Latest news with #Autobiography
Yahoo
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Ashlee Simpson Ross Announces ‘I Am Me' Shows at Las Vegas' Venetian Resort
Ashlee Simpson Ross has announced her upcoming 'I Am Me' show, taking place at Las Vegas' Venetian Resort on Aug. 29-30. The performances, announced exclusively on Variety, see the pop singer touching down in Vegas over Labor Day weekend, with a pair of nights slated for Venetian's Voltaire venue that seats a thousand patrons. More from Variety Ashlee Simpson to Star in 'The Recipe Files,' Anchoring QVC and HSN's Streaming Holiday Originals Slate Packed With Product Tie-Ins (EXCLUSIVE) Ashlee Simpson Returns to the Stage for Surprise Performance With Demi Lovato 'I've been holding onto this news for a while, and I'm beyond thrilled to finally share it — I'm hitting the stage in Vegas!' Ross tells Variety. 'Music has always been the place where I feel the most alive, and I'm looking forward to sharing that energy with you all. I'm so grateful for my fans who have supported me throughout my entire career. Let's make these shows unforgettable!' Last year, Ross celebrated the 20th anniversary of her breakthrough debut 'Autobiography,' with the same milestone approaching for her sophomore album 'I Am Me' this October. At her Vegas shows, Ross is expected to perform hits including 'Pieces of Me,' 'La La' and more. Ross last released her third album 'Bittersweet World' in 2008. A decade later, she teamed with her husband Evan Ross for the EP 'Ashlee + Evan,' which they put out just ahead of their reality series of the same name that aired on E! Throughout the years, she starred on stage as Roxie Hart in 'Chicago' on Broadway and the West End, and has dabbled in acting with roles in 'The Recipe Files' and 'Pawn Shop Chronicles.' General on-sale for Ross' 'I Am Me' shows is currently available at and tickets start at $65. Doors for both performances open at 9 p.m. Best of Variety What's Coming to Netflix in June 2025 New Movies Out Now in Theaters: What to See This Week 'Harry Potter' TV Show Cast Guide: Who's Who in Hogwarts?
Epoch Times
27-05-2025
- General
- Epoch Times
Reviving the Soul: Lessons From the Great Awakening
Imagine if a televangelist like Joel Osteen or Billy Graham made the front page of every newspaper in America. Not because of a scandal, but simply out of enthusiasm for their spiritual message. This is what happened in 1739, when English minister George Whitefield toured America. A star celebrity in his day, Whitefield was already famous in England for his charismatic preaching style that stressed personal conversion. Instead of reading long sermons as other ministers did, Whitefield spoke in a more impromptu way and made emotional appeals to congregations. His oratory made him popular, but also controversial. George Whitefield preaching, in an 1857 engraving. Public Domain In his famous 'Autobiography,' Benjamin Franklin described the excitement this preacher stirred up when he came to America: 'In 1739 arrived among us from Ireland the Reverend Mr. Whitefield, who had made himself remarkable there as an itinerant preacher.' By 'itinerant preacher,' Franklin meant that Whitefield traveled from church to church. Some of the local ministers in America were offended by his bluntness, seeing him as a threat to their established orthodoxy. They 'soon refused him their pulpits, and he was obliged to preach in the fields.' Franklin was among the huge 'multitudes of all sects' that gathered to hear the man. Attending out of curiosity and silently resolving 'that he should get nothing from me,' the rational inventor ended up emptying his pockets into the collection plate. Franklin was one of thousands who had been won over. He Related Stories 5/10/2023 1/11/2023 Franklin was right. The world was 'growing religious.' But why? Reacting Against Materialism Whitefield was exceptional, but he was not the only preacher stirring things up. In the 1730s, change was in the air. The period preceding what is now known as the 'Great Awakening' was a time much like our own. In the early 18th century, American civilization was undergoing a crisis. Tired of the religious wars that had dominated the previous century, the educated classes turned to science and reason as a guide. The Enlightenment began to take hold as thinkers like Francis Bacon and Isaac Newton inferred the laws of nature from experiments and mathematics. Ordinary people, however, were not satisfied with these materialistic explanations. In their unrest, they turned to charismatic preachers like Whitefield to feed their spiritual hunger. Early Social Media To realize their goals, these preachers used the printing press. While its existence was not new, its use became more widespread during this time. Whitefield