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Range Rover Velar
Land Rover has expanded the Range Rover brand with an
all-new model called the Velar. It will slot between the Range
Rover Sport and the smaller Evoque when it goes on sale
later this year. Effectively growing the Range Rover brand
into a four-strong range, it will also provide the brand with a
competitor to the long-line of coupe SUVs, such as the BMW
X6, Mercedes-Benz GLE Coupe and Porsche Macan.
“We strived towards a reductive approach, which is something
I’ve always valued,” says Land Rover design director Gerry
McGovern. “Simplicity is the hardest to achieve in design, but
it’s the most rewarding.”
Taking the codename used by Land Rover's development
engineers to cloak the true identity of the 26 Range Rover
prototypes in the late '60s (Velar is derived from the Latin
word 'velare', meaning to veil or cover) the new mid-size Range
Rover SUV shares its underpinnings with the Jaguar F-Pace,
making it roughly equal in length and width.
Measuring in at 4803mm in length, 1903mm wide and
1665mm tall it’s slightly longer and taller than the F-Pace
(4731mm long, 2070mm wide and 1652mm tall) but the
Velar’s 2874mm wheelbase is identical to its JLR counterpart.
The exterior proportions and overall feel of the two vehicles
are entirely different, however.
The Range Rover Velar has a very familiar design, building on
the family elements such as the horizontal head- and taillamps
that bleed into the front and rear fenders, respectively, and
the brand’s defining side strake -- though the latter has taken
on a more contemporary execution to its older siblings. The
Range Rover looks particularly dated alongside the Velar's
more minimalistic approach.
The Range Rover Velar is a very well executed new car in a
burgeoning niche segment, and we imagine it will do quite well
to satisfy the needs of well-heeled image-conscious consumers
who primarily use their vehicles in urban environments and on
paved surfaces.
Audi’s RS 3 Sportback
Audi’s RS 3 Sportback has finally received
the upgraded powertrain of the all-new RS 3
sedan that debuted last fall at the 2016 Paris
auto show.
It means the handsome hatch is now extracting
400 horsepower and 354 pound-feet of torque
from its turbocharged 2.5-liter inline-5, all of
which is routed to the wheels via a 7-speed
dual-clutch transmission and all-wheel-drive
system.
That’s a healthy jump on the 362 hp and 343
lb-ft that the RS 3 Sportback has been offering
since the launch of the current-generation
model in 2014. It means the car can now
sprint to 62 mph from rest in just 4.1 seconds.
The top speed is limited to 155 mph, though
on request this limit can be raised to 174 mph.
Along with its extra power, the engine’s weight
has been reduced by a substantial 57 pounds
via the use of lighter internals, namely a new
aluminum crankcase.
The RS 3 Sportback also adopts some of
the changes of the updated 2017 A3 range.
Tweaks have been made to the lights at both
ends and the front bumper and grille now
feature a more aggressive design. There’s also
a new extended front splitter.
Standard on the RS 3 Sportback is an active
exhaust system, a driving modes selector, a
widened track with sport-tuned suspension,
12.2-in brake discs at the front axle, and 19-
inch wheels with 235/35-size tires at all four
corners. Worthwhile options include adjustable
dampers, carbon-ceramic brake discs, and RS-
spec bucket seats.
supported by EUROBAK
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