Range Rover Velar Officially Revealed

The Range Rover Velar is created to compete with midsize luxury SUVs (think BMW X6 and Mercedes-Benz GLE/GLE Coupe), and its engine offerings will have across-the-board appeal: a 180-hp diesel, a 247-hp four-cylinder gasoline engine, and a 380-hp supercharged V-6 gasoline engine.

Production of all JLR models at the four United Kingdom manufacturing plants directly supports more than 40,000 British jobs and a further 250,000 in the supply chain, a JLR statement said.

The Velar further refines the Evoque’s less-boxy shape compared with the Sport. The name was used whenever development engineers needed to hide the true identity of the models.

The new Range Rover is very much a wagon despite speculation that the Velar would be a coupe-style SUV to take on the likes of the BMW X6. All the motors are mated to Land Rover’s eight-speed automatic unit. The tail-lights appear to use LED tech to deliver a 3D effect, plus they’re horizontal instead of the vertical items of the full-size Range Rover.

Under the hood, the Velar offers three engine options.

There’s a 360-degree view camera, trailer-reversing assist, and all the semi-autonomous features you’d expect in a vehicle that’s here to preview what’s coming in a whole range of upcoming Jaguar Land Rover products.

There will also be an even pricier First Edition launch model priced at $167,600 which will be available worldwide but only for one model year.

Inside the chassis, the Velar is kitted with a couple of ultra-thin 10-inch touch screens, which control the entertainment and climate control.

Besides the futuristic aspect of the interior, capacitive steering wheel buttons included, the newest member of the family also plays the luxury card like it owns the place. This system can also be overridden by the driver.

There is a 558-litre cargo space, which is quite good for the medium SUV class. Fold down the second row of seats, and that expands to 1731 litres. It even displays the water level of the auto in creek crossings and how close it is to its maximum wading depth of 650mm.

The Velar’s underpinnings, which incorporate an optimized mix of steel and aluminum components, features conventional coil springs on 4-cylinder models while all V6s nets ride-height-adjustable full air suspension. Hill Descent Control is standard on all models, as is Gradient Release Control, which allows a smooth getaway from standstill on a hill. (650 mm), as well as JLR’s suite of traction technologies that include the optional Terrain Response 2 and All Terrain Progress Control systems.

The connected infotainment system learns from you and anticipates your needs, serving you what you want, when you want it.

A full suite of advanced safety systems including autonomous emergency braking with pedestrian detection, reverse traffic detection, and driver condition monitoring will also feature in the model.

Designed and engineered at JLR’s development centers in the United Kingdom, the Velar will be produced at the Solihull plant and go on sale in mid-July in Europe and 170 other markets worldwide.

Rounding out the range is a pair of 3.0-litre V6s.