himself cultivated a 'preach and print' strategy to attract his massive crowds, exploiting the commercial possibilities of newsprint to build his revival. It sounds impressive to learn that every newspaper in America was reporting on Whitefield's preaching. Actually, though, there were only 12 colonial newspapers in print in 1739. Boston had five, New York two, and Pennsylvania three. Just two, the Virginia Gazette and South Carolina Gazette, were located in the South. The head of one of these papers was, in fact, Benjamin Franklin. It was he who helped publicize Whitefield's evangelism in his Pennsylvania Gazette, even supporting construction of two separate building projects, a preaching venue and an orphan house. It worked. In 'Inventing the 'Great Awakening,'' historian Frank Lambert writes that 'even armies arrayed for the biggest battles did not match the revivalist crowds in number.' Mass Conversions Jonathan Edwards (L) published "A Faithful Narrative of the Surprising Work of God" in 1737. Public Domain Jonathan Edwards was another popular preacher of the time. The opposite of Whitefield, Edwards had a quiet voice more suited to intimate settings than large crowds. Thanks to the power of printing, though, he was able to reach a wide audience. It was Edwards who helped launch the Great Awakening through a 1737 publication. In 'A Faithful Narrative of the Surprising Work of God,' he described how hundreds of people in his small town of Northampton found spiritual salvation by turning away from the material realm. Their hearts became wholly absorbed in 'the great things of religion and the eternal world,' he wrote. 'All the conversation, in all companies and upon all occasions, was upon these things only.' Worldly affairs, by contrast, were treated as 'a thing of very little consequence.' Following this, other preachers began publishing similar accounts of awakenings in their communities. Strange things began to happen. Jonathan Parsons, in an account of the revival at Lyme in Connecticut, Rev. Jonathan Parsons. Public Domain Though the Great Awakening subsided after the 1740s, it led to the rise of new denominations, including those of the Baptists, Methodists, and Presbyterians. Following criticisms from Whitefield and others that institutions of higher learning had become corrupt, four new universities were eventually founded: Princeton, Brown, Rutgers, and Dartmouth. The echo of the Great Awakening can be heard down to our own day. It reminds us that the true measure of a life well-lived lies not in possessions, but in purpose. What arts and culture topics would you like us to cover? Please email ideas or feedback to
Yahoo
19-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
The Afterlife of Malcolm X: how the civil rights icon influenced America
The Afterlife of Malcolm X is a new book about the great Black leader who was born Malcolm Little in Omaha, Nebraska, 100 years ago; who in the 1950s converted to Islam and dropped his 'slave name'; who rose to fame as the militant voice of the civil rights era; and who was assassinated in New York in 1965, aged just 39. Related: 'He transformed his mind': how did Malcolm Little become Malcolm X? The book is not a biography. As the author, Mark Whitaker, puts it, his book tells 'the story of the story of Malcolm, the story that really made him the figure he is today, even more so than what he accomplished while he was living. 'So it was the story as told by Alex Haley in The Autobiography of Malcolm X. It was the story as told by Spike Lee in the movie, Malcolm X. It was the story as told by his biographers. It was the story that is told in hip-hop, and in Anthony Davis's opera, X: The Life and Times of Malcolm X. And it changes over time. Each of those stories is a little bit different.' Whitaker has told many stories himself. Now 67, a CBS contributor, he was editor of Newsweek, Washington bureau chief for NBC and a managing editor for CNN. His new book is his fifth. As well as a work of cultural history, it is a true-crime thriller, tracing the story of who really killed Malcolm at the Audubon Ballroom in Washington Heights, and how two men wrongly imprisoned were finally cleared. The book grew from two others: Smoketown: The Untold Story of the Other Black Renaissance and Saying it Loud: 1966 – the Year Black Power Challenged the Civil Rights Movement. Smoketown, about 'the legacy of Black Pittsburgh … ended in the early 60s', but Whitaker 'had done all this reporting about … Black America in general in the civil rights era, and so I wanted to pick up that thread. I decided to write about the birth of Black Power, specifically in 1966. A lot of people would say, 'Oh, so you'll be writing about Malcolm X.' And initially my response was, 'No, he was assassinated