cars news 10: Spied! 2018 Range Rover Velar SVR Tests at the Nurburgring

Who says the horsepower wars are over? In today’s landscape of ever-increasing horsepower, one of the most sought after segments is the go-fast luxury SUV. Here, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Jaguar, Bentley, and even Lamborghini are competing for customers in this segment. These spy shots appear to show Range Rover will add to that list with a high-performance Range Rover Velar SVR.

Caught lapping the Nürburgring by our intrepid spy photographers, the upcoming Velar receives Range Rover’s SVR treatment in the form of larger-diameter front and rear brakes. They appear to be larger six-piston calipers in the front and four-piston units in the rear. Under the hood, there’s likely the same supercharged 5.0-liter V-8 found in the standard Range Rover Sport and Jaguar F-Type SVR.

Although we’ve heard rumors that Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) could be testing a turbocharged version of the SVR power plant, this variant won’t likely see that new mill as it’s still in development. As such, power from the supercharged engine likely won’t deviate from the rating found in the other two cars, with the Velar SVR generating about 550 hp and 501 lb-ft of torque. A revised eight-speed gearbox and the Velar’s lower weight could propel the Velar quicker than its Range Rover SVR sibling.

As well as the bump in power thanks to the larger engine, the Velar SVR wears a set of more aggressive front and rear fascias, enhancing the car’s more track-focused presence, as well as diverting air toward the larger engine and brakes. What we can’t see is the interior and whether or not it also received the SVR treatment with sportier seats and a more focused dash area as is the case with both the Jaguar and Range Rover Sport.

The Velar’s standard air suspension, all-wheel drive, LEDs, and off-road abilities won’t likely change, although we’d be surprised if the more expensive Velar SVR didn’t receive the optional laser-matrix headlights and up-market Meridian sound system as standard as well.

As the standard Velar will go on sale later this year, the Velar SVR won’t be available until the beginning of next year, or possibly mid-2018. Pricing for the standard Velar starts at $49,900 with the turbocharged I-4, and bumps up to $64,200 for the supercharged 3.0-liter V-6.

The Velar SVR, however, will likely cost around $30,000 more than its V-6 sibling as that’s about the difference between the Range Rover Sport Supercharged and the Range Rover Sport SVR.

Photo source: CarPix