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FIRST DRIVE: Land Rover’s all-new 2018 Range Rover Velar

Its smooth profile conceals a lush interior, slick technology and impressive capability

Marc Lachapelle
Published: August 11, 2017, 9:10 AM
Updated: August 14, 2017, 12:57 PM

Completing the Range Rover lineup

The latest addition to the Range Rover family, the sleek and stylish new Velar nonchalantly slips into the previously gaping space between the sprightly, compact Evoque and the square-shouldered Sport. The Velar is slightly shorter and narrower than the Sport but a full 115mm lower and 230 kg lighter – and it’s a beauty! By Marc Lachapelle ▲

Design a dominant theme

It shares its basic structural elements and vital dimensions with its cousin and reigning World Car of the Year, the Jaguar F-Pace. Built on the same aluminum-intensive architecture, its design, styling, materials, technology and dynamics are nonetheless entirely distinct. Naturally, those attributes include exceptional off-road skills, in full keeping with Range Rover’s proud tradition. But the fact that the shapely Velar was revealed to the world in London’s new Design Museum is no coincidence. ▲

Beauty in the details

Slender pieces of burnished copper were added to create unique contrast for this hood plate but also to the front bumper blades and fender vents, on both sides of the Velar’s surprisingly smooth body. Attention to the shape, finish and appearance of the minutest details is obvious on every component or surface of Range Rover’s fourth luxury SUV, inside and out. ▲

Less is more and better

The smooth, unbroken surfaces of the Velar’s instrument panel and centre console are no accident. Great efforts were made to keep buttons, knobs and switches to their absolute minimum in this luxurious cocoon. Range Rover calls this design philosophy ‘reductionism’ in its unrelenting quest to achieve “elegant simplicity, sophistication and refinement.” The instrument panel’s wide, leather-draped horizontal beam, the glass-like, angled console and smooth, split covers of the centre armrest set the mood. As does the two-tone steering wheel with a slim aluminium ring that separates the dark and light leather trim. ▲

Only the best in our Norwegian drive

The only version of the newest Range Rover we drove, on the streets, roads, trails and slopes of Norway, was this Velar First Edition that will stand atop the pyramid of models for year 2018 only, with a base price of $95,000. Canada will get 50 of these, powered by a 3.0-litre, supercharged, 375-horsepower, V-6 gasoline engine and fitted with full leather trim, a 1600-watt Meridian audio system and 22-inch wheels. Four additional V-6-powered versions are offered – the Velar S starting at $69,900 – and three more that get Land Rover’s 180-horsepower, four-cylinder, 2.0-litre Ingenium turbodiesel engine, with the entry-level diesel S priced at $62,000. ▲

Through the air, smoothly

The Velar’s smooth shape is no accident. Great care was taken to integrate all exterior elements with the narrowest gaps and fewest appendages possible. The large exhaust tips, mounted almost flush with the extractor, are the best example. The Velar’s drag coefficient is an excellent 0.32 for diesel-powered versions and 0.36 for V-6 models, with their wider tires. Even more so on this First Edition Velar, with its 22-inch split-spoke wheels and tires that fill the wheel wells completely and work wonders for the look. Much less for ride quality, though. The Flux Silver satin paint is exclusive to this model. ▲

Now you see them

Sturdy handles that swiftly retract into the outer door panels, leaving a flush surface, play a part in improving the Velar’s aesthetic and aerodynamic virtues. The handles look and work much like those of the trendsetting Tesla Model S and Model X, except for the chrome finish and the need to push the small button, or use the remote, to lock or unlock them. They also retract once the Velar reaches speeds above 8 km/h. ▲

A very open space

The Velar’s all-new instrument panel and centre console, angled forward noticeably, add a great sense of airiness and light in the cabin. More so with an abundance of ivory-coloured leather on the horizontal beam, door panels, centre armrest and two-tone steering wheel. Space and elbow room are more than generous in front, with comfy, well-sculpted and easily-adjusted seats. The driving position is impeccable, including a nice, flat footrest, and three different settings can be memorized with buttons on the driver’s door. Visibility is great except for a large, high-mounted left outside mirror that blocks the view on the apex. ▲