in 1965.' But the further I went, the more I realized he loomed over all of it. ''66 was the year the Autobiography was released in paperback and really became a bestseller. Meanwhile, he was in the heads of all of the major figures. Stokely Carmichael at the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee; Huey Newton, Bobby Seale and Eldridge Cleaver, founding the Black Panthers; Ron Karenga, who had this sort of Black nationalist movement in LA and was the founder of Kwanzaa; the first proponents of Black studies on white campuses. All of them drew their inspiration from Malcolm X.' As a teen, Whitaker read the Autobiography. It told him Malcolm's story, from brutal youth to street hustling, prison, conversion, and his rise in sharp contrast to Martin Luther King Jr, the voice of nonviolent action. Whitaker knew about the split with the Nation of Islam and its founder, Elijah Muhammad, that precipitated Malcolm's killing. In 1992, Whitaker covered Spike Lee's movie for Newsweek. In 2020, for the Washington Post, he reviewed The Dead Are Arising, a major biography by Les and Tamara Payne that followed Malcolm X: A Life of Reinvention by Manning Marable, which won a Pulitzer Prize. Seeking to publish in Malcolm's centennial year, Whitaker had to work quickly. But if 'life as a journalist trained me to do anything, it trained me to meet a deadline'. 'Obviously there have been aspects of this that have been written about,' he added. But though he doesn't 'want to be immodest' he doesn't think 'anybody's really put it together in the way that I have'. Malcolm's story has often been told. 'Each one of those stories is a little bit different,' Whitaker said. 'And sometimes they're at odds. If you read the biographies and what was written about them, each one was trying to kind of revise and correct the story. So a lot of people think that Alex Haley, though it was he who kind of brought Malcolm to life for the reader, [produced] a sanitized version. Alex Haley was a moderate Republican, and he sort of massaged the narrative to emphasize Malcolm's evolution in the last year and leave the reader with the impression that he was really sort of gravitating in the direction of becoming more of a mainstream, conventional civil rights leader. 'Marable was trying to correct that and paint Malcolm as someone who remained radical, to focus less on his change of heart towards white people, and more on his Pan-Africanist ambitions, on his global travels. Then Les Payne comes along … [he] had been sitting on all of this exclusive reporting for decades, and so it's less of a correction about Malcolm's politics, and more adding heavily reported detail on key episodes in his life. 'I wasn't taking sides. I was trying to show that one of the things that's fascinating about Malcolm is that he has had all these different interpreters, and I argue in the introduction that ultimately they're not mutually exclusive, that one of the things that's fascinating about Malcolm is that almost at any point in his evolution, he represented many different things. He seems like a radical. He seems like a conservative. He's a traditionalist. He's a modernist.' Whitaker considers how such influence extended to sports, to athletes including the boxer Muhammad Ali and the sprinters Tommie Smith and John Carlos, who raised their fists at the Mexico Olympics in 1968. More surprisingly, Clarence Thomas, the second Black justice on the supreme court, a reactionary conservative, has long cited Malcolm's example. 'There are people who are appalled that Thomas would claim any kind of kinship,' Whitaker said. 'But I think there are two aspects of Malcolm's message that spoke to Clarence Thomas. One was sort of 'self-help', support for Black-owned businesses and so forth. But the other was skepticism about integration. 'And although it is true that Malcolm, after he went to Mecca [in 1964] and he saw white Muslims and so forth, came back and said, 'I no longer think that all white people are devils,' and certainly he had sort of [white] friends – I don't know to what degree you could really call Peter Goldman and Helen Dudar, or Mike Wallace or Bill Kunstler friends, but they were certainly people he felt comfortable enough with – I think he remained skeptical, and to my mind rightly so, of just how prepared America really was to become truly integrated.' Goldman and Dudar, a married couple, were journalists, Goldman the author of The Death and Life of Malcolm X, an influential study from 1973. Mike Wallace was a CBS TV host who interviewed Malcolm. Kunstler was a civil rights lawyer. Whitaker continued: 'I think another reason that Malcolm has continued to resonate over the decades is that just on a purely analytical level, I think his analysis of race relations in America has turned out to be … more prophetic than King's. Sixty years later, we're not that much further toward King's dream. I think obviously the workplace has become more integrated, in movies and TV and so forth [too], but in terms of where Americans live, neighborhoods, famously, where they worship, if they do worship, the progress has been much less than I think a lot of people thought it would be by this point – and now we're in the midst of yet another backlash against all the progress that's been made.' The Trump administration is attacking the teaching of Black history. It's hard to imagine Whitaker's book, or any other on Malcolm X, studied at West Point or Annapolis any time soon. 