Freelander is preparing to bring its new SUV brand to Australia, supported by a US$440 million (A$630 million) upgrade to the Chery-JLR manufacturing plant in Changshu, China. The investment is for an advanced production system geared to new-energy vehicles. The facility’s wider investment total is more than US$3.1 billion (A$4.44 billion).
Production of the first model, the Freelander 8, began at the plant on July 30, 2026. The large SUV is scheduled to reach Australia in 2027, but local pricing, specifications, equipment and warranty details have not been announced. The company has also not disclosed an Australian production allocation or an annual output target, so the number available for export remains unknown.
Freelander says the factory has more than 1,100 robots, including 1,054 in its welding workshop, and uses digital systems to trace manufacturing and quality processes. Pre-delivery checks include battery-sealing inspections, driver-assistance calibration and electronic-system verification. Each Freelander 8 also undergoes a five-minute water-spray test.
The company has developed left- and right-hand-drive versions alongside a European specification. The international left-hand-drive version shown to media uses a plug-in hybrid system with a 2.0-litre turbo petrol engine and two electric motors, delivering claimed outputs of 460kW and 662Nm. Exports are planned to begin with the UAE and other left-hand-drive markets, then move to Australia and New Zealand, with Europe, the UK and Ireland following later.