For a different touch

To those who prefer not seeing, touching or smelling leather in their luxury sport-utility, Land Rover offers seats, door panels and a centre armrest draped with a high-quality textile made by leading European specialist Kvadrat. This material combines wool-blend textile surfaces combined with soft-touch Suedecloth inserts made with recycled plastic bottles, no less. A special coating makes the textile interior durable and easy to clean. Under the split armrest cover you will find a pair of USB ports and a 12-volt socket in a decent-size cubby, along with the first of two front cup-holders and some movable platters. ▲

Three screens and slick interfaces

The Velar is first to get Land Rover’s new infotainment system that combines two ten-inch, high-definition touchscreens, topping a pair of large configurable knobs and a smaller one for the audio system, on a glass-like console that looks like a giant smartphone. The top screen can be tilted forward for better reach and view. On both, you can control systems, change settings, display the navigation map and generally swipe and surf through menus that control the climate, audio and vehicle systems, including several driving modes. Dead ahead is this superb, 12.3-inch HD display or twin 5-inch TFT gauges on S models. ▲

Morphing magic

The control pads on either side of the steering wheel’s cushy hub are both touch-sensitive. In addition, the left-side pad is configurable through its own menu, all selections shown on a section of the large, high-definition display in the main instrument cluster behind the wheel. In addition, icons and symbols change according to the selected function and are always as perfectly clear and neat as if they were printed, white-on-black. It’s all quite clever, actually, but for these controls, as well as the numerous menus on the main screens, there definitely is a learning curve. ▲

Long-legged, low-profile cruiser

The Velar First Edition was perfectly at ease and relaxed on the generally smooth Norwegian roads. Very quiet too, unless the tarmac is coarse. Full LED headlights, standard on all models, are brighter, more durable and less energy-hungry than xenon lights. The cluster is also the slimmest ever on any Land Rover vehicle, a battle won by the designers who fought the engineers over a 10mm difference. All V-6 models come standard with air suspension that lowers the body by 10mm at speeds above 105 km/h to reduce drag and fuel consumption and by 40mm when stopped to make ingress maneuvers easier. ▲

Classy traveler

With its 50,000 islands and 80,000km of jagged coastline, ferry rides are just about inevitable in Norway. The Velar took it all in stride, of course. One never ceases to be impressed by its slick and exquisitely tapered rear section. The LED taillights shine out of a narrow, black, horizontal trim bar. At the top of the rear window, at the top of a rear tailgate made of composite material, a full-width brake light remains hidden until it lights up. With its glossy black ‘floating’ roof, the new Velar remains true to Range Rover’s modern styling code. ▲

You might call it cozy

You can hop into the rear with relative ease but the Velar is not the most spacious five-seater. The cushion provides good thigh support, you can slip your feet in without constraint and your knees will clear if you’re not XL in size, but there is not a great abundance of clearance. Tall passengers might even call the outside perches tight, or cozy at best. And with a sizable tunnel running through, the middle seat is for short jaunts and occupants only. The seats are heated, though, and the outer seatbacks can be adjusted for rake with a switch on the side of the cushion. ▲

Ready for cargo

Swing a foot under the rear bumper and the composite tailgate opens like magic on 673 litres of practical cargo volume, with aluminum scuff plates on a pleasantly low sill. Loading volume goes up to 1,731 litres if you fold all three sections of the rear seatback (in 40/20/40 proportions) flat, which is easily done from the rear, with release levers. The centre portion of the seatback doubles as a hatch for skis or snowboards. A full-size temporary spare is nestled under the load floor. ▲

Ready for action

We were treated to all sorts of weather and roads during our 500 kilometres trek in Norway. The Velar was ready for it, with an all-wheel drive system built around a single-speed transfer case that switches from rear drive to fully-locked in 165 milliseconds or transfers torque to the front wheels in 100 milliseconds. You can choose between six driving modes: eco, comfort, grass-gravel-snow, mud-and-ruts, sand or Dynamic. In the First Edition, the Terrain Response 2 system has an Auto mode that lets sensors and computers modulate everything, in synch with stability control, torque-vectoring and a locking rear differential. ▲

Norwegian surprises

Sheep running free along fenceless roads were among the quaint surprises the Norwegian back country had for us. We also saw livestock resting or walking lazily, on both sides of the road, and a lone deer in a field. ▲

Topping it all in style

A steep, two-kilometre climb to have brunch on top of the ski mountain at Strandafjellet, quite literally was the climax of our drive in the Velar. It was the perfect opportunity to test the All Terrain Progress Control system (ATPC) that is nothing less than low-speed cruise control. Once ATPC is activated, you simply set the speed, from about 4 to 30 km/h, by using the cruise control switches on the steering wheel, release the brakes and let the Velar rip. Such a long, steady climb, on a rocky surface, is the system’s best trick, indeed. ▲

What went up . . .

