RE: Range Rover Velar: Review

[SFO]

Pintofbest said:

The cheapest D240 is the S trim which is £54k?

Options

[hondansx]

I thought it was silly at first, but then Audi have a Q2, Q3, Q5 and Q7. Given this is a SUV company, at least they are trying to stay true to that? If a niche proves popular, then they are obliged to follow.

I saw my first one today and it seemed very 'taut' from front and side, but didn't like the very F Pace like rear.

I think the issue is the Range Rover is very much about status these days, and if it's not a Full Fat or Sport, you're in the 'girl's' one.

[anonymous-user]

dtrump said:

They spotted a gap in the line up and made a great looking car

If you think it looks like all the others...you need to open your eyes a little further...and maybe a slap

the problem is when you stretch a brand so far, you end up cannibalising sales from existing models as well as disenfranchising existing customers. As they get confused what they are actually buying into. it is great they can cater for ever whim, but it just looks lack lustre effort.
Come up with some truly innovating product LR, not a folly for the rich and stupid.

[Ares]

hyphen said:

Purely my perception from a more sales perspective at JLR

Evoque - everyman's lease car, any full time job working person can and does sign up, in white.
Velar- lease car for the team managers who earn a bit more and don't want same as the workers
Rrs - less lifestyle product now, may even be bought in cash.
Ffrr - person wafting along.

Not quite sure a Velar, starting at £50k+ is a Team Manager's car?
Nor an Evoque something that everyman could get. The (very) basic model is £31k, thats more than a average UK wage!

All RRs are aspirational/luxury models, not utilitarian.

And no-one in their right mind would buy a RRS for cash in the current market!

[Sheepshanks]

hondansx said:

I think the issue is the Range Rover is very much about status these days, and if it's not a Full Fat or Sport, you're in the 'girl's' one.

Perhaps it's because I'm often driving around during the day when men will be at work I'd say every RRS I see is driven by a woman and it's not far off the same for FF ones.

[Phil Dicky]

AndrewNR said:

p1stonhead said:

Ares said:

p1stonhead said:

+1 look how bloody similar all of these look!

Brand following similar design cue shocker?


No-one else does that. Except BMW, Audi, Merc, Lexus, Porsche, Jaguar,.....

How many companies have 6 very similar looking SUV's (or any single type of vehicle) and nothing else?

Why do BMW bother with the 3 and 7 series when the 5 is adequate enough? All your saving/paying for is a bit less/more room etc. Same here with the Evoque > Velar > RRS > FFRR

As mentioned the RR range is the "posh" range and LR is the "common" range, so they only really make 4 of any one type.

Don't forget BMW with the X6, X5, X4, X3 not sure if they still do the X1, but the fist 4 are very very similar.

[DoctorX]

Fantastic looking car, but that colour and those wheels are horrid. Doesn't suit it at all.

[hyphen]

Ares said:

Not quite sure a Velar, starting at £50k+ is a Team Manager's car?
Nor an Evoque something that everyman could get. The (very) basic model is £31k, thats more than a average UK wage!

All RRs are aspirational/luxury models, not utilitarian.

And no-one in their right mind would buy a RRS for cash in the current market!

evoque leases are £200 ish a month?

[Meridius]

Love it, the only SUV I could actually see myself in.

[dtrump]

The Spruce goose said:

dtrump said:

They spotted a gap in the line up and made a great looking car

If you think it looks like all the others...you need to open your eyes a little further...and maybe a slap

the problem is when you stretch a brand so far, you end up cannibalising sales from existing models as well as disenfranchising existing customers. As they get confused what they are actually buying into. it is great they can cater for ever whim, but it just looks lack lustre effort.
Come up with some truly innovating product LR, not a folly for the rich and stupid.

I'd agree if they were all released at the same time ...but the RRsport is a bit long in the tooth so it probably helps to refresh the line up a touch and give buyers another 'similar' choice and stop them heading on over to other brands.

[anonymous-user]

I saw one of these today-took me by surprise as I thought they weren't released!