'None of that would have surprised Malcolm X,' Whitaker said. 'So … there are people who just refuse to accept that Clarence Thomas invokes Malcolm X in good faith, but I don't. I actually think that at least in Thomas's mind, he does very much see that part of Malcolm's message as one that aligns with his thinking.' Whitaker had no choice but to think along multiple lines. 'Just by studying Malcolm's influence, you get a sort of a cultural history of Black America and of America over 60 years,' he said. 'You find out about the Black Arts Movement, you learn a little bit about Hollywood, you find out about the free jazz movement, you find out about the birth of hip-hop … I'm sort of a jazz guy myself. So it was fun to become more knowledgeable.' Asked about the notion that Malcolm and King can be seen in a jazz frame, Malcolm as Miles Davis, edgy and cool, King as John Coltrane, spiritual and high-flown, Whitaker said: 'That was Anthony Davis, what he said about how he thought of Malcolm's voice in writing the opera,' a production revived after 2020, the summer of George Floyd and Black Lives Matter. As Whitaker worked, another dual vision loomed large: Peniel Joseph's The Sword and the Shield, which posits Malcolm as the sword and Martin as the shield of Black Americans striving for justice. Such contrasts will forever be drawn. Whitaker makes his own. 'There's a lot of discussion today about what kind of communication works politically, with the transition to social media, podcasting and so forth. People are saying politicians who are effective are the ones who speak in a more direct way, in a more conversational way, and with more humor. That was all Malcolm. King is still very impressive, when you go back and you listen to his speeches, but he always sounds like he's talking to you from a pulpit. Malcolm always had this incredibly direct conversation, very powerful, and that's why he was so great. 'He went around and talked on college campuses and engaged in panels and debates on TV and on radio, and it still feels very contemporary. King's voice, as important and majestic as it was, feels like an artifact of history. Malcolm … you go on YouTube and you listen to his speeches, but even more so his interviews, and it feels like he could be talking today.' The Afterlife of Malcolm X is out now
The Citizen
18-05-2025
- Automotive
- The Citizen
Mid-range Range Rover Sport HSE shows why it is the one to have
Despite the "not a true Range Rover" label continuing to be placed on it by purists, the Sport's ongoing popularity suggests otherwise. Despite the availability of the Evoque and Velar, the Sport is still viewed, by some, as the true junior Range Rover. Image: Hanro Venter The current third generation, or internally named L461, Range Rover Sport has been on-sale locally since 2023, a year after its world reveal, but in that time, has received more revisions than ordinarily found four years into a vehicle's lifespan. Wait? Did we miss something? From an improved infotainment system two years ago to a new Ingenium turbodiesel engine the year after, the Sport's most recent update came in March this year with the arrival of the SV Edition Two that now uses the BMW-sourced 4.4-litre twin-turbo V8. A year prior to the SV, the first special edition version, the Stelath, made local landfall as mainly an appearance package modelled on the Dynamic SE that opens the Sport range up. ALSO READ: Original 'junior' Range Rover shows luxury can still be Sport(y) Given how most JLR products take their time to reach media fleets, the arrival of a Charente Grey Sport for the weeklong stay had The Citizen Motoring team perplexed. For one, the range favourite D350 had already been sampled twice, first by editor Jaco van der Merwe soon after its market arrival and then last year by yours truly as part of the infotainment upgrade. Rear-end styling remains the most polarising aspect of the third generation Sport. Image: Hanro Venter Jaco's Santorini Black example used the Dynamic HSE as a base, while the Eiger Grey version I ended up with was the