![]() If there is a weakness with the dynamic package, it’s the brakes, which despite their substantial 395mm disc size and decent feel, lack the outright power to haul in all that kerb weight with full confidence.Īt the mid-£80k mark, the Velar’s closest rivals are also powered by V8s, although distinctly varied. I wouldn’t go so far as to call it fun – it certainly lacks the playfulness of something smaller and more nimble such as the Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio, but it’s very satisfying and without any glaring dynamic oversights. Drive harder and the Velar’s significant weight is always noticeable, but to the effect of pummeling the road surface into submission, rather than feeling like an oil tanker in rough seas. Push harder, even in the suspension’s Dynamic mode, and the Velar’s body does move around to a certain level, but it never lacks control, floating over the worst imperfections in the road surface without feeling like that 542bhp is getting away from you. It’s very well judged, and rather than feeling needlessly stiff or over-damped, it speaks of a confidence in the underlying chassis that isn’t always apparent in rivals. That’s because the Velar just feels exceptionally supple and sophisticated, but at the same time controlled. Either way, both wheel options save 2.5kg per corner compared to the equivalently sized options on standard Velars. Bespoke 21-inch forged alloy wheels are standard fit, but the aforementioned 22-inch options will doubtlessly be the more popular option. The core suspension hardware might not be ostensibly different from that of other air-sprung Velars, but finer detail changes have been applied, including thicker anti-roll bars, and a new Dynamic mode for the air suspension. This might suggest a compromise in road feel, as air systems in almost all applications exhibit a certain disconnect, and indeed it does, but so too is there a significant rise in comfort and sophistication, especially considering the 22-inch wheels fitted to this car (and surely almost all cars ordered by customers). The suspension, for instance, is of air rather than the standard coil springs and adaptive dampers found in the F-Pace SVR. That’s not to say the Velar’s Land Rover-ness has been lost, rather it represented a rather different type of platform for Land Rover’s engineers to apply their own components to. ![]() All together, the powertrain will shoot the near 2.1-ton Velar SVA to 62mph in 4.5sec, plenty for this more relaxed interpretation of performance SUV. The rear axle also features active torque vectoring, handy for both on- and off-roading applications, if you ever plan on taking your Velar off the pavement. Connected to it is a ZF-sourced eight-speed torque-converter automatic transmission, sending power to an active all-wheel-drive system that is able to shuffle power infinitely between the front and rear axles, although most of the power is sent to the rear axle most of the time. This makes the engine more responsive than the V8 units found in an Audi RSQ8 or Porsche Cayenne Turbo, even if it does lack their outright punch. One advantage of the mechanically driven supercharger is the instant response that goes with it. Range Rover D350 Autobiography 2020 review – new straight-six diesel a great fit.Range Rover Velar 2021 review – elegant SUV now has the powertrains it deserves.Range Rover 2022 review – new generation icon sits in a class of its own.Range Rover review (L405, 2012-2021) – verdict, specs and rivals. ![]() This also provides some air between it and the closely related Jaguar F-Pace SVR, and represents a somewhat more grown-up approach to the mid-sized performance SUV compared to rivals such as the BMW X3 M, Mercedes-AMG GLC63 S and Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio. ![]() That’s because the Velar SVAutobiography Dynamic to use its full, if clumsy name, is a somewhat more gentle, balanced approach to a flagship model – a recipe that appeals in a different manner to the somewhat extrovert character of the larger Range Rover Sport SVR. > Click here for our review of the Jaguar F-Pace SVR With some help from Land Rover’s Special Vehicle Operations department, a new supercharged V8 flagship has arrived, but with a somewhat different approach to JLR’s usual SVR recipe. It never quite took full advantage of this on-road focus though, as the Velar’s most potent variants had to make do with either a smooth but dull V6 diesel or the really rather dreadful supercharged V6 petrol. The arrival of the Range Rover Velar was something of a key moment for Land Rover – it introduced a new design language, a road car-based platform shared with Jaguar and because of that a whole new ethos as a Land Rover that might actually be somewhat entertaining, rather than just competent to drive. ![]()
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