New Freelander 8 Gets A 46-Inch Display And Automated Valet Parking

The new Freelander 8 is getting closer to launch, and Jaguar Land Rover and Chery are slowly revealing more of what buyers can expect. The boxy SUV is heading not only to China but also to markets including the UK, Australia, and the Middle East, bringing a modern cabin, bold styling, and a long list of technology.

One of the latest details to emerge is the color lineup. Buyers will have eight exterior finishes to choose from, including three exclusive to the First Edition.

Those are satin-finished Dancing Silver and Lucent Lime, plus Immersive Purple, a pearlescent shade that gives the SUV a more premium look. The standard palette adds gloss, Dancing Silver, Boundless Blue, Brilliant Bronze, Daring Black, and Uplifting White.

The cabin tells a completely different story. A 15.6-inch infotainment screen dominates the dashboard, while a second 46.3-inch display stretches across the base of the windshield. Dubbed the Panoramic Intelligent Display, the 8K panel doubles as the driver's instrument cluster and can also show separate information for the front passenger.

The cabin also features leather, Alcantara, metal trim, dual wireless phone chargers, a driver-monitoring camera, and physical toggle switches beneath the touchscreen, something that's becoming increasingly rare.

The Freelander 8 will also offer an automated valet parking system. Using a smartphone app, owners can leave the SUV at a designated drop-off point, where it will find and park itself. When it's time to leave, the vehicle can drive back to a pick-up area on its own. Chery-JLR says the feature is designed for places such as shopping centers, hotels, and office buildings, although it has yet to reveal which international markets will receive it.

Powertrain details are still under wraps, but reports suggest the SUV will use a range-extender setup combining a turbocharged 1.5-liter engine with a 60.3-kWh battery pack. Jaguar Land Rover handled the Freelander 8's design, while Chery is responsible for the engineering, manufacturing, and sales. Full specifications should be revealed when the SUV launches later this year.