shorting bar in the clock spring, which may become disconnected when the air bag module connector is installed.

Read more »

Land Rover Unveils 2011 Freelander 2 Facelift, gets 2WD Version

Today, Land Rover whisked the covers off its Freelander 2 that benefits from a rather inconspicuous cosmetic redesign, a revised 2.2-litre turbo diesel engine available in two flavors and for the first time in the model's history, a two-wheel drive version.

The exterior styling of the 2011 Freelander 2 has been updated with a redesigned front bumper assembly, a new and less pronounced front grille aligned with the hood, revised headlamps and tail lights, a full width tailgate appliqué and new 18- or 19-inch alloy wheel designs.

Inside, changes are limited to the revised instrument dials and four new seat styles with the option of a Premium Pack that also includes Windsor Leather upholstery, an 8/6 way electric seat, plus unique carpet mats and covered center stowage.

Read more »

2011 Land Rover Freelander Facelift Leaked through Brochure Shots?

We weren't supposed to see the refreshed for the 2011 model year Land Rover Freelander SUV before its world premiere either at the Moscow auto show in August 2010, or in Paris at the end of September, but Car Magazine provides our first look at the facelifted model through a group of pictures, allegedly taken from a leaked Italian brochure.

Read more »

Project Kahn Spruces Up the Land Rover Freelander

The new Freelander is the latest Land Rover model to capture the tuning attention of Project Kahn. Inspired from the Project Kahn Range Rover Sport RS600, the Freelander RS200 receives an extensive [but definitely in good taste] cosmetic makeover.

On the outside, modifications include a matt black signature bonnet stripe, silver door handles, door mirror caps and front bumper vents, as well as body colored style vents, side sills and front grille surround, and smoked side repeaters.

The Freelander RS200's stance is made much more aggressive thanks to the huge 20-inch alloy wheels that are wrapped in beefier rubber.

Read more »