As early as 2024, Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) and Chery announced a licensing agreement that would see the Freelander name be used for a new brand that would utilize Chery's EV architecture. With it, the Freelander name would become part of JLR's House of Brands.

Two years later, the Freelander name has officially returned, and they have revealed the first production model. It's called the Freelander 8, and it looks just like the camouflaged prototype we saw earlier this year in Heihe, China.

Billed as a global model, the Freelander 8 features a boxy design that harks back to Land Rovers of yesteryear. It also features rectangular LED headlights with distinct LED daytime running lights, a closed-off grille with small air inlets on the front bumper, and what appears to be LiDAR sensors placed on the roof above the windshield.

Further highlighting the Freelander 8's SUV design is the generous use of black body cladding, flared wheel arches, side skirts, boxy rear quarter panels, angular D-pillars, a unique tailgate, and a distinct set of LED taillights.

Official exterior dimensions have yet to be revealed, but based on the pictures, the Freelander 8 is quite large and could be bigger than the Defender 110. It also has stylish Y-shaped alloy wheels, which complement the overall look of the Freelander 8.

Powertrain specifications are not yet available for the Freelander 8. However, the company did say that the vehicle sits on the brand's new iMAX platform. The company claims that its platform is flexible enough to support various electrified powertrains, including electric (EV), extended-range EV (EREV), and plug-in hybrid (PHEV). In addition, the Freelander 8 supports an 800V architecture and supports fast charging speeds of up to 350 kW.

Other details about the Freelander 8 have yet to be revealed. But with the official design images already out, it might not be long before we find out more about it. The only question now is, can we expect the Freelander 8 to arrive in the Philippines?