No Peaks, Valleys

Even though its vehicles are designed to handle steep climbs and treacherous descents, Land Rover North America expects to remain on even footing in '04.

“This coming year, I think, we'll be fairly level,” says Richard Beattie, executive vice president-sales and marketing. “Maybe up just a little bit.”

And how will the U.S. market unfold this year?

“We'll be down a little bit this year (compared with) last year, probably in the region of about 37,000 vs. 41,000. That falloff is more than accounted for by the Freelander aging.”

Land Rover launched the Freelander in Europe in 1997, followed by the North American-spec vehicle in late 2001. A redesign is in the works that will see the next-generation vehicle utilize an upsized iteration of an architecture developed by Land Rover parent, Ford Motor Co.

Known internally as EUCD, it's a scalable architecture that shoulders the all-new Mazda3 and also will support the Volvo S40 replacement and Europe's next-generation Ford Focus.

But for '04, Freelander gets a freshening that Land Rover hopes will recall the heady days of 2002 when the entry-level SUV burst on the North American scene and more than doubled the brand's sales.

Most noticeable is the Freelander's new, more aggressive face. Accenting the front edge of its hood is the brand's raised badge that spells out Land Rover in block letters. Previously, the letters on Freelander were flush.

Mercifully, the instrument panel has been reorganized. The controls are grouped logically instead of scattered haphazardly around the doors, dash and console.

Starting at $25,995, the 5-door Freelander comes in two trim levels. Meanwhile, the 3-door SE3 — which bowed as an '03 — returns following solid marketplace acceptance.

But just in case Freelander sales aren't enough to help Land Rover maintain its momentum, the Discovery — which will get a redesign for '05 — benefits from a plan to package the brand's trademark kit.

Known as Trail I, II, III and IV, the factory-installed packages range from $980 to $1,180 and are meant to give buyers some direction.

Meanwhile, the odds appear stacked against the prospect of seeing Land Rover North America bring the Defender back to this market.

“I think there's every opportunity for a vehicle like that,” Beattie says. A “rustic” SUV, it enjoys a place of honor among the off-road set, he says.

But without a new platform or a business plan that makes it possible, “we have no plans to bring a replacement,” Beattie maintains, adding the current vehicle will “keep going” in overseas markets.

Defender's heritage was celebrated at the recent Specialty Equipment Market Assn. show in Las Vegas where a concept vehicle — the Defender 110 CKD (Complete Knock Down) — was unveiled. This fueled speculation Land Rover is readying the nameplate for a comeback — a premise reinforced by sources within the company who say a new design is on the drawing board.

Still available in more than 100 markets worldwide, the Defender was phased out of the North American market in 1997 because it could no longer meet increasingly strict standards.