Land Rover planning born-again Freelander?

The model could arrive in 2021.

Land Rover's upcoming model offensive will likely include an entry-level model set to revive the dormant Freelander nameplate, according to a recent report.

The British company recently split its line-up into three pillars called Discovery, Defender, and Range Rover, respectively. The Freelander/LR2 successor will slot beneath the Discovery Sport, according to Autocar. It will be smaller than the original Freelander (pictured) introduced in 1997 and it will arrive exclusively as a four-door model. There's no reason to believe the two-door variant with a removable soft top will return.

The Freelander will ride on a new platform named D10 internally. It's a shrunken variant of the front-wheel drive architecture found under the Discovery Sport, the Range Rover Evoque, and the recently-introduced Jaguar E-Pace. The powertrain catalog will include gasoline- and diesel-burning engines and at least one electrified option.

The born-again Land Rover Freelander could arrive in 2021, Autocar learned, though the publication adds the model hasn't received the green light for production yet. If built, it will compete in the same segment as the Jeep Renegade and the MINI Countryman; in Europe, the hot-selling Audi Q2 will be one of its biggest rivals.

Looking beyond that date, the firm could add a Freelander-sized model to each of its pillars to give buyers in the market for a smaller, more affordable off-roader more options. The second model would slot below the next-generation Defender, while the third would fill the space below the Evoque.