The new entry-level Freelander 2 TD4_e addresses the  growing need for more fuel efficient vehicles. It is the most fuel efficient Land Rover ever and is the world’s first SUV with an intelligent ’stop/start’ system

A combined 6.7 l/100kms (down from 8.5 l/100kms in auto TD4) and CO2 emissions improved from 224 to 179g/km makes it the greenest Land Rover as well.

In additional tests, Land Rover engineers have measured fuel savings approaching 20% in heavy urban traffic.

This is the first application of Land Rover’s e_terrain technologies on a production vehicle and is just one element of Land Rover’s comprehensive green technology roadmap, which will drive the company to increasingly lower emissions and more sustainable technologies in the coming years.

Roger Jory, Land Rover’s general manager, sats: “The stop/start Freelander 2 is the first production vehicle to benefit from Jaguar Land Rover’s massive investment in sustainable technologies.

“It also represents a new entry level into the Land Rover brand, offering improved fuel efficiency and reduced emissions without compromising the vehicle’s outstanding on-road performance, and class-leading off-road ability”.

Land Rover’s new stop/start system improves fuel efficiency in urban and stop-start driving. The vehicle automatically shuts down the engine in appropriate conditions, resulting in zero tail-pipe emissions and saving fuel which otherwise is used idling the engine when stationary. The engine instantly re-starts when the driver is ready to move off.

There are also sophisticated controls in place to help ensure the stop/start system does not compromise the needs of either the driver or vehicle. For the engine to shut down, the vehicle must be stationary, the gearbox in neutral and the clutch pedal raised.

To restart, the driver simply depresses the clutch and the enhanced starter motor engages the engine, ready for when first gear is selected. When the engine has been shut down by the Eco stop/start system, the ECO icon on the centre consol will illuminate.

The stop-start system is automatically activated each time the ignition is turned on, although there is a switch on the fascia to disable the system, if the driver so desires.

Source: Autofile