Pinched this from BabyRR.

"True, according to Autocar magazine this week LR will discontinue the Freelander name next year when they launch a new stretched Evoque floorpan based smaller Discovery available with 5and 7 seat models and with the new range of 4 cylinder engines. The big scheme if things is that LR will have 3 vehicle ranges Defender, Discovery and Range Rover. The new baby Disco will be based on an extended Evoque but will look like a scaled down Disco not a big Evoque, there will also be a sub Evoque sized "urban" Discovery.
Also on the next double page spread in Autocar is the news that plans to develope a new factory and a new engine building plant in India have also been dropped along with plans to launch a Defender replacement in 2015 - there will now be no Defenders built after 2015, production will cease completely. They don't say when the next Defender will be launched now. Apparrently it's all down to TATA in India making staggering losses as Nano has not been the sles hit it was expected to be and the larger version has been a sales flop too."

I hope this isn't true!

It's plausible, the name will have to change for the American market as they already have a LR3 and for a few years a name change has been spoke about, I think 'Ventura' was originally going to be the favoured name, available in 7 seat format.

The Defender, I think it was LRO magazine that said the DC100 had been scrapped as the favoured replacement and it was back to the drawing boards. IIRC one of the chiefs at LR said something like 'we want to get the Defenders replacement right' so it will be nearer 2017 before we see a new defender. 21MY Defender 90 S 3.0 D200

According to a contact at Land Rover that I know well, Auto car has got it right about the Freelander becoming part of an expanded Discovery range.

No names have been decided apparently for the New Freelander, but using a variation of the name Discovery has not been ruled out. Freelander 2 HSE Lux 2013MY - Barolo Black with Ivory Leather. Alpine DVD - Privacy -Evoque 20" Dynamic Wheels and more to come.........

It does all make sense with the naming. However I think leaving a 2 year gap between Defender production eneding and its replacement is at best commercially risky if not suicidal. I hope they know what they are doing. what is worrying is JLR once again suffering from lack of investment due to the financial plight of the parent company? eh tu?

Current Defender carries on until 2017 according to insiders I know. But there will be a replacement in some form or another. Freelander 2 HSE Lux 2013MY - Barolo Black with Ivory Leather. Alpine DVD - Privacy -Evoque 20" Dynamic Wheels and more to come.........

I would be quite sad if LR dropped the Freelander name. Lets hope they dont come up with a name as a bad "Evoque"!

Discoteque? DiscoTech? DiscoTorque?

And Irish versions Discohere and Discothere

^

It will be a sad day if the Freelander name is dropped. The Freelander created the whole 'soft' roader culture, the first of its kind. I think also the first Land Rover to feature HDC, the best selling car in its class for a few years. Plagued with problems from the start and laughed at by the Land Rover die hards, its battled it's way through it and has earned its stripes as true Land Rover.

This is my third Freelander, and it feels good to be home. 21MY Defender 90 S 3.0 D200

Great to hear that you are enjoying your FL2. (for the third time! ) Are you missing the Evoque?

Although I've never owned one, the model I think should continue for ever is the Defender. Call it what you like, the "basic" Land Rover is true to its 1948 origins and, so long as it can pass latest legislation, why on earth would they stop production? There will surely always be a market for that type of practical all-terrain vehicle. The "styling" is spot on, a wheel at each corner, more-or-less vertical sides, solid chassis with bolt-on body. Why should it ever stop? Ours - 2008 Stornoway Grey HSE Auto
Tricia's - 2006 Royal Blue Beetle Cabriolet Auto
Mine - 2014 Vespa GTS 300 Super Sport Matt Black
Ours - 2007 White Bailey Pageant Champagne

I miss the handling, I've had to re-learn how to take bends in a Fl2, the Evoque I could just throw it into a bend and it would take it no problem. 21MY Defender 90 S 3.0 D200

I agree rjc, all that is needed is enough tweaks to bring it inline with current legislation. In the words of Jeremy Clarkson "how hard can it be?"  21MY Defender 90 S 3.0 D200

In my opinion I think the defender needs to stay and LR just needs to find a way of getting it through legislation. Why Truro fix something that is not broken.

No love loss over freelander, I think it just paint a bad image of the first round of unreliable cars...

Interesting that they may use the disco name!? I've no problems with that!! Freelander 2 TD4 Auto, SE, Narvik Black, Alpaca full leather, Rear Headrest Entertainment System, 6 CD, 18 HSE Wheels, Privicy tints

No love lost here in the 'States. The Freelander 1 was such as disaster here that they renamed the entire fleet. Ironically, because of this forum I usually call my car the "Freelander" which came in handy recently when a few British friends and I were talking cars at a pub around here in New Jersey.

Truth be told, I would not mind a "mini Disco" at all, though I would rather wait and see what the smallest Defender variant will look like before making a choice on my next vehicle. And, err, I was one of those who actually liked the DC100.  CAR HISTORY
1997 Saab 900 SE 2.0 Turbo
2003 Volkswagen Passat 1.8T
2008 Land Rover LR2 SE 2.3 I6

Why do many people imply that the Freelander 1 had so many problems? It cant of been that bad as they seemed to be popular enough and there are many still on the roads today. My mum had 2 from new, both of them were brilliant and the first one went to Prague with my uncle (it was left hand drive). He kept it until 2008 when it was 8 years old and he loved it, so much so that when he moved back to the UK he bought a Freelander 2!