The Land Rover Range Rover Velar excels at luxury, but it’s not the sportiest vehicle around. Land Rover is trying to change that by stuffing a bigger engine under the Velar’s streamlined hood. The Land Rover Range Rover Velar SVAutobiography Dynamic Edition is getting a V8 in place of the usual four-cylinder and six-cylinder engine options.
Available for one year only, the SVAutobiography Dynamic Edition packs a 5.0-liter supercharged V8, producing 550 horsepower and 502 pound-feet of torque. That’s up from the 380 hp and 332 lb-ft of the 3.0-liter supercharged V6 that was previously the most powerful Velar engine. Land Rover claims this hot-rodded Velar will do 0 to 60 mph in 4.3 seconds. The vehicle’s top speed is electronically limited to 170 mph.
Land Rover upgraded the suspension and brakes, as well as recalibrated the all-wheel drive system and software settings, to match the higher-performance engine. It also gave the SVAutobiography Dynamic Edition a more aggressive look, including a new front bumper, grille, and rear bumper. The redesigned front bumper also includes cooling ducts for the engine and brakes, while a tray under the transmission tunnel helps smooth out airflow underneath the vehicle, according to Land Rover.
The SVAutobiography name was previously used on an ultra-posh version of the Range Rover, so Land Rover tried to make this special-edition Velar more luxurious. The vehicle’s interior is upholstered in double-stitched, perforated Windsor leather, and the front seats feature 20-way adjustability, heating, cooling, and a massage function. The SVAutobiography Dynamic Edition also gets a model-specific sport steering wheel and optional carbon fiber interior trim.
Other features that carry over from the standard Velar, including the InControl Touch Pro Duo infotainment system. It uses a pair of large screens to replace most analog buttons and knobs. As in the standard Velar, a 12.3-inch digital display replaces the traditional analog gauges.
Land Rover is not yet discussing pricing for the SVAutobiography Dynamic Edition, but the performance model will likely command a significant premium over the current range-topping P380 R-Dynamic trim level, which starts at $77,100. The SVAutobiography Dynamic Edition joins a growing list of performance luxury SUVs, including Land Rover’s own Range Rover Sport SVR.
