Page 172 - Decadence

A RIDE WITH THE NEW RANGE ROVER
Range Rover, an iconic name which has been around almost 50 years. My dad had the very rst when I was a kid. We hated it because
growing up in Wales any hint of snow meant no school, until we got a ‘Rangey’ that is! It would go anywhere.
I’ve had a few myself, from the Classic through to the most recent facelifted version, mostly they are more likely to be bumped up a kerb on The Kings Road than ever get their tyres muddy though. They are without a shadow of a doubt the king of the SUV. Bentley recently brought out their Bentayga although the design department must have been looking through some very rose tinted specs when they signed it off, plus it costs as much as a house so for me, the Rangey still reigns supreme.
They’ve done a few spin offs using the RR name, the smaller Evoque and more recently a new Sport version, however, it was a few years ago at the Geneva motor show that their latest model really caught my eye. Then it was just a concept but it’s now on the streets and it looks sensational...
It’s called Velar and whilst it’s unmistakably a Range, it looks leaner, slinkier and just more ‘designer’. I’ve been using ours to commute and as a chase car for our drive days and it’s a brilliant all-rounder. It’s not quite as tall as a regular ‘full fat’ RR but still gives an elevated driving position
yet drives more like a regular car. The interior is gorgeous although the new infotainment system which controls everything from climate to radio and phone I nd a little complex. Sometimes you just need to hit a button to do something rather than hunting through menus. I’m sure there are shortcuts and it’s me that’s being impatient though!
With that said, it’s arguably the most stylish SUV on the market, drives brilliantly and will carry ve people and their luggage in style and comfort. I always harp back to how a car makes you feel and it does feel a special place to be and gets plenty of positive feedback from people that encounter it I’ve found.
So, would I choose it over a regular ‘proper’ Range Rover? In a word probably not because I need a little more space personally but there you are. The Velar is a very cool bit of kit and I’d encourage anyone in the market for an SUV to go and check it out, it properly does what it says on the tin.
Until next month, drive safely on the icy roads all and Happy Christmas.
VELAR
172
WORDS CRAIG WILLIAMS IMAGE AUTO VIVENDI