It is a very good looking thing from the rear and side (it overtook me) but from the front (in the mirror) it didn't look that good to me. It looked a bit like an evoque that had its face pressed up to a window.

Maybe it was just my mirror though! It did look like a different model.

[J4CKO]

hyphen said:

Ares said:

Not quite sure a Velar, starting at £50k+ is a Team Manager's car?
Nor an Evoque something that everyman could get. The (very) basic model is £31k, thats more than a average UK wage!

All RRs are aspirational/luxury models, not utilitarian.

And no-one in their right mind would buy a RRS for cash in the current market!

evoque leases are £200 ish a month?

£300 with £2500 deposit seems to be the going rate to get one, obviously higher spec ones are dearer, odd deal cheaper, can see why people do, your average hatch is say £180 - £220 with 2 grand deposit, another £60 - £100 has you in an Evoque, can see why there are so many about, had a nosey in one the other night, very nice, not something I would buy but can certainly see why they sell (lease/PCP) so well, and why not if people enjoy them, the Velar extends that, JLR, especially the LR bit can do no wrong these days and long may it continue, though Indian owned, still mainly designed, built and perceived as British.

[anonymous-user]

So, this is a new Range Rover, that is not actually called a Range Rover, for people who don't want to buy a Range Rover that is called a Range Rover, nor a Range Rover that is called a Range Rover but actually isn't a Range Rover because it's a Freelander in a pretty dress, nor another Range Rover that actually is a Range Rover but isn't called a Range Rover on the bonnet, nor yet another Range Rover that is a more sporty Range Rover but again, isn't called a Range Rover because it's too busy Discovering itself?


Glad we've cleared that up.........

[Ares]

Phil Dicky said:

Don't forget BMW with the X6, X5, X4, X3 not sure if they still do the X1, but the fist 4 are very very similar.

They mirror the cars.

Odd numbers are 'normal', even numbers are coupe/lifestyle

[Ares]

hyphen said:

Ares said:

Not quite sure a Velar, starting at £50k+ is a Team Manager's car?
Nor an Evoque something that everyman could get. The (very) basic model is £31k, thats more than a average UK wage!

All RRs are aspirational/luxury models, not utilitarian.

And no-one in their right mind would buy a RRS for cash in the current market!

evoque leases are £200 ish a month?

c£300 for very basic with an 8-10% deposit. c£400 of decent spec and normal deposit. Been looking for Mrs Ares.

[Oakman]

Apologies everyone, I'm from the WHY ? camp

I know full well the car manufacturers have created a massive breed of cash cows with the so called "SUV's". It shows how really cynical they all are in creating niches that didn't exist and products to fill them.

If I want a family transport with practical abilities it would be a proper estate car or Van with seats (which I actually have). If I want a sports car that's what I would buy. Not forgetting the myriad of saloon cars of all sizes available.

Loads of people seem to love and aspire to them, not my cup of Yorkshire tea though.

[anonymous-user]

Shame that they used such an iconic name on a cynical gap-filler. Says a lot about LR nowadays.

[akadk]

All the replies so far are so pistonheads predictable.

Same for every JLR product.

I have to assume the vast majority of ph members are not of the required demographic of JLR customers, I.e have half a brain and two tenners to rub together

Is there any automotive brands out there that get a good reception on ph? As every Audi thread gets a bashing also.

[paul789]

JLR; such an irritating British-based success story.

[Ares]

Oakman said:

Apologies everyone, I'm from the WHY ? camp

I know full well the car manufacturers have created a massive breed of cash cows with the so called "SUV's". It shows how really cynical they all are in creating niches that didn't exist and products to fill them.

If I want a family transport with practical abilities it would be a proper estate car or Van with seats (which I actually have). If I want a sports car that's what I would buy. Not forgetting the myriad of saloon cars of all sizes available.

Loads of people seem to love and aspire to them, not my cup of Yorkshire tea though.

We've been here before.

In summary

SUVs offer larger/more practical load space than an estate
They look better than estate cars (to some)
The higher driving position is attractive for a variety of reasons
Vans with seats are fking horrid.

The manufacturers obviously have this one right. SUV sales are the fastest growing in any sector!