JLR’s Chinese partner Chery confirmed the new car brand Freelander will first enter the Middle East in 2026, marking a sudden strategy shift. Its first car is a large 5.1-meter SUV with BEV and EREV powertrain variants available. Previously, the Freelander brand was said to focus on China.
Chery and Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) established a joint venture in China back in 2012. In 2014, they completed the construction of the CJLR plant in Suzhou, Jiangsu province. However, this facility will cease the production of all its models by the end of 2026, including the Range Rover Evoque, the Land Rover Discovery Sport, the Jaguar XFL, the Jaguar XEL, and the Jaguar E-Pace.
Chery and JLR aim to reset their partnership by launching a new EV brand called Freelander. This project was officially announced in June 2024 with a long-term goal of enhancing the joint venture’s position in the highly competitive Chinese market. Last year, the first Freelander-branded model was spotted in China during road tests. This month, Chery confirmed that this model will go global.
Freelander will come to the Middle East
On January 19, Chery Holding Group invited public tenders to create the Freelander brand visual identity manual. It includes core visual assets, personalized brand visual language, icon system design, infographic design, and illustration design.
In this announcement, the company officially confirmed that the Freelander brand will be first launched in the Middle East in 2026. It is a sudden development as the CJLR’s new brand was originally aimed primarily at the Chinese domestic market. It appears that the two sides have agreed on a major strategic shift, with a focus on overseas regions.
In another tender invitation, Chery Holding Group announced a marketing procurement project. The company pointed out that the successful pre-launch marketing is crucial for ensuring a high-end brand image. Therefore, Chery aims to build strong market anticipation ahead of the sales start.
As the Freelander brand will launch in the Middle East in 2026, CarNewsChina expects that a large-scale marketing campaign will begin soon. Chery Holding Group can arrange the debut of this brand at the Beijing Auto Show scheduled for April 2026 in China. It is one of the biggest annual events in the automotive industry.
More about the Freelander’s first model
The first car under the Freelander brand is a large off-road SUV with boxy styling and a length of around 5.1 meters. It stands on the Chery-developed E0X modular architecture. The same platform underpins the Exeed Exlantix ET, the Exeed Exlantix ES, the Luxeed S7, and the Luxeed R7. Back to the Freelander SUV, it will have three rows of seats with a 2+2+2 layout.
The Freelander’s first model could be equipped with BEV and EREV powertrain variants. It provides a peak power of up to 413 kW (553 hp), air suspension, and the L2 ADAS.
Editor’s comment
The decision to sell this model outside of China seems logical, given the intense competition in the large and full-size NEV SUV segment. This category is currently overcrowded with models. Meanwhile, new competitors are also appearing on the horizon, including the Volkswagen ID. Era 9X.
The Freelander brand launch project is indeed fraught with risks. After all, for its launch, Chery and JLR plan to discontinue production of all current models at their joint plant. Failure in the Chinese market would be a blow to both companies. Therefore, the Freelander brand has begun targeting more markets, preferring not to put all its eggs in one basket.
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