Range Rover ‘Velar’ revealed
Range Rover’s range has officially expanded, following the debut of the Velar. The new model, the fourth in the Range Rover family, sits between the Evoque and Range Rover Sport in terms of size and price.
Officially unveiled at The Design Museum in London, the Velar takes its name from the Latin ‘velaris’, which means to cloak or cover, but has Land Rover heritage: the very first Range Rover prototypes wore Velar badges when on-road testing, to mask the Land Rover origins of the new model before its release in 1970.
On sale in the UK and Europe by mid-year, Australian availability of the Velar is expected by late summer, 2017. List pricing will vary from $70,300 to $135,400, but a limited-availability ‘First Edition’ variant will carry a hefty $167,600 pricetag.
Simpler, Better
Under the mantra of “stripping away complexity to reveal true quality”, the Velar has been designed to reduce extraneous accessories and detail, while also bringing “a new dimension of glamour and elegance to the Range Rover family”.
At first glance, the Velar looks similar to the Evoque, but is larger, rolling on a 2874mm wheelbase, compared to the Evoque’s 2660mm.
Based on the same floorpan as the Jaguar F-Pace, the Velar also uses that model’s aluminium-intensive architecture to reduce weight. But unlike the F-Pace, the 5-seat Velar will be AWD all the way, and will not be offered in 2WD form, according the Land Rover.
The sloped, “floating” roof and clamshell bonnet, along with the grille and headlight treatment, make the Velar’s lineage clear, but there are unique touches to the new arrival, including pronounced front bumper air ducts, an extreme windscreen rake and flush-mount door handles; the latter being a Land Rover first.
The focus of the new model’s design, Land Rover says, has been on “clean, pure lines,” which can be enhanced to with a range of optional packs.
Two main models, Velar and Velar R-Dynamic, are available in standard S, SE or HSE specifications, which vary tech, appearance, drivetrain and equipment levels.
There’ll also be a choice of eight different wheel designs, ranging in size from 18 to 22 inches.
Six Shooter
The Velar launches with a choice of six different powertrains: the four-cylinder Ingenium turbo diesel in two states of tune; the new Ingenium four-cylinder turbo petrol, also in two states of tune; a 3.0-litre V6 turbo diesel; and supercharged V6 petrol.
The Ingenium diesels will be available in 132kW/430Nm and 177kW/500Nm versions. The new Ingenium petrols come in 184kW/365Nm and 221kW/400Nm versions, but the later won’t be offered here initially.
Listed output from the turbo diesel V6 is 221kW and 700Nm, while the hot-shoe supercharged V6 petrol is like that offered on a number of Jaguar models, and produces 280kW and 450Nm in the Velar. This latter engine also features a 5.7 second 0-100km/h sprint time and top speed of 250km/h.
All powerplants will be mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission. To suit the different characteristics of the four and V6 engines, the automatic will be calibrated to suit each engine, with paddle shift controls common across all variants.
Touch Pro Duo debut
In the Velar’s cabin, the main talking point is the introduction of the ‘Touch Pro Duo’ infotainment system, which Jaguar Land Rover describes as their most advanced ever.
In the Velar, this consists of a pair of 10.0-inch touchscreens that eliminate the bulk of the switchgear.
The upper screen controls navigation, media and phone functions, and pivots out for easier driver access. The lower screen controls things like in-cabin comfort features, as well as the Terrain Response system.
Land Rover says operating the Touch Pro Duo is designed to be easy and intuitive for those used to tablets and smartphones, with no complex menus and the upper screen’s functions expandable onto the lower screen as required.
Incorporated into the lower screen are a pair of rotary controllers, which are configurable to perform various functions.
Touch Pro Duo features 4G connectivity and a WiFi hotspot for up to eight devices, while an InControl Remote app allows interaction with the vehicle remotely from anywhere in the world – even as far as starting the engine.
Off-Road Ready
Despite being clearly street-biased, the Velar will still carry Land Rover/Range Rover trademark off-road ability, with ‘Intelligent Diveline Dynamics’ and an active locking rear diff on the menu. There’s also Land Rover’s Terrain Response 2 off-road system, All Terrain Progress Control, Hill Descent Control, Gradient Release Control and Low Traction Launch.
Additionally, wading depth is listed at 600mm and ground clearance at 213mm, with approach, departure and breakover angles of 28.89, 29.5 and 23.5 degrees, respectively.
Air suspension (optional on the upper-spec fours and standard on the V6s) increases elements like ground clearance to 251mm and wading depth to 650mm, but also drops ride height automatically at highway speeds, and lowers it even further when the ignition is turned off, for easier vehicle entry/exit.
A Grounding Detection function can detect and raise the vehicle ride height to counter underwater obstacles.
Towing capacity is listed at an impressive 2,500kg, and comes with clever Advanced Tow Assist function that enables reversing to be done via the console’s rotary controller and removes the need to countersteer.
Lux Inside
Land Rover says the Velar features an interior with a renewed focus on luxury materials, detailing and refinement.
Multi-function front seats are standard, and have, apparently, been specially designed to make for easier entry. There are timber veneer details on the dash (replaceable with a copper and carbon fibre weave trim), plus a choice of leather finishes depending on model grade, plus a fabric option for those who don’t want animal products in their vehicle.
Rear seats are claimed to be similarly comfortable, with a 40:20:40 split, and heating/power functions.
Cargo space is listed at 558 litres with the rear seats up and 1,616 litres folded.
While the two screens of the Touch Pro Duo dominate the ‘Cut Diamond’ centre console design, the driver gets old-school analogue gauges, separated by a 5.0-inch TFT display. Higher model grades replace this with a 12.3-inch interactive digital display that’s configurable to individual preference.
Additionally, the steering wheel features capacitive switches are also programmable, while ambient cabin lighting is available in a choice of ten different colours.
Likely to compete with the Porsche Macan, Mercedes GLE and Audi Q5, full Australian-spec features and pricing for the new Range Rover Velar will be announced closer to local release.
