Range Rover will bring the Velar coupe-SUV to India towards the end of 2017, confirmed Rohit Suri, MD and president, Jaguar Land Rover India, with us today. The Range Rover Velar made its global debut recently at the Geneva motor show. Underpinned by the same technology as the similar-sized Jaguar F-Pace, the Velar will slot in between the Evoque and the Range Rover Sport. The Velar, like most other Range Rover models, will be sold as a full import to India. The coupe-SUV shares its 2,874mm wheelbase and aluminium architecture with the F-Pace, alongside which it is being built at the Solihull plant of Jaguar Land Rover. Unlike the F-Pace, the Velar is all-wheel drive only and comes with Land Rover’s full suite of off-road technology, including Terrain Response 2. Its wade depth is 650mm and is also a touch longer than the F-Pace, at 4,800mm.

The Velar ushers in a new, more high-tech Land Rover interior design that is expected to be rolled out across the rest of the range as the next generation of models is introduced. The key feature of the cabin is a new Touch Pro Duo infotainment system with two 10-inch touchscreens, described as ‘secret-until-lit’ surfaces. Between them, these configurable displays reduce the switchgear to an absolute minimum, while the lower part of the centre console, ahead of the gear and Terrain Response selectors, is turned into a screen itself.

Globally, the Velar comes with six engine options. There’s a base 2.0-litre, four-cylinder Ingenium diesel unit in 180hp and 240hp guises. The entry-level petrol engine is a new 2.0-litre Ingenium unit with 250hp. A more potent 300hp version of this engine is expected to join the line-up later. The V6 range-toppers are a 300hp diesel and a 380hp petrol engine. The petrol V6 is supercharged — the only non-turbo engine in the range — and will power the Velar from 0-100kph in 5.3sec. However, it is not yet known as to which engine will make it to our shores.

The Velar comes standard with Land Rover’s full suite of off-road technology, including Terrain Response 2, an active rear locking e-differential and a torque vectoring by braking system. Initial models will also get a system called Configurable Dynamics, which allows for stiffer suspension, improved throttle response and reduced assistance for the power steering, as standard. While the model is fully capable for off-roading, it has been developed as the most road-biased model yet in the Range Rover line-up.

Range Rover Velar image gallery