British International Motor Show - Land Rover

Standing room only…
Land Rover's stand will be a busy place over the next couple of weeks, and that's solely due to the stunning new Freelander that's on show for the first time anywhere in the world.

Watch the car being unveiled by clicking one of the video links below.

• Land Rover on Windows Media
• Land Rover on RealOne Player

By anyone's standards, this is a great-looking car. It's taken the tough, no-nonsense appearance of the old car, and blended it with styling elements from the Range Rover Sport and Discovery to give a more grown-up look.

This will be a popular attraction, because UK buyers adored the old Freelander. The fact it has topped the compact 4x4 sales charts every year since its 1997 release, despite a list of shortcomings as long as your arm, proves it.

So what's changed?
Lots. There are two new engines, both of which provide a significant boost in power over their predecessors. The new 2.2-litre turbodiesel provides158bhp compared with the 110bhp of the old Freelander diesel, while the 3.2-litre petrol engine develops 230bhp, significantly more than the 175bhp of the old V6. The new engines are also more economical than before.

Like the old car, the second-generation Freelander won't be a hardened country-crosser, but a host of electrical four-wheel-drive gadgetry means it'll be able to go farther than before on the sticky stuff.

The cabin is classier and more grown-up, too. The solid-looking panels are soft to the touch, there are metallic or wood-effect dash finishes and the dials feature metallic bezels.

Importantly, Land Rover has listened to its customers, and taken steps to rectify some of the ills of the old car. The new car has a lower driving position, a wider cabin, a bigger boot, better switchgear, and its easier to get in and out of.

Quite simply, if you're at the show, don't miss it.