flagship Autobiography. Hello again, D350 On first glance, and given the bevy of plug-in hybrid Defenders and Range Rover Evoques that arrived before and after the Sport, it was assumed that the new P460e, which premiered at the same time as the new infotainment system, had been given for testing. As it turned out, this wasn't the case, and neither was the dropped-off model the Stealth or even the SV. Instead, a quick look underneath the windscreen wiper where JLR places its trim level designations came with a sense of déjà vu. While the engine was indeed the 3.0-litre Ingenium straight-six turbodiesel that produces 350 pferdestarke (PS), hence the D350 moniker, which equates to 257kW/700Nm, the trim grade – again – read Dynamic HSE. The step down from the Autobiography, the HSE presented somewhat of a challenge as, apart from having already been sampled, taking it to Gerotek wouldn't have been worth it as the former had already fulfilled that role. Renewed look at HSE For the fear of 'copying-and-pasting' Jaco's findings, the weeklong stay with what has now become a Range Rover Sport familiarity still impressed in the environment where it will spend the majority of its life, the urban jungle. Compared to the Autobiography, the tested HSE keeps the option of the gloss Narvik Black roof, but swaps the optional 23-inch gloss black alloys for the silver 22-inch wheels. Dynamic HSE came fitted with the standard 22-inch alloy wheels. Image: Hanro Venter Also missing was the optional black styling package and, in place of the black brake calipers, the Brembo-supplied stoppers finished in a more appealing red. While more discreet and not as over-the-top as the Autobiography that had, admittedly, been specified with nearly every optional extra available, the HSE lacks for little in presence despite the stigma of it still not being the 'proper' full-size Range Rover that has followed the Sport ever since the original's world unveiling in 2005. As mentioned, the rear-end styling won't find favour among everyone considering the 'cleaner' and more simplified look of the previous generations. Right, that interior Tugging the pop-out door handles came with the biggest and most contentious surprise, the colour of the Ebony Windsor leather upholstery. Called Caraway/Ebony, the saddle tan hue looks out of place and while different from the traditional black, grey, white or even red, won't be to everyone's preference and will likely require lots of attention to keep clean over time. The same applies to the piano key black inlays around the toggle switch gear lever and starter button on a centre console, which remains a point of contention, as the latter could have been relocated aft of the steering wheel or on the dashboard to better optimise storage space. Interior cocoons and feels typically luxurious, although the Caraway/Ebony colour option won't be favoured by everyone. Image: Hanro Venter That being said, hiding spaces aren't found lacking as, apart from the cubby in front of the gear lever that also houses the wireless smartphone charging pad, sliding back the lid of the cupholders reveals a deeper storage area underneath. Capping it off, the HSE gets a pair of individual armrests for each of the front seats, plus a refrigerated centre console glovebox. Ergonomically, the interior adheres to the minimalistic design approach in which the majority of the functions are located within the infotainment system. Electric front seats feature heating, ventilation and massaging functions. Image: Hanro Venter In the case of the HSE, this means the upgraded 13.3-inch Pivi Pro system. Although still easy to fathom despite appearing the complete opposite, certain buyers will still bemoan the lack of physical buttons or even dials for the quad-zone climate control. The workings of the system, besides this, are intuitive, while the touch-sensitive buttons on the steering wheel, as mentioned on the Autobiography, didn't annoy as much as on other products. Still tech packed and practical Compared to the HSE is anything but spartan on the equipment front with the inclusion of the customisable 13.7-inch instrument cluster, a heated steering wheel with electric adjustment, a panoramic sunroof and Adaptive Cruise Control. Further items consist of heated, ventilated and massaging front electric seats, a surround-view camera system, Head-Up Display and, admittedly from the options list, the ear-pleasing 29-speaker, 1 430-watt Meridian sound system. Boot can take 647-litres with the rear seats in use. Image: Hanro Venter Only blemished, no pun intended, by the choice of colour and piano black inserts, fit-and-finish remains difficult to fault – especially the Kvadrat textile material on the doors – as does practicality. Despite the 60/40 split folding electric