Jaguar Land Rover unveiled on Wednesday its latest luxury SUV: the Range Rover Velar. The new utility truck sports a new design and packs enhanced tech at a starting price of $49,900. The automaker will start taking orders this summer.
The Range Rover Velar is an entirely new model, designed as a mid-tier option in between the Range Rover Evoque and the Range Rover Sport in both size and price. It will compete in the market against the likes of Porsche, Audi, and BMW.
The company revealed this premium SUV ahead of the 2017 Geneva Auto Show. Before the event, the Velar will be on display at the Design Museum in London until it launches later in the year.
Range Rover Velar: design and specs
The British automaker’s latest vehicle is based on sister company Jaguar’s F-Pace, favoring an aluminum body for a lighter overall weight. Land Rover’s head of design Gerry McGovern mixes up core elements of the brand with bold takes for next-gen drivers.
As such, the Range Rover Velar sports a slimmer pair of LED headlights on the front and the traditional horizontal taillights on the back. The SUV also has the company’s signature overhang, but the handles are now hidden within the doors.
Overall, the Velar is a bit longer and lower than other vehicles of the brand, but it is more efficient than others with a 0.32 drag coefficient. There will be three engine options for drivers aspiring to get behind the wheel.
The base gas engine is 2.0 liters, 247 horsepower, and four cylinders. A second diesel option tops at 180 horsepower, while the third, supercharged V6 engine will be a more attractive option to sports drivers at 380 horsepower and 3.0 liters.
Range Rover’s Velar can go from 0 to 60 mph in 6.4 seconds with the standard engine, but it can cut that time down to 5.3 seconds when running on the V6.
Range Rover Velar: features and price
Perhaps the most striking feature of the Range Rover Velar is its interior design. Jaguar Land Rover doubles down on technology with literal twin touchscreens and displays on the control panel and the wheel.
The Touch Pro Duo infotainment system lets drivers control media elements on the top screen and vehicle functions on the lower display. The steering wheel also has touch controls for shortcuts and other features of the car.
Advanced assistive technology also comes with the luxury SUV, providing support for cruise control, auto-parking, smart braking, and a 360-degree camera on the back. All Velar models are AWD vehicles.
The base Range Rover Velar will cost $49,900 upon launch. Depending on the engine configuration, the latest JLR vehicle can go up to $56,200, $64,200, and even $89,300 for the premium First Edition. It is available starting this summer.
Source: Jaguar Land Rover
