The 2020 Range Rover Velar SVAutobiography Is the James Bond of SUVs

Land Rover has revealed the new range-topping variant of its Range Rover Velar SUV, and it’s 45 percent more powerful than the current top-of-the-line V-6 Velar P380. The full name of the new model is—take a deep breath—the Range Rover Velar SVAutobiography Dynamic Edition. The model follows in the footsteps of the understated Range Rover SVAutobiography Dynamic, opting for a sleek, unassuming exterior with a monstrous powertrain under the hood.

To that end, the Velar SVA (we’ll call it that for brevity’s sake) uses the exact same engine as its larger, more luxurious sibling: a supercharged 5.0-liter V-8 making 550 horsepower and 502 lb-ft of torque. It’s the same engine found in a litany of other Jaguar Land Rover products, and Land Rover says it will shoot the Velar SVA to 60 mph in 4.3 seconds and on to a top speed of 170 mph. Both metrics are just a tad slower than the quoted figures for the Jaguar F-Pace SVR, which, yes, also shares the Velar’s engine and many of its performance mods.

In addition to the larger engine, the SVA gets larger brakes: 15.5-inch discs in the front, 15.6 inches at the rear. Land Rover says the “innovative designs dissipate heat more effectively,” and the calipers are painted red, because red is sporty. The air suspension, steering, eight-speed automatic transmission, all-wheel-drive system, driving modes, and rear diff all get specific tuning. The active exhaust is lighter than the standard setup and makes the Velar “sound like no other SUV,” according to Land Rover; you can briefly hear it for yourself in the video below. The SVA also gets a larger fuel tank (21.7 gallons), something we’ve complained about on our long-term Velar P250.

Unlike the F-Pace SVR and the Range Rover Sport SVR, which are covered in scoops and wings and vents and flares, the Velar SVA’s exterior design has stayed as subtle as possible. It’s like James Bond—he’s always wearing a gorgeous tailored suit, but he can still kick a lot of ass in it. The SVA has a new front bumper with larger intakes, a different rear diffuser with four square tailpipes, some new 21- and 22-inch wheel designs, and a special metallic color called Satin Byron Blue. The updates are minor, but they do a good job of making the Velar look aggressive while still honoring its stunning minimalist design theme.

There’s a knurled-metal finish to the exterior badging, which is carried through to the infotainment and HVAC knobs and the design of the digital gauge cluster. New performance seats are standard, as is a sportier steering wheel with aluminum shift paddles, and additional carbon-fiber trim and some new color combinations are available. Land Rover also makes sure to point out that the Velar’s cargo space has been unaffected by the new exhaust system.

The Velar SVAutobiography Dynamic Edition will only be available for one model year—and in limited numbers—and pricing has yet to be announced. We expect the SVA to land somewhere between the $80,985 (#30million) Jaguar F-Pace SVR and the $114,595 (#42million) Range Rover Sport SVR; with the Velar P380 R-Dynamic HSE already starting at $75,025 (#27million), we bet the Velar SVA will be on the higher end of that spectrum. A Land Rover spokesperson said that there are no plans for a super-sporty SVR version of the Velar, so if you want your Velar with V-8 power, get your order in now.

Watch the video below…