Called the fourth member of the family, the Range Rover Velar was unveiled ahead of the Geneva Motor Show at the Design Museum in London, a new mid-size luxury SUV fitting between the Range Rover Evoque and the Range Rover Sport.
Getting right to its design, if you thought the Evoque was daring when it landed, the Velar really pushes the envelope further. With touches like ultra-slim Matrix-Laser LED headlights, motorized flush deployable door handles and copper colored metal accents, the Velar is surely to become popular at the curbs of fashion districts around the globe.
While sleeker, lower and more elegant than any Range Rover before it, the Velar is an unmistakable member of the family with its upright A-Pillar and facial features. The rear view also has the planted sense of being Range Rover has established but the C-Pillar brings something new in its window line with its curved down rear greenhouse.
Inside, the Velar carries Range Rover design and innovation another step forward with simplified surfacing with touch sensitive back-lit graphic information screens replacing the majority of switches, buttons and knobs.
The center of it all is the Touch Pro Duo infotainment system with its two 10-inch high-definition touchscreens. Together they provide control over everything from audio and navigation to climate control and chassis drive modes.
While leathers and woods will be available, Velar introduces a new sustainable and premium alternative to leather complemented with Suedecloth. They combine with other rich materials to create an interior serene, modern, and yes sustainable if you wish.
Built of aluminum from the ground up, the Range Rover Velar features a double-wishbone front and a multi-link rear suspension that can provide exceptional on-road handling while offering the adjustability to continue the off-road prowess the brand is known for.
With all-wheel drive and the available air suspension the Velar can offer class-leading ground clearance of 9.8 inches and fording depth of 25.5 inches. With Terrain Response 2 and All Terrain Progress Control, Velar can wade, crawl or walk through just about anything controlled manually or set for automatic progress.
While exact powertrains haven’t yet been revealed for the North American market, we can likely look for the 3.0 liter turbodiesel V6 found in the larger Range Rover line with its 240 horsepower along with the brand’s 380 horsepower 3.0 liter supercharged gasoline V6 – the latter with a 0-60 time of 5.3 seconds.
The 2018 Range Rover Velar will be produced in the United Kingdom starting this summer and should arrive in North American dealerships later in the year. Pricing will be announced closer to that time but like its size, expect between the Evoque and the Range Rover Sport.
