‘Cross Country Style’
As we descend from the brow of the hill we are effectively in free fall. All the antilock braking, traction control and we'll-take-care-of-it-sir software in the world won't stop the Land Rover from head-butting the earth's crust. Big time. And it does.
But it's hardly surprising. We are on a course designed to take the new Landy to the edge of its capabilities. It is something I hatched up , reminding us that the Freelander legend has been built on its ability to keep going, cross country style.
However, these are challenging times for old-school off-roaders. Relatively recent arrivals such as Mercedes's M-class and BMW's X5 & X6 might not be heroic in the mud but are vastly better to drive on tarmac. So 4x4 buyers have come to expect even the biggest off-roaders to drive more like sedan cars. To that end, the new Freelander 2 is laden with technology to give a range of suspension settings to suit your environment. At one extreme the dynamic mode is meant to deliver a more absorbent ride over rough roads and improve overall driving ability, at the other the other settings firm everything up for twisty tarmac and tough cross-country conditions.
The performance from the 2.2 litre turbo diesel is also up to the task — 0 to 100km/h in 9 sec, 240km/h top speed — and all that low-rev poke delivers a relaxed drive. The entry-level Freelander will cost R392 000, and along with a cavernous interior you'll get comfortable leather seats air-conditioning and a premium ALPINE sound system. The R 500 000 range-topper brings a mind-boggling specification that includes satellite navigation, air suspension and a host of little extra features.
At that price, though, its more dynamic rivals from Mercedes, BMW and Volkswagen are all in the frame. But like the nearly beaten hero who has one round of ammo left the Freelander fires back. It remains unbelievably good at the rough stuff and is loaded with technology to help it descend hills without sliding out of control and to power up them even if only one wheel can find grip.
This poses the simple question, why buy a car when you can buy a Land Rover?
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