Range Rover Velar
Range Rover Velar (2017-Present)
The Range Rover Velar is the fourth model in the Range Rover line. Initially unveiled at the London Design Museum in March 2017 and officially launched at the Geneva Motor Show just a few days later, the vehicle was released to the market in summer of the same year.
While the Velar may be modern, the name is anything but. The Velar name was used for several top-secret Range Rover prototypes back in the 1960s. The Velar range features the base model and V6 powered R-Dynamic HSE.
Concept & Design
It is safe to say that the Velar’s design was heavily influenced by the Evoque. Featuring smoother lines and a ‘sportier’ look, on-road performance was most definitely the top priority in this model’s design and styling. It was created using Jaguar Land Rover’s Lightweight Aluminium Architecture to improve driving performance, as well as using unique sustainable materials.
Exterior
Sleek and ultra-modern, it features the signature clamshell hood and Range Rover-esque front grille. At the back, the Velar also boasts the iconic floating roofline and horizontal rear lights.
The minimalist Velar has an aluminium platform and shares components with other Jaguar vehicles including the F-Pace, XF and XE models. The Velar also boasts Matrix-Laser LED headlights and flush door handles.
Interior
The interior design of the Range Rover Velar was also influenced by the Jaguar I-Pace. It features 3 touchscreens, a driver focused cockpit and the lowest seating position of all Land Rover vehicles up to its release. As well as this, the cabin is notably devoid of buttons. Instead, the entire centre console is taken up by screens.
The vehicle boasts five seats and a glass panoramic roof. The boot features 15.7 cubic feet of space, which can be expanded to 70 cubic feet by folding down the rear seats.
Speaking of the seats, premium textile seat materials are offered as a sustainable alternative to leather. This was developed in collaboration with Kvadrat, a manufacturer of high-quality design textiles.
Engine, Transmission & Suspension
The Range Rover Velar uses the Ingenium line of four-cylinder diesel and petrol engines. These are paired with the ZF 8-speed automatic transmission. Some models are also available with the Jaguar Land Rover six-cylinder engines also mated with the ZF 8-speed automatic transmission.
These engines power the all-wheel drive system. It is purported that the Velar can reach 60mph in just 5.6 seconds, and that it can reach top speeds of 155mph. The Velar also features a four-corner suspension system for better driving comfort and control.
Technology
The Range Rover Velar features a Touch Pro Duo infotainment system comprised of two 10” touchscreens. In the driver’s eye-line, a 12.3” configurable digital instrument cluster is housed which can be adjusted to feedback information to the driver during use.
The Velar also features a 360-degree camera system, adaptive cruise control and automatic emergency braking. For entertainment and connectivity, it also boasts a WiFi hotspot and 1,600 Meridian Signature sound system.
Finally, on the technology front, the Velar can be opened and locked by the Jaguar Land Rover ‘activity key’. This is a bracelet which can be worn around the wrist and can be used to lock and unlock the doors by simply tapping it on the Range Rover logo at the back of the vehicle.
