Range Rover Velar SVAutobiography Dynamic Edition: Quick review (2020)

Pros 

• It's diabolically good-looking
• You will be the envy of the schoolyard-dads
• It's fantastically fast!

 

Cons

• It has a thirst like the morning after the wild night before
• The overwhelming red interior would not be my first choice
• Pricey optional extras.

 

But I only just got it!

It felt like I had only just taken delivery of the flashy new flagship Range Rover Velar derivative, the SVAutobiography Dynamic Edition, when we heard that a lockdown was on the cards. Sadly, I didn't have time to fully immerse myself in everything it had to offer before having to take it back, but, the odd trip to Cape Town via a few choice back roads gave me ample opportunity to put my foot down once or twice.

Related: Launch report - V8 velocity for Range Rover's Velar

 

Styling

The special edition Velar seems right at home in its Santorini black paintwork. The most obvious clue that this sportier Velar isn't the "normal" one, are the eye-catching, red brake callipers that have been tasked with the mammoth duty of bringing a 2-tonne speedfreak-mobile to a complete standstill. Gorgeous 22-inch split-spoke alloy wheels in Gloss Dark Grey (R13 400) were specified on our test model, but 21-inch alloys are standard if you'd rather spend your money elsewhere on the options list.

The grille and front bumper also look different, thanks to larger intakes to feed the V8 supercharged engine and cool the uprated braking system.  At the back, the revised rear bumper boasts a set of quad exhaust finishers. The transmission tunnel under-tray has also been altered for better aerodynamics for this super-fast Velar. (Did you know that the Velar took top honours at the 2018 World Car Design awards?) Oh, and the sliding panoramic sunroof is a standard feature, as are Matrix LED headlamps.

Related: Range Rover Velar P380 HSE R Dynamic review (2018)

 

 

Interior

Step inside the Velar and be astounded by the sleek, modern minimalism. Range Rover has gone the full digital route; there are two edgeless screens in the centre tunnel with "digitally knurled" dials for climate control settings and such, a head-up display (R16 300), a 10-inch touchscreen (with Apple CarPlay), and virtual instrument binnacle. The SVAutobiography variant also has a soft-grain leather sports steering wheel with a heating function.

 

Agreed, the red interior can probably get a bit much after a while, but there are a multitude of less mentally-intrusive colour choices available than "Ebony / Pimento". Whatever you decide on, you still get the twin-stitched, perforated Windsor leather seats with the SVAutobiography Dynamic pattern. The Steel Weave Carbon Fibre trim finisher in our test model costs a cool R16 800.

The front seats have standard 18-way heating and cooling functionality, as well as a massage function. The smaller occupants on the back seat will be happy to know that the rear seats can be heated.

 

 

Space and comfort

The Velar fits into the luxury mid-size SUV segment, but it's interior dimensions are generous enough and rear leg room is ample, unless you're six-foot plus (1.83 cm or more) and intend to spend many kilometres seated in the rearmost pew.

The kids thoroughly enjoyed the optional Rear Seat Entertainment system (R34 000) with 8-inch screens seamlessly built into the front headrests. This package includes HDMI, a Mobile High-Definition Link and USB connections, and a pair of digital wireless headphones. Another nifty feature is 'Journey Status', which displays an on-screen pop-up on the kids' screens with ETA and distance to destination, used in conjunction with the Velar's standard Navigation Pro system, of course. ("Look, Mom, just like we get on the aeroplane!")

 

 

The boot is rather large and capable of stowing 632 litres' worth of luggage, but only if there's no spare wheel. Our test model came with a full-sized spare wheel (R11 200), but I still found the boot to at least look sufficiently large, despite not utilising it for any real travelling that required luggage. (If you opt for the standard 21-inch wheels, the spare won't cost extra.)

 

 

The drive & performance

My 83-year old father was to be my first passenger upon receiving the Velar. Being a car aficionado and having his fair share of rheumatism, he's an excellent judge of ride quality, which he found to be exemplary, as air-suspension is standard.What I didn't tell him, is that there were some crazy horses underneath the Velar's streamlined bonnet, frothing at the mouth to be unleashed.

