Three Land Rover Freelander Versions Offered in Africa

Land Rover recently announced it has released three limited edition versions of the LandRover Freelander to its African markets. They are the Land Rover Freelander Kalahari for the sporty and adventurous, Freelander Kilimanjaro for the busy go-getter executive and the Freelander Serengheti for the outdoor-loving family.

"The African theme was chosen to inject excitement and freshness to the Freelander, which occupied the premium segment in the 4X4 lifestyle vehicle category," said Land Rover Malaysia managing director Ali Shuib in a prepared statement. He added that Land Rover will be producing just 100 units of each to maintain exclusivity. The SUVs are to be powered by either a 2.0-liter four-cylinder turbo-diesel or a 2.5-liter V6 gas engine combined with a five-speed automatic transmission featuring 'CommandShift' that provides a choice of sport, fully automatic or manual operation. "Each version comes with its own special colour and is packaged with its own distinctive set of premium accessories that results in at least 30% savings compared to if purchased separately," Mr. Shuib said.

The Freelander Kalahari, finished in Kalahari Orange, is specially accessorised for the sporty. It comes with a set of 18-inch sports rims and wheels, body styling kit, A-frame and stainless steel protection tubes that enable the vehicle to be taken off-road. The Land Rover Freelander Kilimanjaro, finished in Kilimanjaro Green, comes with luxurious and sophisticated features such as a Bluetooth-enabled mobile communication system, burr walnut finish, reverse sensors equipped with camera, and a premium high fidelity entertainment system with 10-disc CD changer, sub-woofer and amplifier. The Freelander Serengheti, which comes in Serengheti Grey, is targeted at the family who loves the outdoors and shares the passion for travelling together. Body graphics, lamp guards and safari lamps give the vehicle a rugged outdoor look. A specially designed Land Rover Freelander roof rack, which comes complete with a ladder, offers more luggage space while a premium DVD entertainment system with wireless headphones keeps passengers occupied during long journeys.

2005 Nissan Xterra Pricing Announced

Nissan North America, Inc. recently announced its new pricing on the 2005 Nissan Xterra SUV. The company also stated that the new 2005 Nissan Xterra offers several improvements on functional and user attributes including more roominess, power, and features and enhanced off-road performance systems. The 2005 Xterra arrives in three trim levels – S, Off-Road and SE, with each version equipped with a standard 4.0-liter 265-horsepower V6 engine and available in either 2WD and 4WD.

The base price of the Xterra S 2WD M/T is $20,800, the Xterra Off-Road model with 4WD M/T begins at $25,500 and the Nissan Xterra SE 2WD A/T starts at $25,300. Enhancements of the redesigned vehicle include a redesigned exterior and interior, new engine and platform. The 2005 Xterra utilizes a modified version of the F-Alpha platform, developed for the full-size Nissan Armada and full-size Nissan Titan pickup truck. Specifically, the Xterra platform uses an independent double-wishbone front and solid axle leaf spring rear suspension, standard 4.0-liter DOHC V6 engine that produces 265 horsepower and 284 lb-ft of torque. A choice of 6-speed manual transmissions or 5-speed automatic is also available.

The 2005 Xterra includes an enhanced off-road system that utilizes a part-time 4WD system with 2WD-4HIGH-4LOW modes and electronically controlled transfer case. Also available is a Vehicle Dynamic Control (VDC) system and other advanced off-road capabilities. The exterior includes a redesigned and extrememly functional Nissan Xterra roof rack that also comes with a covered cargo box. The interior offers more 2nd row head room and leg room, and enhanced utility of the multi-purpose cargo area that includes an Easy Clean Cargo Area and a Utili-Track channel system in the cargo floor.

Mark McNabb, VP and general manager of Nissan, stated “When the Xterra debuted in 1999, it truly set the mark in terms of its combination of outstanding purposeful unique styling matched with practical size and functionality. The 2005 Xterra follows this path with an even more capable, more powerful and truly authentic SUV built specifically for the needs of the core outdoor enthusiast.”

2005 Nissan Frontier Delivers Most Power in Small Truck Class

Truck industry insiders report that in the compact pickup truck class the 2005 Nissan Frontier truck delivers the most horsepower at 265 hp. Nissan Motors officials recently stated the 4.0-liter engine is new for 2005 and offers 284 pounds-feet of torque. On sale since December 2004, the new Nissan Frontier pickup truck is offered in extended or "King" and "Crew" cab styles. The King cab has two small, rear-hinged doors to access the rear seating area. The Crew version has four conventional front-hinged doors and a rear bench seat. A classic or "regular" cab model was discontinued several years ago.

The King cab model offers a longer 6ft cargo bed than the crew version at 5ft. Payload ratings range from 1,000 pounds to approximately 1,500 pounds. Trailer towing capacities range from 3,500 to 6,500 pounds. The prices for Frontier models begin at about $16,000 for a version with rear drive only, five-speed stick shift and a 2.5-liter, 154-hp four-cylinder engine with no air-conditioning. Nissan stated both the 4 and 6 cylinder engines are designed to run on regular unleaded gas. Frontier base prices continue up to $27,330 for a Crew cab, four-wheel drive, V-6, automatic-transmission.

2005 Nissan Frontier safety features include curtain-type side-impact air bags to protect the head and help prevent ejections in rollovers, electronic stability control, hill descent control for offroading, and hill starting assist, which prevents vehicle rollback when starting off uphill. Other standard and optional features include a spray-in bed liner, a C-channel system for tying down cargo, sunroof, Nissan Frontier roof rack, leather interior, power seats, and stereos with MP3 and satellite radio capability.

The new Frontier has 9.8 inches of more space between its axles and as much as 5.6 inches more in overall length over the 2004 Nissan Frontier. The 2004 version also was available with no more than 210 horsepower. Previously, manual transmission had only five speeds, the automatic version had only four, brakes were drums in the rear, not discs. Also there were no side air bags in the 2004 Frontier pickup.