Avant-garde MIDSIZED-SUV JOINS LINEUP
It started in 1947 with a utility vehicle called the “farmer’s friend”. Engineered by Maurice Wilks on his farm, in England, Wilks and his brother Spencer built the first Land Rovers on a sturdy box ladder-frame chassis; all were colored green, dictated by the military’s surplus supplies of paint for airplane cockpits. It’s been nearly 50 years since Range Rover launched its first branch from that Land Rover tree, melding rugged off-road performance with practical-but-upper-class, premium packaging. The brand has grown in popularity, has a loyal following around the globe, and has attracted many new buyers with unique, award-winning models, like the small-sized, trendy Evoque. For 2018, Range Rover has now added the fourth member to its family — the upscale, midsize Velar slots in size between the Evoque and Range Rover Sport.
Built from a clean-sheet design based on underpinnings shared with its Jaguar F-Pace platform-mate, the 2018 Velar previews the next generation of Range Rover DNA.
“We call the Velar the avant-garde Range Rover,” said Land Rover, chief design officer, Gerry McGovern. “It brings a new dimension of glamour, modernity, and elegance to the brand.”
Up front, the standard full-LED headlights are eye-appealing and the most slender ever to appear on a production Land Rover vehicle. Its elegant waistline rises to the taut tapered lines of the pinched rear, while flush-retracting door handles help contribute to an impressive coefficient of drag of 0.32Cd, making it the most aerodynamically efficient Land Rover vehicle built yet.
Learning from weight-savings techniques garnered from Jaguar vehicles in the brand’s portfolio, the Velar’s hood, fenders, and roof are made from aluminum, and the rear hatch is a composite. Its generous 113.15-inch wheelbase contributes significantly to both its modern blueprint and the spacious five-passenger interior that provides 34.4 cubic-feet of stowage behind the secondrow seats and 70.1 cu.-ft. behind the first row.
Range Rover calls its design style “reductionism”—others might call it minimalism. Regardless, the Velar interior has been crafted as a palette for elegant simplicity, sophistication, and refinement, with opulent materials and a sustainable, premium textile seat material named Kvadrat as an alternative to its standard leather. Designers gave the new model the least possible number of switches so as to not mar or clutter its streamlined interior, while two 10-inch highdefinition touchscreens integrate seamlessly behind hidden-untillit surfaces to help create a tranquil sanctuary. The 40:20:40 rear seats offer available heating and electric recline options, while the standard panoramic roof and optional four-zone climate control and cabin air ionization system make the vehicle’s interior even more relaxing and rider-friendly for all occupants.
A refined 180-horsepower four-cylinder 2.0-liter turbocharged diesel delivers 317 lb.-ft. of torque and will be the model’s fuel efficiency leader, although fuel economy figures have not yet been released. A new four-cylinder 2.0-liter turbocharged gasoline engine produces 247-hp. and 269 lb.-ft. of torque, and boasts acceleration from 0 to 60 mph in just 6.4 seconds. At the top of the line, an even more powerful, 380-hp supercharged 3.0-liter V-6 gasoline engine provides sports car acceleration to 60 mph in only 5.3 seconds before reaching an electronically-limited top speed of 155 mph; its torque is rated at 322 lb.-ft. All are matched to a smooth-shifting ZF eight-speed automatic transmission with steering-wheel paddle shifters, and feature all-wheel drive with Intelligent Driveline Dynamics. The four-cylinder engines are rated to pull 5,291 pounds, while the six-cylinder can tow up to 5,512 pounds.
Like all Range Rover vehicles, all Velar models are endowed with a highly-sophisticated standard AWD system that showcases Land Rover’s off-road DNA and delivers exceptional capability across a variety of surfaces, terrains, and weather conditions. Standard is a coil suspension, while a four-corner air suspension is optional. When equipped with “air”, Velar has a ground clearance of 9.9 inches (8.4 inches with coil springs) and a wading depth of 25.6 inches (23.6 inches with coil springs). A suite of top traction technologies includes Terrain Response, an active rear locking differential, and All Terrain Progress Control. Velar is equipped with a full suite of safety features and Advanced Driver-Assistance Systems; in addition to the six airbags and a comprehensive seat restraints system are autonomous emergency braking;, adaptive cruise control with queueassist, an adaptive speed limiter and intelligent emergency braking; lane departure warning and lane keep assist; traffic sign recognition; reverse traffic detection and 360-degree parking aid and park assist.
We drove both gasoline and diesel versions of Velar over 250 miles in Arizona, both on a collection of fourlane and two-lane winding roadways, as well as over a lengthy course of off-road terrain that ranged from smooth track to challenging and technical four wheeling. Each engine has its own personality and advantages; we were particularly impressed with the quietness of the diesel and the quick-shifting transmission that pumps out this powerplant’s on-tap torque that give it a sprightly response when you push the throttle. We were also wowed over the 4WD prowess for both diesel and gas-powered models that are engineered with driving modes that dial-in the appropriate traction for different surfaces, elevate ground clearance, lock and unlock electric-locking differentials, and uphill crawl and downhill descent programs that will do the slowspeed driving for you. We found a preference for the diesel’s coil-spring set-up as it brought tighter handling in corners, rather than the softer ride of the air suspension.
On sale now, Velar is available in five trims: S, RDynamic SE, and R-Dynamic HSE, pricing starts at $49,900 for the base S and rises to $89,300 for the exclusive First Edition, which will be limited to approximately 500 units in the United States and available for one model year only. (Pricing does not include $995 destination/handling charge or any options).
All Velar models are endowed with a highly-sophisticated standard AWD system that showcases Land Rover’s off-road DNA and delivers exceptional capability across a variety of surfaces, terrains, and weather conditions.