Setting the Velar to Dynamic driving mode and pressing the button that pipes the exhaust note into the cabin, I put my foot down. The Velar emits a raspy, guttural growl, and catapults us into the horizon ahead. With zero lag (thanks to the Velar's supercharger) we reach that pesky speed limit in two shakes of a lamb's tail. My dad's still grinning from ear to ear as I drop him off at home 30 minutes later.

Upon the Velar's return journey to Cape Town it's my teenage daughter who's encouraging me to speed, this time. Being a responsible parent, of course, I didn't indulge her in anything but the Velar's sub-five-second 0 - 100 km per hour sprint, but I have to add that we did it more than once. Satisfied that she was in "the leanest, meanest, and fastest SUV ever", we settled for a brisk cruise back to the Mother City while listening to her favourite playlist on Spotify. Her biggest regret was that there would be no after school pick-ups anymore where she could show mom's nice wheels off to her friends.

 

 

Fuel Economy

This is where temporary ownership hurts: when you don't earn a CEO's salary (or you're not married to one), keeping this beast fed (or watered, rather) tends to empty one's pockets, because the V8 Velar has the drinking habits of a twenty-something rock star who made a deal with the devil. The fuel light came on just after the 350 km mark, and putting in R200's worth of petrol hardly made a dent in the tank. But this is quite understandable, considering how thrilling and adrenaline-inducing the drive is. Besides, this specific Velar is not for those of us with beer income and champagne taste. 

 

 

Safety

Apart from the six airbags, traction/stability control and high-speed emergency braking, our Velar also came with an optional 360-degree Surround Camera that provides a full overhead view on the touchscreen, and has the capacity to display several different views simultaneously. This also helps to keep your alloy wheels free of scratches, and assists when going off-road.

Standard driving aids include adaptive cruise control, park assist, a rearview camera, blind spot assist, lane keep assist, a rear-traffic monitor, and fatigue detection (also known as a driver condition monitor). A tyre pressure monitoring system is standard too. 

 

 

Pricing

The Range Rover Velar SVAutobiography will currently cost you R1 794 850 without additional extras. Considering that an Audi Q8 55TFSI Quattro costs just under R1,4 million and the Porsche Cayenne e-hybrid costs R 1725 000, you have some seriously tough decisions to make. However, as petrol-heads always say: There's no replacement for displacement! And don't forget that this SUV can take you places where these other pretty boys will fear to tread.

 

 

Verdict

The V8 Velar's winning combination of menacing looks, raw power, on-road composure and off-road ability gets a resounding "yes" from me!

if you fancy one of these special edition models, you'll have to be quick. The Dynamic Edition was introduced in July last year and under normal circumstances would only be available for 12 months. But, since 2020 has taken a turn for the worst, this time period may be extended. However, chances are that models aren't even being delivered at this stage. We recommend that you contact a Land Rover dealership to ask about availability, or simply build your own Range Rover Velar SVAutobiography Dynamic Edition here, in the meantime.

 

The numbers

Range Rover Velar SVAutobiography Dynamic Edition

Base price: R1794 850

Engine: 5.0-litre supercharged V8 petrol

Power: 405 kW / 680 Nm

Gearbox: 8-speed ZF automatic  (with gearshift paddles)

Acceleration 0-100 km/h: in 4.5 seconds (with launch control)

Top speed: 274 km/h

Driven wheels: 4x4 (with adaptive air suspension)

Ground clearance: 205 mm

Wading depth: 650 mm

Towing capacity 750kg (unbraked), 2500 (braked)

Fuel tank capacity: 82 litres

Estimated fuel range: Around 350 km

Average fuel consumption 14-15 litres per 100 km 

Warranty: 5 years, 100 000 km

Maintenance plan: 5 years, 100 000 km. Service every 26 000 km.

 

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