Coming back down from the 1,230-metre mountain peak that overlooks the spectacular Geiranger fjord let us test yet another of the Velar’s driving aids, the more familiar Hill Descent control system. There again, we just set our speed with the cruise control switches on the steering wheel and let the electronics work their usual wonders. The driver did have to touch the brakes once, however. Picking up speed unexpectedly is not desirable when your vehicle is tipping down in rather pronounced fashion. ▲

Solid structure is paramount

These tall, staggered ramps provided an excellent test of the Velar’s aluminium-rich body shell’s sheer rigidity. With the vehicle finely balanced on two wheels, the Land Rover experts made us open and shut the driver’s door to demonstrate the total absence of flex or torsion in the structure. Not all SUVs can perform the same trick and roll down the ramps unscathed. ▲

Tiptoeing around

Maneuverability on steep grades and in tight confines is an important trait for an off-road ready machine. The Velar makes it through easily, in spite of its size, with a very decent turning diameter of 11.6 metres, curb-to-curb. Maximum ground clearance is a solid 241mm (9.9 inches) with the First Edition’s standard air suspension and 213mm (8.4 inches) instead with the regular coil spring suspension on Velar S models powered by the turbodiesel engine. ▲

Towing things around

An SUV must be able to tow a trailer and the Velar, however stylish and chic, is ready for it. Towing capacity, for models powered by the supercharged V-6, goes from 750 kg for a regular load to 2,500 kg with electric brakes. Maximum towing capacity is barely less with the torque-rich, 2.0-litre turbodiesel engine, at 2,400 kg. The Velar can also be equipped with the Advanced Tow Assist system that lets you back a trailer up by using the rotary controller and following guiding lines on a screen. The hitch assist and trailer light test features are great too. ▲

Before the last stretch

Green roofs that keep houses warm in winter and cool in summer are quite common in Norway. They were in abundance at the charming Storfjord Hotel, our last overnight stop in the country. Judging by their license plates, the three Velar First Edition models posing in this photo are marked for future service in the Italian and German press vehicle fleets. ▲

Big wheels mostly for show

Designers love big alloy rims that make even mid-size luxury SUVs look slender by filling wheel wells and minimizing the black rings of rubber. The Velar First Edition we drove in Norway had these 22-inch wheels, wrapped with low-profile tires in size 275/40R22. They make the Velar look great at a standstill, track nicely on smooth asphalt but also jar its passengers vigorously on a rough trail or a jagged country road. Several other wheel sizes are available, from 18 to 21 inches in diameter. They are worth consideration if you don’t plan to drive your Velar only on billiard-table smooth roads. ▲

Quiet force

The 3.0-litre, supercharged V-6 under the hood, codenamed P380, is a feisty engine with just a sweet wail in full acceleration. It generates 375 hp at 6,500 rpm and 332 lb-ft of torque from 3,500 rpm, channeled through a tight 8-speed automatic gearbox by ZF. It’s good for 0-100 km/h in 5.7 seconds. The aluminum paddles behind the wheel, with the and – symbols knocked out, are a cool touch, both ways. The four-cylinder diesel makes 177 hp at 4,000 rpm and 317 lb-ft of torque at 1,500 rpm with a variable geometry turbo, for a 0-100 dash in 8.9 seconds. ▲

Velar versatility

The new Range Rover Velar is made to go places and do things. So its makers have plenty of accessories that will help customers in doing just so, including custom racks and supports. In this colour and trim, with black enamel alloy wheels, the Velar looks much more like the Jaguar F-Pace, a close cousin that shares the same basic structure. That said; their body panels, interior, suspension and drivetrain are entirely different. ▲

Star material

At once elegant, comfortable, solid and surefooted, the Velar is the perfect fourth member for the Range Rover family. With superbly modern, original and innovative design, it will do much more than merely fill a gap between compact and fuller-size luxury sport-utilities from the revered British marque. It breaks new ground and will most likely set new trends. All hail the new Velar, set to land here in September. ▲
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