The new Freelander brand has confirmed that it will launch in the UK.
The Chinese marque was born out of a collaboration between industry giants Chery and JLR, drawing on the original Land Rover Freelander.
It said it will arrive in the UK as part of its “third wave” of expansion into global markets.
It will first enter Middle Eastern and North African countries, then its first right-hand-drive markets, Australia and New Zealand, and the UK and Europe will come after that.
It has yet to confirm in what year it will come to the UK, nor who will be responsible for importing the cars.
JLR chief PB Balaji previously said the British firm wouldn't prevent Chery from bringing the brand here. Speaking in May, he said “it’s Chery’s car” and that JLR would “let them make up their mind”.
“From our perspective, our role is ensuring that the design is in sync with what JLR stands for, and thereafter it is completely their baby."
Freelander’s first model is the 8, a large SUV with a plug-in-hybrid powertrain.
A 2.0-litre petrol engine and two electric motors combine to send 617bhp through all four wheels, while a 34kWh battery allows it to drive up to 68 miles on electricity alone. This can be charged at up to 350kW.
However, Freelander CEO Wen Fei previously said that any cars exported to Europe wouldn't be adapted versions of Chinese-market models but instead new derivatives tailored to each market.
There’s no word on pricing yet, but Balaji previously suggested that they would be cheaper than JLR’s upmarket models, saying: “The price positioning of Freelander and our price positions are different."
