Finally, a British counter to the German SUV-coupe offensive.
There’s a new offering being developed by Land Rover, pipped to fill the gap in its desirable Range Rover lineup between the baby Evoque and the full-fat Sport. Dubbed the ‘Velar,’ this new model is rumoured to be something of a Range Rover Sport coupe, aimed directly at Mercedes-Benz’s GLE-Coupe and BMW’s X6.
It’s a little odd that Land Rover is pursuing this market, though not completely illogical. As one half of the Jaguar-Land Rover family, critics had assumed that the SUV-coupe segment would be handled by Jaguar, which has proven itself capable of making a great SUV (the F-Pace is testament to that). However, considering how well these sports-activity vehicles sell, it makes sense that JLR would pursue this end of the market with its more established SUV marque, ensuring that the new car can gain traction in the market quickly.
Spy shots of the Velar floating around the Internet have revealed that the Velar sports a much lower roofline than the Range Rover Sport, which indicates it will also have a lower driving position than its Range Rover brethren (but is generally par for the course). The interior of the Velar should reflect the current Range Rover’s minimalist cabin design, capitalising on the central touchscreen to control various functions. The Velar should also see the use of Land Rover’s excellent ‘Ingenium’ family of diesel engines, though a Carbuyer report speaks of a hybrid model available sometime after launch.
The idea of a Velar SVR (doesn’t roll of the tongue, does it) powered by a 5.0-litre supercharged V8 is also being bandied about, and through we feel it would be one hell of a machine, it’s still an idea at this point. There’s also no solid confirmation of when the Velar will make its market introduction, but there’s some talk about it possibly making its debut at the Geneva motor show in March.
Why the Velar name? ‘Velar’ actually comes from the first batch of Range Rover development mules from the late 1960s, and was a name used to disguise the then-secret Range Rover project from prying eyes. ‘Velar’ is actually Italian for ‘veil’ or ‘cover,’ and considering the sheer amount of camouflage being employed by the current development cars, it’s rather apt.
For more information on Land Rover and Range Rover, check out our Showroom.
