Freelander 8 confirmed for Australia in 2027 as Chery-JLR venture launches new premium brand

Australian launch confirmed at global debut

Freelander, the joint venture marque developed by Chery and Jaguar Land Rover, will go on sale in Australia and New Zealand in 2027, with the Freelander 8 large SUV confirmed as the brand's first local model. CarExpert reports the announcement was made at the Freelander 8's international launch in the United Arab Emirates, which becomes the first market outside China to retail the new brand. Exactly when in 2027 the Freelander 8 lands locally has yet to be revealed. ¹

CarExpert adds that no local pricing or specification details have been released, other than the brand's statement that the Freelander 8 will compete with premium large SUVs from established European and Japanese brands. Zecar similarly reports that Australian pricing, specifications and an exact launch date are still to be confirmed, and notes the 8 will sit in the premium upper-large SUV segment with five- and six-seat layouts. ¹²

Leading the brand locally is Kym Mellow, an executive who has previously held senior roles at Mazda and importer Inchcape. In a prepared statement quoted by CarExpert, Mellow said: "Freelander has always been an invitation to explore more of this country. We're reimagining it as a premium, technology-led brand built for gravel tracks and city streets alike, and we're investing in the Dealer partnerships and local team to make every part of ownership live up to that promise." ¹

Zecar reports Freelander will sell through established local dealerships, with coverage focused on metropolitan and selected regional areas and dealer appointments to be announced before launch, and says the local operation is recruiting for key senior leadership roles. Tarantas News adds that Chery chairman Yin Tongyue had confirmed the brand's plans for both countries earlier in the year, noting it would have a standalone dealer structure rather than joining the Land Rover network. ²⁵

What the Freelander 8 is: size, powertrains and platform

Chinese regulatory filings confirmed by 4X4 Australia in May 2026 show a large SUV measuring up to 5185mm long, 2050mm wide and 1898mm tall on a 3040mm wheelbase, with kerb weight listed at 2980kg for range-extender and plug-in hybrid variants and a gross vehicle mass of 3495kg. CarExpert notes that length splits the difference between the short and long wheelbase versions of the current Range Rover, and dwarfs the 4422mm original Freelander from the late 1990s that inspires the new model. ⁴¹

The filings show the 8 is built on an 800V architecture developed by Chery and offered in battery-electric, plug-in hybrid and extended-range electric versions. In the range-extender, a 1.5-litre turbocharged petrol engine producing 105kW operates solely as a generator, while the battery is supplied by CATL and supports DC fast charging at up to 350kW, with claimed fuel consumption of 0.76L/100km. CarExpert details the Chinese-market dual-motor all-wheel drive extended-range version at 610kW and 813Nm, claiming 0-100km/h in 4.6 seconds, a 60kWh nickel manganese cobalt battery and 310km of EV range on the WLTC cycle — figures that have not been confirmed for Australia. ⁴¹

There are some discrepancies in the reporting that remain unresolved. Cars24, reporting the model's April 2026 global reveal in China, claimed the range-extender's all-terrain battery pack supports charging speeds of up to 360kW, against the 350kW figure in the regulatory filings reported by 4X4 Australia and repeated by CarExpert. Cars24 also identified the screen processor as a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8295, while 4X4 Australia and Zecar cite a Snapdragon 8397 chip; the later, filings-based and official-reveal reports list the 8397. ³⁴⁶¹

The brand's structure is documented by Zecar: Chery Jaguar Land Rover is a 50:50 venture formed in 2012 with a US$2.78 billion investment, which has built Land Rover and Jaguar models in China since 2014. JLR licensed the Freelander name to the venture in June 2024. JLR contributes design and premium brand values while Chery provides electrified technology, engineering and supply chain, and the brand employs more than 5000 staff across five global hubs. Production of the Freelander 8 began at the venture's Changshu plant, with CarExpert reporting production started in July and Zecar noting the first car came off the line on 30 July 2026. ²¹

Off-road hardware and interior technology

Off-road equipment is a stated focus for the Australian market. Cars24 reports the Freelander 8's Intelligent All-Terrain System (i-ATS) adapts to changing surfaces in real time across nine terrain modes, working alongside an electronic limited-slip differential, dual-chamber air suspension and a virtual centre locking function in place of traditional locking differentials. Zecar attributes the i-ATS system to Huawei. ³⁶

CarExpert adds wading credentials from the international launch: a claimed 900mm wading depth, an engine air intake 1213mm off the ground, triple-sealing around doors and tailgate, 4L and 4H modes, a front differential lock and adjustable suspension — standard ride height of 270mm, raisable by 70mm off-road or lowerable by 50mm. These China-market figures have not been confirmed for Australia. ¹

Inside, the cabin pairs a 46.3-inch 8K panoramic display spanning the base of the windscreen with a 15.6-inch central touchscreen, a row of physical controls and rotary dials. Zecar's July 2026 report on the official interior reveal details a dual-master layout with a "Commander" driver's seat and an "L·A·D·Y" front passenger seat offering 1200mm of legroom, Paris Stud-pattern buttons and K9 optical crystal knobs with 256-colour ambient lighting. CarExpert lists lie-flat front seats, second-row captain's chairs, rear 17.3-inch ceiling screen, electric window shades and a 10-litre refrigerated cooler bin. Huawei's Qiankun ADS 5.0 driver assistance is standard across the line-up, according to Zecar. ¹⁶

Seating configurations differ across reports and remain unconfirmed for Australia. Zecar says five- and six-seat layouts will be offered, Cars24 described a six-seat, three-row arrangement in its April reveal report, and 4X4 Australia's filings story describes a 2-2-2 six-seat configuration. ²³⁴

Testing, rollout plans and brand context

Cars24 reports around 1,000 Freelander 8 prototypes will be deployed globally ahead of production launch, with Australia explicitly included in the testing program, which the publication argues signals serious local-tuning intent. Zecar carries the same prototype figure and says Australian roads are reportedly part of the testing, while noting the brand plans a synchronised worldwide launch with left-hand drive, right-hand drive and European specifications from day one. Zecar also reports the Middle East is confirmed as the first launch market, with right-hand drive markets including the UK and Australia understood to follow. ³⁶

Zecar reports the Freelander 8 went on sale in China after the brand's launch there on 3 September 2026, and that Freelander claims more than 10,000 pre-orders within 48 hours of order books opening — a company figure Zecar flags as not independently verified. ²

Context from Zecar: Freelander will be the newest Chery-linked brand in Australia, joining Chery and Omoda Jaecoo on sale, with Lepas due in the fourth quarter of 2026 and iCAUR in early 2027 — timings based on Chery Group's current plans and subject to change. Freelander will sit at the top of that line-up as the group's first premium brand locally. ²

The wider plan, per CarExpert, is for Freelander to launch six models over the next five years, of which only the 8 has been revealed so far. Cars24's April report credited design leadership to Phil Simmons, known for the Range Rover Velar and Land Rover Defender, quoting him as saying the brief was to respect the nameplate's heritage while making it relevant for modern customers; Zecar notes earlier reports had named Gerry McGovern as leading initial design work, so how responsibilities were divided is not fully clear. ¹³⁶

Zecar also documents the factory backdrop: JLR has wound down its China production, with the last petrol Range Rover Evoque built at Changshu hours before the Freelander brand's first reveal in March 2026, and the plant now building the Freelander line-up. The vehicle was initially developed for Chery's Exeed brand before being transferred to Freelander, according to Zecar. ⁶