The Range Rover GT Is The Most Car-Like Range Rover Ever
The GT breaks with Range Rover tradition by sitting lower to the ground than the SUVs.
THE BREAKDOWN
- Simply called the GT, this is the fifth member of the Range Rover lineup.
- The new grand tourer sits lower to the ground and has a 2+2 interior layout. A three-seat rear bench is also available.
- It's initially coming out as an EV, with a full hybrid to follow.
Right off the bat, we should point out the new and rather surprising GT is not a replacement for the Velar. Instead, Land Rover is adding a fifth member to the Range Rover lineup. As the model’s simple yet effective name implies, it’s a grand tourer that distances itself from decades of SUVs by featuring a lower, almost wagon-like stance. Bigger than the Velar, with proportions closer to the Range Rover Sport, the newcomer has an interesting silhouette with a gently sloped roofline you wouldn’t expect to see on a Range Rover.
The new GT isn’t related to any existing models, as it sits on Land Rover's new EMA platform. Although it's launching as a purely electric vehicle, there are plans for a full hybrid later in its life cycle. Technical specifications remain shrouded in mystery, but given its more car-like character, it’s reasonable to assume it won’t have the same off-road chops as the other Range Rover models.
Like any respectable luxury vehicle, the GT gets frameless doors that provide access to a radically different interior compared to existing Range Rover models. We’re not even remotely surprised that conventional buttons are kept to a minimum. On the flip side, we’re happy to see a wall of screens doesn’t dominate the dashboard.
While the press shots released so far show the Range Rover GT with a 2+2 interior layout, there will also be a more practical three-seat rear bench. In the four-seat version, the two rear seats are separated by a center console with cup holders, wireless charging pads, an armrest, and a touchscreen for climate controls and media settings.
Other details that stand out include a full-glass roof and heaps of legroom for rear passengers. The rectangular instrument cluster shows 288 miles of range with 80 percent of the battery remaining, which isn’t necessarily exceptional. Still, it’s best to wait for the official numbers before jumping to conclusions about efficiency.
Thankfully, not everything has gone digital inside. There are stalks behind the steering wheel and a handful of physical buttons here and there. However, the climate controls are integrated into the center display, which is less than ideal but is quickly becoming the norm. Overall, the Range Rover GT’s cabin looks like a nice place to sit in, and Land Rover says everything has been designed to “create a sanctuary of calm” inside the “quietest Range Rover ever.”
Land Rover will build the new Range Rover GT in the UK and share more details in the coming months.
2027 Range Rover GT
Motor1's Take: The GT breaks the mold for Range Rovers, and we’re equally surprised it isn’t being pitched as a Velar replacement. Perhaps the latter will bow out when the hybrid GT arrives later in the life cycle, but for now, the two models will peacefully coexist.
Land Rover doesn’t appear to be concerned the GT could cannibalize sales of the Jaguar Type 01, and some would argue the GT might have made more sense wearing the leaping cat badge given its grand tourer character.
Up To Speed With Range Rover:
RECOMMENDED FOR YOU
Land Rover Recalls 250,000 SUVs For Bad Airbags
This New Italian Supercar Turns A Porsche 911 Into An 800-HP Custom Machine
The Range Rover Sport Is Going Electric: First Look
Man Hits Traffic Lane Divider In His $50,000 Honda. Then He Sees Smoke: ‘That Actually Totaled It’
Land Rover Cuts Nearly 100 Horsepower From The Defender's BMW V8
The Volkswagen Atlas Just Got More Expensive
The Next Range Rover Velar Could Look Very Different