2017 Range Rover Velar to start from $70k

Set to arrive in Australian showrooms in December, the new fourth member of the Range Rover line-up, the mid-sized Velar, will have an entry price below the most affordable Jaguar F-Pace.

There will also be two versions that cost more than the most expensive F-Pace, a close cousin to the Velar in its underpinnings.

The Velar was revealed overnight at London's Design Museum ahead of its formal debut at next week's Geneva motor show.

The new five-door, five-seat luxury SUV will have an Australian starting price of $70,300 plus on-road costs for a base cloth-seat four-cylinder diesel version, some $4000 less than the F-Pace 20d Prestige at $74,340.

The F-Pace 35t, a similar first edition variant of the Velar, will soar to $167,600  while Jaguar's most luxurious version of  its all-wheel-drive wagon tops out at $120,415 for the special launch edition.

When the new model lands Down Under before Christmas, it will be available in a mind-numbing 42 versions.

This special V6 Velar comes with a 1600-Watt Meridian Signature sound system, matrix-laser LED headlights, full leather interior trim, and 22-inch split-spoke wheels with diamond-turned finish. This swanky version sits over the usual range topper, the Velar V6 HSE that will sell for $135,400.

When the new model lands Down Under before Christmas, it will be available in a mind-numbing 42 versions according to Jaguar Land Rover Australia.

Filling what the parent company calls "white space" in its line-up,  the Velar fits in between the Range Rover Evoque and the Range Rover Sport.

Completely new customer types will be attracted to the brand the company claims.

The new Range Rover is very much a wagon despite speculation that the Velar would be a coupe-style SUV to take on the likes of the BMW X6.

The Velar and Velar R-Dynamic core ranges will come in Standard, S, SE or HSE specs in keeping with standard Range Rover practice.

The Velar boasts a long 2874mm wheelbase that Land Rover says delivers exceptional cabin space and 558 litres of luggage room with the split-fold rear seat in the upright position.

Velar – a name taken from the Latin velare, meaning to veil or cover, was the development code name for the original Range Rover in the 1960s.

The newest Range Rover is built on a lightweight aluminium monocoque platform shared with F-Pace.

All Velars will use a ZF eight-speed automatic transmission while six powertrains will be available. Neither a hybrid or V8 has been listed.

The Velar is the most aerodynamically efficient Range Rover ever built.

A new four-cylinder Ingenium petrol engine delivering 184kW is set to power the Velar from zero to 100km/h 6.7 seconds. An even more powerful 221kW version of this engine will join the Velar range later in the year.

The 3.0-litre V6 diesel produces 700Nm of torque, while the range-topping 280kW supercharged 3.0-litre V6 petrol engine can achieve a 5.7-second 0-100km/h sprint.

Four-cylinder Ingenium diesel engines will come in 132kW and 177kW variants, both with 500Nm of torque.

An all-wheel-drive powertrain with an active locking rear differential will be standard on all Velars. According to Range Rover this will deliver maximum driver engagement on the road and world-class all-terrain capability.

Ground clearance of the air suspension Velars is a useful 251mm, while the others can clear 213mm without touching. All steel spring variants will get multi-mode adaptive suspension while air suspension will be a standard fixture on the V6s.

The company claims a class leading 650mm wading depth for the air suspended versions and a still quite handy 600mm for the others.

The sportiest versions feature 22-inch wheels that shrink to 18 inches on the base models.

"Born from reductionism" is the phrase Range Rover is using to hype the Velar's design which it says is compelling in its simplicity.

The Velar is the most aerodynamically efficient Range Rover ever built utilising slippery items such as slim headlights and flush door handles to produce a low 0.32 coefficient of drag.

External styling items such as front air vent flutes typically come in chrome or matte black, but are also available in an unusual "burnished copper" trim.

Land Rover says its new infotainment system, Touch Pro Duo, breaks new ground in both sophistication of operation and simplicity of use.

The connected infotainment system learns from you and anticipates your needs, serving you what you want, when you want it.

The company's connectivity director Peter Virk describes the system as "your window on the world". The Touch Pro Duo lurks behind two 10-inch touchscreens with "secret-until-lit" surfaces.

"The connected infotainment system learns from you and anticipates your needs, serving you what you want, when you want it – but never intrudes letting you enjoy the drive, while it takes the stress out of daily life, like any good butler or digital personal assistant should," he said.

The Velar features new versions of Land Rover's traction technologies including Hill Descent and Gradient Release Control,  Low Traction Launch, All Terrain Progress and  Terrain Response 2 to enhance off-road capabilities.

Rear cross-traffic alert and driver drowsiness alert along with autonomous emergency braking and pedestrian detection are among the Velar's standard safety technologies.

Do you prefer the striking new Range Rover Velar or are you a fan of its mechanical cousin, the Jaguar F-Pace? Tell us what you think in the comments below.