The 2018 Range Rover Velar is set to compete with the Audi Q5 and the Porsche Macan.
- Jaguar Land Rover unveiled the 2018 Range Rover Velar at the 2017 Geneva Motor Show.
- The Velar is a stylish, high-tech SUV designed go head-to-head with the best Germany has to offer.
- The Velar is on sale now in the US with a starting price of $49,900.
The gloves are off. With the market for luxury crossover and SUV ready for the taking, Jaguar Land Rover is going all in.
At the 2017 Geneva Motor Show, the company unveiled the all-new 2018 Range Rover Velar.
"The new Range Rover Velar brings a new dimension of modernity to our brand while reinforcing our total commitment to design and engineering excellence," Land Rover chief design officer Gerry McGovern said in a statement ahead of the unveiling.
The Velar is billed as a stylish, high-tech competitor against the best Germany can offer. That means taking on segment leaders such as the Porsche Macan and the Audi Q5.
For JLR, 2016 was a record year in terms of sales and profitability — driven primarily by the booming demand for SUVs. So it's easy to see why they are so keen to keep the good times rolling.
With the Velar, Land Rover's premium Range Rover sub-brand expands to four distinct models that range from the compact Evoque to the ultra-luxury Long Wheel Base SV Autobiography. These vehicles will sell alongside Land Rover's own Discovery family of SUVs as well as the F-PACE from sister company Jaguar.
Here's a closer look at the 2018 Range Rover Velar:
Here it is! The 2018 Range Rover Velar. It's a mid-size SUV that slots in between the...
...The compact Evoque which starts at around $42,000 in the US and ....
.... The rugged Range Rover Sport that has a $66,000 price of entry.
With a starting price just under $50,000, the Velar allows Range Rover to split the difference — bridging the lineup's previous $24,000 price gap.
In the market place, the Velar goes head-to-head with the industry-leading Porsche Macan and ...
... Audi's impressive second generation Q5.
Not to mention the Velar's stylish siblings — the Land Rover Discovery and...
... The Jaguar F-PACE.
The Velar is the latest work from Land Rover design boss Gerry McGovern.
Aesthetically, it offers a sleek interpretation of the looks we've become accustomed to in recent Range Rovers.
Up front the Velar features the brand's signature clamshell hood and imposing front grille..
Out back, it's punctuated by Range Rover's famous floating roof line and horizontal rear lights.
Step inside, and the Velar is an exercise in minimalist chic. The leather-lined cabin is virtually devoid of buttons.
In its place, Range Rover has doubled up on touchscreen displays.
The twin 10-inch high definition touchscreens are part of Land Rover's InControl Touch Pro Duo system.
The top screen functions like a traditional infotainment unit while, ...
The bottom screen replaces the HVAC and traction management systems.
Up top, a large panoramic glass roof floods the cabin with light.
Under the hood, the Velar is available with three engine options. A base 2.0 liter, 247 horsepower, turbocharged four-cylinder engine along with optional 180 horsepower turbodiesel and 380 horsepower, supercharged V6 engines. All three engines are mated to a slick-shifting 8-Speed ZF automatic transmission with standard all-wheel-drive.
According to JLR, the 2.0 liter turbo four can move the Velar to 60 mph from a standstill in just 6.4 seconds, while the supercharged six can do the job in an impressive 5.3 seconds before reaching a top speed of 155 mph.