Range Rover trims Velar range again

Range Rover has taken a brush cutter to its extensive Velar mid-sized SUV line-up for another wave of range rationalization that chops four engines from the portfolio but adds in two fresh options.

From March next year, the most affordable end of the Velar range will be exclusively represented by three variants of the P250 with the previous D180 now out to pasture. As before, the range kicks off with the P250 S, which is slightly cheaper at $81,000 before on-road costs.

Above that, the P250 R-Dynamic S has also reduced in price by a similar margin to $87,000, while a new P250 R-Dynamic SE forms a new flagship of the 2.0-litre turbo petrol options costing $92,000.

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A single diesel option is offered for the 2021 Velar range with a new D200 R-Dynamic SE four-cylinder replacing the previous D240 and D300 four and six-cylinder engines. It costs $96,000 and brings 150kW and 430Nm and, when compared with the previous closest equivalent is about $8000 more affordable.

The new and solitary diesel for now has taken a power penalty over the previous D240 four-cylinder, which produced 177kW and 500Nm.

At the top of the pack, Range Rover’s new 3.0-litre straight six petrol engine will make its debut in the Velar, replacing the previous supercharged V6 with a turbo in-line six engine that uses mild-hybrid tech to produce 295kW and 550Nm.

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Two versions will be on offer with the most affordable P400R-Dynamic SE for $117,000, while the P400 R-Dynamic HSE takes the crown, for now, as the flagship of the entire range priced from $127,000.

Along with the D180, D240 and D300, the P300 and P380 will also not be returning from launch, nor is any mention made for the prospects of the current performance champion P550 supercharged V8. SE, HSE and SVAutobiography Dynamic Edition specification levels have also been scrubbed.

It’s part of an ongoing range simplification process that Jaguar Land Rover is progressively rolling out across virtually all model lines, and has already significantly culled bulk from several vehicle offerings.

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The Jaguar XE mid-sized executive sedan has fallen from 17 variants to just two, while the Velar itself was introduced with almost 50 offerings but has undergone a series of revisions to trim bulk from the line-up that some customers found confusing.

A significant update to specification also arrives with the 2021 Range Rover Velar. Depending on the variant, the Velar gains blind spot assistance, adaptive cruise control, rear collision monitoring, deep water wade sensing, active noise cancellation and redesigned alloy wheels, steering wheel and gear selector, which replaces the divisive rotary knob for a more traditional toggle version.

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A range of new paint colours have also refreshed the Velar palette.

2021 Range Rover Velar range

P250 S $81,000

P250 R-DYNAMIC S $87,000

P250 R-DYNAMIC SE $92,000

D204 R-DYNAMIC SE $96,000

P400 R-DYNAMIC SE $117,000

P400 R-DYNAMIC HSE $127,000