What V8 Dreams Are Made Of: Range Rover Velar SVAutobiography

AT LAST! The Range Rover Velar is gaining a new, much more powerful version, giving the streamlined luxury SUV the grunt it always deserved. The 2020 Range Rover Velar SVAutobiography Dynamic Edition takes the top spot as the most powerful Velar so far, with a 5.0-liter supercharged V8 under the hood.

Compared to the P380 supercharged petrol V6 that was, until this point, the most potent engine Land Rover offered for the Velar, it’s a 45-percent power boost. The 5.0-liter supercharged V8 delivers 410kW and 680Nm, the automaker promises, good for a 4.3-second 0-100km/h time.

All of this is the handiwork of the Land Rover Special Vehicle Operations – SVO – team, and they haven’t stinted on performance. Top speed is electronically limited to 274km/h, and the standard AWD system has been upgraded with a new transfer box to deal with the increase in power. As much as 100-percent of the torque can be directed to the front or the rear wheels, situation demanding. An eight-speed Quickshift transmission and air suspension are standard.

Inside, double-stitched, perforated, and quilted Windsor leather is standard – not to mention exclusive to the V8 – in Ebony, Cirrus, Vintage Tan, or Pimento. 20-way adjustable heated and cooled performance seats, with memory and massage, are standard too. A sports steering wheel with aluminum gear shift paddle and a contoured rim, sports pedals, and illuminated metal tread plates are included; a carbon fiber pack is optional.

Land Rover has even increased the size of the fuel tank 82 litres

The 12.3-inch Interactive Driver Display – which replaces analog instrumentation – is standard, with bespoke graphics. The InControl Touch Pro Duo infotainment system gets knurled finish dials. On a practical note, there’s still 15.7 cubic feet of trunk space, and 40/20/40 split rear seats, and Land Rover has even increased the size of the fuel tank 82 litres!

Sadly there’s also a downside. Land Rover says that it will only be offering this particular version of the Velar for one year only, though we’re hoping that after all the hard work involved in bringing the SUV and the supercharged V8 together that it will spawn a longer-lasting version after that. Pricing is yet to be confirmed.

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