Range Rover Velar SUV-coupe to be unveiled at Geneva; targets Porsche Macan, BMW X6

Luxury utility vehicle specialist Land Rover is reportedly planning to launch yet another SUV in its portfolio. The British marquee is preparing to unveil a SUV-coupe at the Geneva Motor Show in March.

Also read: Jaguar Land Rover shelves plan to make small SUV in India

The new SUV will be called Velar and it will be the brand's most radical-looking in its history, Autocar reports. Velar will be positioned between Evoque and Range Rover Sport, and will go up against Porsche Macan, BMW X6 and Mercedes-Benz GLE Coupe.

The name Velar comes from the original secret Range Rover prototypes in the late 1960s. The new SUV-coupe will be built in ultra-modern aluminium body and at the assembly plant in Solihull. Use of aluminium means, it could weigh as little as 1,800kg. Internally called Evoque XL, Velar will be a five-seater and will share most of the underpinnings with Jaguar F-Pace, including IQ platform.

Velar will be slightly longer than Macan and that translates more interior room. Velar will be offered only in four-wheel drive format. The SUV-coupe will feature short overhangs and good ground clearance complementing the off-road DNA of Land Rover brand.

Velar will be powered by a range of four-cylinder and six-cylinder engines, both diesel and petrol under the JLR belt. A fully electric powertrain JLR for Jaguar I-Pace SUV or a hybrid powertrain for the Velar cannot be written off.

Velar is also expected to get SVR treatment. A range-topping high-performance Velar variant likely to be powered by 550hp supercharged 5.0-litre V8 engine, which is also planned for the F-Pace SVR.

Land Rover is also getting ready to re-launch iconic Defender brand sometime in 2019. The new Defender will be a full-blown off-roader just like its predecessor.

Source: Autocar