Autocar rendering shows what the GT could look like when the wraps come off
New addition to Range Rover model line will arrive as an EV, blending grand tourer style with SUV practicality
JLR has unveiled the interior and name of a new fourth Range Rover model line, to be called the Range Rover GT, which will split the difference between grand tourer and luxury SUV.
It will sit on JLR’s own brand-new EMA platform, which has been engineered for EVs initially but will be used to underpin hybrid versions later down the line.
Contrary to earlier reports, the GT – which has been testing in public for several months – is not a direct replacement for the ageing Velar. That model will continue with its current petrol, diesel and plug-in hybrid powertrains for the foreseeable future.
Instead, the GT will be larger, measuring closer to the Range Rover Sport in length, albeit riding much lower.
The GT’s low profile and coupé-like sloping roof make it a radical departure for the Range Rover brand. The improved aerodynamics should bring strong range and refinement; it is claimed to be the “quietest Range Rover ever”.
It will sacrifice some off-road ability for its lower ride height, but it is expected to be offered with dual-motor four-wheel drive only.
JLR is adamant it will be the most capable car in its segment, claiming it will be able to perform to its fullest potential in temperatures as low as-40deg C and as high as 50deg C.
As such, it is positioned as a long-distance and more dynamic alternative to the Range Rover Sport EV. This pitches it slightly above the BMW iX3, Mercedes GLC EV and Volvo EX60, but bosses promise it will be “surprisingly attractively priced”.
The GT’s interior reveals the direction for future Range Rovers. It doubles down on the ‘reductive’ style initiated with the facelifted versions of the current range, but it sports a more bespoke architecture that introduces fashionable new elements such as a high-set instrument cluster, a large, landscape-oriented centre display and non-leather materials as standard.
The designers have aimed to create a calm, relaxing space with little ornamentation and no over-abundance of screens. For example, there isn’t a passenger screen – as in the GLC, Audi Q6 and new BMW X5 -in order to avoid a duplication of information.
That means there are few physical controls, with the drive selector moving to a column stalk and the climate controls integrated into the touchscreen.
However, this will run new software, entirely different from that in the current cars and promising a “short user interface journey”.
The centre console is shown as a flat surface but will open to reveal cupholders and cubbies.
In the back, the GT will be configured with two seats and a fixed centre armrest as standard, although a normal bench may also be offered.
Thanks to the bespoke EV architecture, rear leg room should be comparable to that of the full-size Range Rover, while a full-length glass roof will let in plenty of light. Rear door access and head room are said to be very accommodating despite the sloping roofline.
The GT will be the first car to use the new EMA platform for smaller and mid-sized Land Rover and Range Rover models.
It was pitched originally as a flexible architecture with multi-powertrain compatibility and later as a pure-EV platform engineered exclusively to take battery power, but JLR has recently confirmed that cars on EMA will, in fact, offer the choice of hybrid or fully electric systems, in line with global market trends.
The second EMA-based car is expected to be the new Defender Sport, a smaller and more affordable take on Land Rover’s flagship 4×4.
This is expected to in effect replace the Discovery Sport and possibly the Range Rover Evoque.
Q&A: Martin Limpert, Managing Director, Range Rover
Will existing Range Rover buyers take to the new electric models?
“We think Range Rover EVs are a culmination of everything the brand has stood for over the past 56 years. It’s more refined and more effortless with one-pedal driving and faster traction management. If there’s one car where an electric powertrain makes sense, it’s a Range Rover. We have plenty of people on the waiting list who are asking when the electric Range Rover is coming.”
Won’t the new Range Rover GT cannibalise sales from the Velar and Sport?
“I think the opposite. It’s a perfect complementary member of the family. Range Rover Sport is all about visceral performance – the electric version even more so because it’s even more sporting. Then the future GT is all about joyful long-distance driving. It’s going to be the most car-like Range Rover. And then we have Velar, which is all about contemporary, beautiful design, and it is a good mix for younger audiences with younger families.”
What’s happening at the lower end of the Range Rover line-up? The Evoque and Velar are getting very old.
“We’ve had a big focus on launching Range Rover and Range Rover Sport Electric, which was a big pivotal moment that we had to get over the line. Range Rover GT is the first car built on our new EMA architecture, so obviously there was lots of focus to bring that to life. But we also refreshed the Range Rover Evoque two and a half years ago, and we have launched the market editions for the Evoque and Velar [such as the Belgravia and Hoxton Editions] to keep them present in the marketplace. We have loyal audiences for these cars, and we can’t do everything at once.”
