Topic: First Drive: 2018 Land Rover Range Rover Velar

[AutoTrader.ca]

Urbanely urban, not boxy.
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[JohnnyMac]

I don't know what it is about this SUV but I find it really attractive.  It'd probably be the one I'd pick out of their lineup of vehicles.  I know it's more style over function but there's something so appealing to it's design.

[Noto]

I miss Palm Springs...I was so close when we were going through Vegas - so tempted just go for a quick *4 hour* detour.

If the rental counter offered me a Velar, I'd be p!ssed.  Gimme my proper convertible for soaking up the sun!  Off-road, shmoff-road! 

Just kidding - the Velar actually seems like a damn good offering.  A little (ok, a lot...) pretentious, but really offering a bit of everything for the trendy California life.

I'm just jealous I didn't get the assignment 

[dirtyjeffer]

lol at the off road photos...for one, some of the pics look like the ground was nicely raked (like a sandtrap at a golf course) to ensure the ground is smooth and flat...secondly, offroading with what appears to be 22" low profile tires is dumb.

[Hannibalsmith]

^^Great backdrop for a photo though

[dirtyjeffer]

^^Great backdrop for a photo though

sure, i get why they did it...just that low profile tires and raked landscape don't scream "offroad prowess" to me...my Rio5 could handle that ground. 

[Noto]

lol at the off road photos...

Watch the video, ya dolt...
https://youtu.be/wUu_UFItFnI

[dirtyjeffer]

lol at the off road photos...

Watch the video, ya dolt...
https://youtu.be/wUu_UFItFnI

i know, a couple of the photos were not from the raked sand...i just found it funny that's all...as well, those tires are not the kind of tires you want to use off road.

[Noto]

Not a single person is buying this to go rock crawling.  Seriously, do you see any mainstream S/CUVs on a trial like this?



This was a media campaign.  Invite journalists to an event where they can drive a car in the way that the manufacturer wants the car to be portrayed in exchange for "free" (very much not "free") advertising.

Palm Springs, CA was a specific choice, no doubt: it's the place where I got a BMW Z4 car rental for $22/day.  Go to El Paseo Drive (the Palm Springs equivalent of Rodeo Drive in LA) and you'll see anything from Murano Cabriolets (I have ) to vintage Astons.  Rovers litter the place.

Does anyone in Palm Springs go off road?  Perhaps, though not in their daily driver or show-car - they would have a purpose-purchased car for that, too.

The good folk at JLR wanted to portray that this soft-roader still retains sufficient "off-road" chops to retain the Range Rover nameplate.  Is it the most hardcore one they've ever built?  No.  If it had mud tires on, the drive and spirited handling would suffer greatly.

This was a media event.  It's not meant to suggest that the car's sole purpose is to be off-road; rather, it just suggests that it still can do some stuff - more stuff, actually, than 99% of buyers will ever utilize.

[dirtyjeffer]

Not a single person is buying this to go rock crawling.  Seriously, do you see any mainstream S/CUVs on a trial like this?

i agree with everything you said...my point is more about the marketing department...if we know no one will take it off road, and they know no one will take it off road, then why bother with the off road course...people buy these things for on road manners, trips to the mall/sports events, real estate agents to drive clients around, etc...that's where the marketing should be going to in order to move metal...show how it works for prospective customers in the way they will actually use it...something like this with 22" low profile tires on it to do some softroading is stupid since none of their customers will actually buy this to do that.

now, load it up with a stroller and a couple of car seats to show how it can be handy for families...sure...load it up with hockey bags, sticks and show it works for taking the kids to their hockey games, sure...load it up with a few suitcases and people and show how you can take the family to Disneyworld in it, absolutely...but rock crawling and driving on raked sand is just plain dumb.

[JacobBlack]

You are confusing "what people use a car for" with "what people like their car for".

[dirtyjeffer]

You are confusing "what people use a car for" with "what people like their car for".

not at all...i think their marketing department is though...Jeep's (Wrangler) marketing department advertises some off road stuff, but their vehicles are known to do that, and their on road manners suffer due to their off road capability...but if you want something that is a beast off road, you know that, and make that choice...no one is buying a Velar for its off road prowess...just like you wouldn't buy a purse dog to guard your shop with.

[OliverD]

I don't know what it is about this SUV but I find it really attractive.  It'd probably be the one I'd pick out of their lineup of vehicles.  I know it's more style over function but there's something so appealing to it's design.

Agreed 100%. This thing is a looker. Too bad it's $90k the way I'd have one. 

[Dante]

I saw one of these yesterday on the road; it's  a looker and stand out for sure.

[Railton]

I saw one of these yesterday on the road; it's  a looker and stand out for sure.

^^ Yes.
Railton

[Serniter]

Yes, it is a good design.

[carcrazed]

This is the best looking modern LR I've seen.  I'm sure it'll cost about $1500/month to lease one though lol

[dirtyjeffer]

I saw one of these yesterday on the road; it's  a looker and stand out for sure.

^^ Yes.
Railton

i don't mind the looks of it, but i recall everyone in here criticizing the Discovery, and i don't think this looks that much different from the Discovery.

[Serniter]

I saw one of these yesterday on the road; it's  a looker and stand out for sure.

^^ Yes.
Railton

i don't mind the looks of it, but i recall everyone in here criticizing the Discovery, and i don't think this looks that much different from the Discovery.

Yes, it does resemble the Discovery. The roof is probably lower though and gives it a sportier look. There are other subtle differences as well, with the effect that the velar has a better stance and presence in person than the Discovery.

[OliverD]

I saw one of these yesterday on the road; it's  a looker and stand out for sure.

^^ Yes.
Railton

i don't mind the looks of it, but i recall everyone in here criticizing the Discovery, and i don't think this looks that much different from the Discovery.

I think that the issue most people have with the Discovery is that its styling is a big departure from the squared off look of its predecessors. Meanwhile, this is a nice evolution of recent Range Rover styling.