• The Range Rover GT is being tested against the BMW iX3 and Audi Q6 e-tron.
  • JLR will initially sell this low-slung SUV as an EV and then add a hybrid.
  • The EV will use an 800-volt electrical architecture and support 350 kW charging.

Jaguar Land Rover will soon launch a fifth member for the Range Rover family, badged the GT, blurring the lines between a sedan and a traditional SUV. Roughly a month after the company first teased it, the new model has been snapped testing at the Nürburgring alongside two important rivals.

Several heavily camouflaged prototypes of this new model were spied in motion throughout the first half of this year. During this time, it was reported that the mystery new model would serve as a successor to the current Velar. That ended up not being the case, as in July, the new GT was confirmed as a new addition to the Range Rover portfolio, rather than as a replacement for an existing model.

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Read: Range Rover’s New GT Is The Sedan-Like Crossover Gaydon Knows Will Split Buyers

Several key elements of the GT’s design are similar to those of other Range Rover products, such as the Velar and Evoque, but its roofline is much sleeker and sits lower than both models. There’s no telling how this shape will affect rear headroom, but the slippery profile should boost efficiency and the car’s driving range.

Competing With The Germans

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As these images show, the new GT is being tested alongside the Audi Q6 e-tron and BMW iX3, so it’s pretty obvious which vehicles JLR is targeting with this model. Initially, the GT will be sold exclusively as an EV using an advanced 800-volt electric architecture that supports DC charging speeds of up to 350 kW.

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Further details about the powertrain have yet to be confirmed, but it’s safe to assume it will be offered in single-motor, rear-wheel-drive and dual-motor, all-wheel-drive configurations. The flexibility of the GT’s Electric Modular Architecture (EMA) will allow for a hybrid version to be introduced in the future, broadening the GT’s appeal, particularly in markets where EVs are failing to break through at the pace many car manufacturers had anticipated.

It’s not just the exterior design of the GT that distinguishes it from other Range Rover models. The model’s interior takes inspiration from the all-electric Jaguar Type 01, rocking an intriguing two-spoke steering wheel, a narrow digital instrument cluster, and a large central infotainment display.

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