rear seat being a touch on the slow side when folding compared to doing the process manually, total boot space increases from 647-litres to 1 491-litres. Dropping the rear seats increases packing space to 1 491-litres. Image: Hanro Venter As a result of the test unit being fitted with the adaptive air suspension system, the rear apron can be lowered using the toggle switches integrated into the side of the boot walls to aid loading heavy items. In addition, the cabin, up front and at the rear, isn't found lacking in space, with the mentioned glass roof making no ingress on headroom for rear-seat occupants. On the road As has become the norm with JLR's D350 badged models, the Ingenium straight-six, which lacks the electrified 48-volt mild-hybrid system offered in Europe, pulls smoothly from low-down, but when provoked, easily lifts the Sport's nose with a surge of muscled grunt. All the while accompanied by an aurally pleasing straight-six soundtrack and nearly faultless eight-speed automatic gearbox, the unit shows its hand, unsurprisingly, the most in Dynamic mode, however, the quickfire punch soon stops the higher the tachometer goes. In either Auto or Comfort modes – the supposed efficiency-focused Eco not being selected at all – the Sport becomes comfortable and, thanks to the lower profile tyres, with a slightly better ride quality than the Autobiography. That being said, and while equipped with the Terrain Response 2 system incorporating low range, locking differential and seven off-road modes – Auto, Comfort, Grass/Gravel, Mud Ruts, Sand, Rock Crawl and Wade – taking the Sport off-road never crossed minds for fear of scratching the wheels or even worse. One of the highlight options is the 29-speaker Meridian sound system. IMage: Hanro Venter A decision the majority of owners will likely adhere to as well, the HSE's on-road demeanour ultimately counts. In this regard, and besides the adept ride, engine and road noise is found lacking thanks to what JLR calls Active Noise Cancellation technology, while the steering is quick and with relatively good feedback for a vehicle of this type. On the consumption front, the HSE recorded an indicated best figure of 10.3 L/100 km over its seven-day and 496 km spell, 1.8 L/100 km heavier than the Autobiography, but still commendable for a package weighing 2 315 kg. Conclusion The phrase 'all the car you will ever' is a more than well used description when summarising a vehicle that often sits on top of its respective model range. In the case of the Range Rover Sport D350 Dynamic HSE, the saying is anything but as the mid-range D350, arguably, makes the biggest case for being the most complete offering above Autobiography, the fire-breathing P530 petrol, the SV and the contentious P460e. Sport continues to do its name justice. Image: Hanro Venter At R2 526 600 before options, the HSE is still anything but a bargain and unlikely to shake off the adage of not being a 'real Range Rover' by brand purists. However, it simply is the Sport to have and, to quote the earlier statement, 'all the model you will ever need'. NOW READ: Easy to see why the Range Rover Sport is a Mzansi favourite
Car and Driver
09-05-2025
- Automotive
- Car and Driver
2026 Land Rover Range Rover Velar Review, Pricing, and Specs
Specs See all specs EPA MPG 21–23 Combined Seating 5 Seats Powertrain Gas Drivetrain Four-Wheel Drive Limited Warranty 4 Years/50,000 Miles Overview An attractive design goes a long way, and the 2026 Range Rover Velar is one of the more avant-garde options in the compact luxury SUV class. But beauty only gets the Velar so far. The base turbo four-cylinder is too tepid, and the Velar's handling isn't particularly engaging for the driver. Performance improves with the optional turbocharged-and-supercharged inline-six, but the Velar is still better at long-distance comfort than delivering sporting fun. The Velar's interior is a pleasant place to spend time, and the chic minimalist design has just one downside: nearly everything runs through a central touchscreen. Like most other Land Rovers, the Velar has the equipment to venture off-road, and it'll likely take you further afield than similarly-sized Porsches, Mercedes-Benzes, and Volvos. What's New for 2026? Gone is last year's range-topping Dynamic HSE trim, its place filled by an Autobiography model of the Range Rover Velar. The Autobiography costs a little more, cresting the $80,000 mark, but it comes standard with an extended leather upholstery package, fancier-looking 21-inch wheels, and a 360-degree camera system. Pricing and Which One to Buy The price of the 2026 Land Rover Range Rover Velar starts at $62,975 and goes up to $80,275 depending on the trim and options. P250 S $62,975 P250 Dynamic SE $65,175 P400 Dynamic SE $72,175 P400 