Range Rover Velar: official reveal 02 | 03 | 2017

RANGE ROVER HAS unveiled its Porsche Macan rival, the all-new Velar. Order books are open now — prices start from £44,830 — and Scottish dealerships have been inundated with customers registering their interest. First deliveries are scheduled for July.

Within a week of Range Rover issuing its first ‘teaser’ image, more than 40,000 customers registered interest in the model with 12,000 of those in the UK.

Utilising the same technology as the similarly sized Jaguar F-Pace, the Velar sits between the Evoque and Range Rover Sport in Land Rover’s range.

Labelled by Range Rover as “the most car-like Range Rover we’ve done so far,” the new model is the first to show the new, more high-tech Land Rover interior design expected to be rolled out across the rest of the range.

To be unveiled officially at next week’s Geneva Motor Show, the Velar has the same 2874mm wheelbase and aluminium architecture as the F-Pace; both cars will be built alongside each other at Jaguar Land Rover’s Solihull plant.

Available as all-wheel-drive only, the Velar — which, at 4.8m is a tad longer than the F-Pace — comes with the full barrage of Land Rover’s off-road technology including Terrain Response 2. So don’t worry it it rains: the car’s capable of driving through water 650mm deep!

At launch, buyers will have the choice from six engines, each mated to an eight-speed automatic gearbox.

Entry-level models get the 2.0-litre four-cylinder Ingenium diesel unit in 178bhp and 237bhp versions, or a new 2.0-litre Ingenium petrol delivering 247bhp. Before the end of the year, the range will be boosted by a 296bhp version of this engine.

Topping the range are a pair of V6 powerplants, a 296bhp diesel and 375bhp supercharged petrol; the latter will power the Velar from 0-62mph in 5.3sec. Not surprisingly, the entry-level diesel is the most efficient, with CO2 emissions of 142g/km.

Inside the cabin the standout feature is the new Touch Pro Duo infotainment system with two 10in touchscreens. Designed to reduce switchgear to an absolute minimum, these configurable displays are described by Range Rover as “secret till lit”.

Other techie bits include touchpads on the steering wheel to control certain key interior and driving functions, gesture control to open the tailgate, an active rear locking e-differential and state-of-the-art laser spotlights.

The company also says there’s “plenty of leg- and head-room in the back, even with the sliding roofline”, while bootspace is quoted as 673 litres, increasing to 1731 with the rear seats lowered. Both of these sizes are comfortably clear of the space offered in a Macan. The Velar’s rear seats also split 40/20/40.

And though the new Velar starts at £44,830, that price isn’t representative of where Range Rover expects the car to sit: the typical purchase price is expected to be around £61,000.

There are four trim levels for the Velar, Standard, S, SE and HSE. The entry-level gets 18-inch alloys, heated front seats, keyless entry, a heated windscreen and LED headlights. Step up to S, an there’s 19-in aloys, the gesture-controlled tailgate, 10-way electrically adjustable front seats and leather upholstery.

There are more goodies with the SE: 20in alloys, an 825W Meridian sound system, a 360-degree parking aid, matrix LED lights with high beam assist, and Land Rover’s 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster.

The range-topping HSE goes even further, with Windsor leather seats with massage and climate function for front passengers, satin chrome trim, 21in alloys, a power-adjustable steering column and adaptive cruise control with Queue Assist.

But that’s not all: there’s also an additional trim level called R-Dynamic. This introduces a sporty-theme to the detailing, including a more aggressive front bumper design, bright-metal alloy pedals, and satin grey-finish alloy wheels.

Related: Jaguar I-Pace sees red

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Jim McGill