BEIJING, Nov. 01, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- During the 2026 Chery International User Summit, hosted by Chery Automobile (9973.HK) in Wuhu, FREELANDER signed partnership agreements with EK Kanoo Group in Bahrain and Saud Bahwan Group in Oman, extending its Middle East network alongside its official UAE dealer partners, Al Tayer Motors and Premier Motors. FREELANDER is a British Premium Intelligent All-Terrain Brand, jointly developed by JLR and Chery.

Partnerships in Bahrain and Oman

The agreements were signed at FREELANDER Nightfall in Wuhu, where international guests also explored the five-seat version of FREELANDER 8 and heard about the brand’s design and technology direction.

Tim Zhang, General Manager of the Middle East Region at Chery International, signed on behalf of FREELANDER. Talal Fuad Ebrahim Kanoo, Managing Director of EK Kanoo Group, and Abdullah Mohammed Saud Bahwan, CEO of Saud Bahwan Group, represented the two partners. FREELANDER International CEO Lucia Mao witnessed the signing.


Brand executives and dealer representatives at FREELANDER Nightfall

Local Partners and Customer Trust

“For me, bringing FREELANDER to the world means more than entering new markets. It means earning the trust of our customers, every day,” said Mao. She emphasised the importance of strong local partners and dependable service.

British Design and Intelligent Technology

The international five-seat FREELANDER 8 offers a two-row alternative to the six-seat layout. Phil Simmons, EVP of the FREELANDER Design Hub and a member of the original Freelander design team, discussed the connection between the vehicle’s British design heritage and its contemporary form.

Mao also introduced an AI Voice Assistant powered by a large language model and tailored for FREELANDER. It is designed to enable more natural conversations and a deeper understanding of the vehicle.

The partnerships connect the brand’s international ambitions with local dealer networks, making regional representation and customer service central to its Middle East development.

Media contact
Daniel Bao
freelander.international@mychery.com
https://www.cheryinternational.com/

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at:
https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/ddfa9486-83d9-4408-99f7-32ab62a1dac2