Striking the perfect balance

BEST OF BOTH: BLEND OF LUXURY AND SHEER BRUTE FORCE

Try saying Land Rover Range Rover Velar SVAutobiography Dynamic Edition in one breath.

With most of the world’s attention having been fixated on the Frankfurt Motor Show where the covers came off of the long awaited, all-new Land Rover Defender last month, it would be fair to assume that Solihull’s prior headline maker, the Range Rover Velar, had become too ensconced in its moniker as it no longer reigned as the model attracting all of the news within the Indian-owned British automaker’s line-up.

Taking its name from the Latin word velaris meaning veil, which last featured on the concept Range Rover back in 1969, the Velar has been a runaway success since its debut two years ago and while far from going into obscurity, has been on the lowdown ever since the Defender came into being. Not so anymore.

Although it was a given that a performance version would eventually happen, more than a few eyebrows were surely raised and quite a few heads scratched vigorously when the latest models to emerge from Jaguar-Land Rover’s (JLR) Special Vehicle Operations (SVO) division bowed in January this year not as the expected Velar SVR, but as the, deep breath, Land Rover Range Rover Velar SVAutobiography Dynamic Edition.

While the choice of name is meant to invoke the Velar’s newfound dynamic prowess combined with the ultra-luxurious nomenclature found on the fullsize Range Rover, its silliness prevails and sounds even less catchy when abbreviated to SVA.

Fortunately, that is where the uncertainty ends as the muscle-up middle child in the Range Rover range does not let this folly result in it hiding its talents underneath an uhmm ... veil of shame. Like its lesser siblings, the Velar remains the pinnacle of chief designer Gerry McGovern’s design talents, but with the SVA, SVO have introduced a number of subtle tweaks that could see it being haphazardly fooled for the R-Dynamic equipped models.

Sitting as standard on forged 21-inch lightweight alloy wheels with 22-inch wheels optional, the SVA receives a chunkier front bumper with wider side air intakes, a gloss black grille with unique side vents, a reshaped lower air intake, a redesigned rear bumper with integrated quad exhaust outlets, bespoke side mouldings and black SVAutobiography badging on the bootlid.

As subtly striking as its looks outside, the SVA’s interior is more restrained and on first glance, could easily be confused for that of say a Velar HSE as the plush leather wrapped everything offset by swaths of aluminium and piano key black inlays have been retained, along with the 10-inch Touch Pro Duo infotainment system and 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster that betrays its model application by displaying a bespoke SVAutobiography Dynamic readout.

In fact, the SVA’s only unique cabin fixtures is a sport steering wheel with aluminium gear shift paddles, a so-called knurled finish for the rotary gear shift dial and Touch Pro switches, illuminated door sills and twin-stitched seats finished in Windsor leather with the fronts being heated and cooled as well as featuring a massage and memory function, plus 20-way electrical adjustable.

While seemingly little, what was noted right from the off is that the Touch Pro system is no longer as laggy as before when using the top-mounted display, while the fit-and-finish is typical Range Rover with soft touch plastics and impeccable built quality that belies what happens when you press the starter button.

At the local media launch, and in a somewhat bullish nod to 1930 when a Rover Light Six beat the luxurious Blue Train in a race from St Raphael to Calais in France, the SVA took on the Rovos Rail train from Pretoria to Groot Marico, although not in a race format as designated stopping areas were positioned along the line so that all of the participating media could experience it both off-andon-road.

As surprisingly comfortable as the SVA was off of the black stuff, it will spend the majority of its time on it where it holds back for nothing.

Powered by the stalwart 5.0-litre supercharged V8 engine paired to a fast shifting eightspeed automatic gearbox, the SVA feels docile when you are pottering around, but hit the accelerator and you are immediately assaulted by not only 405kW/680Nm, but by a growling, metallic sound from the new Variable Active Exhaust system that is as intoxicating as seeing 100km/h flash by in 4.5 seconds with the top speed being pegged at 274km/h.

In addition to the engine, SVO has firmed-up the air suspension and sharpened the electric power steering, the latter being particularly noticeable as the feedback is good and the ride still comfortable. Of course, stopping the SVA has not been overlooked with the conspicuous red brake calipers hiding 395mm ventilated discs at the front and 396mm discs at the rear.

Its daft name aside, the Velar SVA is arguably the ideal model within the Range Rover line-up as it strikes the perfect balance between luxury and sheer brute force. It is however competing in a segment that is quickly becoming cluttered with alternatives from mainly Germany and even sister brand Jaguar’s F-Pace SVR, but the prominence of the Range Rover badge and opulence associated with the brand will hinder few in parting with R1 743 325.