One of the unexpected casualties of MG Rover’s collapse has been Land Rover as the manufacturer has had to juggle Freelander production after its petrol-engine supplies dried up.

One of the unexpected casualties of MG Rover’s collapse has been Land Rover as the manufacturer has had to juggle Freelander production after its petrol-engine supplies dried up.

Earlier in May, the MG Rover Group’s administrator, PricewaterhouseCoopers, ordered that production of Powertrain Ltd’s K-Series engines be ceased. Powertrain’s 1,8-litre and 2,5-litre V6 engines were used in the Freelander, and though Land Rover had stockpiled some of the petrol units, production of the compact SUV would need to be cut.

Land Rover has decided to divert its North American exports (where the Freelander accounts for about six per cent of sales) to countries in which the SUV has a stronger presence. However, about three-quarters of all Freelander’s produced are powered buy a BMW-sourced 2,0-litre turbodiesel engine.

It is unlikely that the cut in production and engine shortages at the Freelander plant will affect the manufacture of the all-new range. Expected to début later this year, the SUV will use engines sourced from within Ford’s Premier Automotive Group.

Original article from Car