Velar gives Range Rover new identity
Jaguar Land GAYDON, ENGLAND Rover is moving fast to capitalize on the sizzling SUV market, bringing to dealerships an entirely new model this summer that suddenly makes other midsize SUVs look old.
The Range Rover Velar — the same name used for the very first Range Rover prototypes in the late 1960s — is visually stunning, with big wheels, a tall beltline and an almost coupe-like profile over appealing proportions. The interior capitalizes on simplicity and modern design with a clean, uncluttered layout that looks as modern as it appears functional. The 2018 Velar will slot into Range Rover’s lineup in between the ever-popular Evoque and the larger Range Rover Sport. It also promises to blunt sales of the BMW X4, Mercedes-Benz GLCClass Coupe and the Porsche Macan, and possibly even the company’s own Jaguar F-Pace.
“Design is at the core of everything we do,” said Gerry McGovern, chief design officer for Jaguar Land Rover, during a private reveal of the Velar at the company’s headquarters in Gaydon, England, ahead of the Velar’s official debut at the Geneva Motor Show. He said he strives for desirability as much as being innovative.
“At Land Rover, we don’t do ordinary vehicles,” he said, adding that “every new Range Rover has to be better than the vehicle it replaces.” The Velar definitely stamps the brand with a new identity. It will be the first to receive flush door handles that pop open when touched, then close while the vehicle is underway; it will be interesting to see how they cope with a Canadian winter. Even more sleek than Range Rover’s current offerings, the Velar neatly splits the silhouettes of traditional SUVs and the new generation of “fastback” designs, as seen on the BMW X6 and the Mercedes-Benz GLE coupe. Indeed, the Velar is the most aerodynamic Range Rover ever, with a drag coefficient of just 0.32. And with all-LED lighting inside and out — including laser spot headlamps, able to light up the road half a kilometre away — the Velar has a stealthy look.
Yet its DNA is so well carried forward, the new SUV won’t be mistaken for anything other than a Range Rover.