Santorini Black Pearl – Range Rover Velar SV Autobiography

Created by Land Rover Special Vehicles, SVAutobiography Dynamic Edition is the most powerful and luxurious Velar yet.

Features a 405kW 5.0-liter supercharged V8 petrol engine and beautifully crafted interior and exterior enhancements

In South Africa, the Range Rover Velar is available with a selection of four- and six-cylinder diesel and petrol engines, but now it also comes as a range-topping Velar SVAutobiography Dynamic Edition with V8 supercharged power.

The exclusive Range Rover Velar SVAutobiography Dynamic Edition has been developed by Land Rover Special Vehicles. Powered by a 405kW and 680Nm 5.0-liter V8 supercharged engine, the new addition features a range of design enhancements and will be available for one year only.

The powerful new model accelerates from 0-100km/h in 4.5 seconds and is capable of 274km/h while cosseting customers with traditional Range Rover refinement and comfort.

Uprated brakes and suspension components, plus bespoke settings for everything from the powertrain to the safety systems, ensure the SVAutobiography Dynamic Edition mixes the personality of a performance car with the go-anywhere capability of a luxury mid-size SUV.

The exterior changes combine with a transmission tunnel undertray to ensure the fastest Velar in the range cuts through the air more efficiently. Even the Range Rover lettering on the bonnet and tailgate has been enhanced, with a knurled finish on the metal element of the two-piece letters adding a fresh degree of sophistication to the exterior

Inside, the carefully curated combination of trim finishes includes twin-stitched, perforated and quilted Windsor leather and the SVAutobiography Dynamic Edition features 20-way adjustable heated and cooled front seats with memory and massage functions as standard.

Special touches include a unique sports steering wheel and a sophisticated knurled finish for the rotary gear selector and Touch Pro Duo infotainment circular control dials.

The unique character of the Velar SVAutobiography Dynamic Edition is also reflected by its bespoke exhaust set-up, which provides a soundtrack to match its performance. SV’s Variable Active Exhaust System features valve technology to optimize the exhaust note, depending upon the driving conditions and provides Velar with an unmistakable V8 rumble. The system is 3.5kg lighter than the standard design and its increased gas flow helps to unlock some of the flagship model’s increased performance.

Velar SVAutobiography Dynamic Edition is available in six exterior colors; Firenze Red; Santorini Black; Eiger Grey; Fuji White; Indus Silver and, the exceptionally finished and luxurious Satin Byron Blue. A Narvik Black contrast roof features as standard.

Our test unit was the Santorini Black with red interior, such brilliant craftsmanship, and attention to detail.

The verdict on this special machine is phenomenal. We’ve driven a lot of SUV’s and must say this is undoubtedly the one that deserves a spot in our top 5. The only downside that we really can fault this beast on is the fuel consumption. 80 Litre tank and you can only get around 350 to 400 km on a tank. But this you do not buy for fuel consumption….you buy it for the thrill you get when you put your foot down. And that makes up for the bad consumption.

Pricing on this specific model is just under R 2 Million rands.