Autobiography $80,275 0 $25k $50k $75k $100k $125k If you're hooked by the Velar's well-tailored looks and posh appointments, we'd recommend going with the P400 Dynamic SE trim, which is the least costly way to get the turbocharged-and-supercharged inline-six engine. That model comes standard with all-wheel drive and adaptive dampers. It's rife with amenities, from a power steering column adjuster to front and rear sunroofs to a Meridian sound system. We'd also suggest adding the Dynamic Handling package, which includes air springs that enable adjustable ride height, a drive-mode selector, and All Terrain Progress Control, which acts as a sort of adaptive cruise control for low speeds or in slippery conditions. Engine, Transmission, and Performance The base engine—P250 in Land Rover parlance—is a 247-hp turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder mated to an eight-speed automatic that is genteel but doesn't move the Velar's heft with any authority. Much like the Velar's acceleration, its handling is by no means sporty. The P400 model brings the 395-hp turbocharged-and-supercharged 3.0-liter inline-six, which is buttressed by a 48-volt hybrid system. It's a much more energetic combination but its over-the-road character remains uninvolving. The suspension competently controls the SUV's body motions and keeps body roll in check while returning a firm, well-managed ride, but its steering is lifeless, and its brake pedal feel is mushy. Models equipped with the available air suspension can raise and lower their ride height for either more dynamic moves on-road or greater dexterity off it. 0–60-MPH Times We sampled a four-cylinder Velar for a 40,000-mile long-term test, which did not go well. That model required 7.2 seconds to hit 60 mph. The P400 powertrain—carrying a 395-hp turbocharged 3.0-liter inline-six—provides better acceleration performance, but we haven't tested this powertrain yet. By our estimate, the P400 model should hit 60 mph in 5.2 seconds; that's still behind six-cylinder rivals such as the BMW X3 M40i and the Porsche Macan S. View Photos Land Rover More on the Range Rover Velar SUV 2024 Range Rover Velar Remains a Fancy Confection Towing and Payload Capacity With the base turbo-four, the Velar can tow up to 5291 pounds; ordering the six-cylinder engine bumps that maximum capacity up to 5511 pounds. Either rating is enough for a small camper or boat. Fuel Economy and Real-World MPG The EPA has rated the Velar's inline-six engine as high as 19 mpg city and 26 mpg highway, and the turbocharged four-cylinder is only slightly more efficient, with ratings of 22 mpg city and 26 mpg highway. In our 75-mph highway fuel-economy test, the four-cylinder Velar delivered 26 mpg. For more information about the Velar's fuel economy, visit the EPA's website. Interior, Comfort, and Cargo Dig modern architecture? You'll probably like the Velar's simple interior, rendered largely from horizontal lines and bold rectilinear forms. Efforts have been made to make the Velar's interior design as clutter-free as possible. Most everything is controlled via the infotainment touchscreen, which frees up the center console to serve as little more than an artful coffee table dividing the Velar's cabin. The Velar's softly rounded exterior shape and visually pleasing rear overhang combine to swallow more carry-on suitcases than its immediate competitors with its rear seats up or folded. We fit 10 of our carry-ons behind the rear seats and 23 with all seats folded. View Photos Land Rover Infotainment and Connectivity A slick 11.4-inch touchscreen display seemingly floats in front of the dashboard, running Land Rover's Pivi Pro infotainment interface. Pivi Pro is relatively easy to use and fairly responsive to inputs, but it's not without its quirks. Bluetooth phone and audio connectivity, voice control, a Meridian stereo system, in-dash navigation, and Apple CarPlay/Android Auto integration are all standard. Safety and Driver-Assistance Features Land Rover makes available the latest driver-assistance technologies such as automated emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, lane-keeping assist, and adaptive cruise control on the Velar. For more information about the Velar's crash test results, visit the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) websites. Key safety features include: Standard automated emergency braking with pedestrian detection Standard lane-departure warning and lane-keeping assist Standard adaptive cruise control Warranty and Maintenance Coverage The Velar's four-year, 50,000-mile limited warranty is on par with its competitors. Interestingly, Jaguar's mechanically similar F-Pace carries both a stronger warranty and a five-year, 60,000-mile complimentary scheduled maintenance plan; the latter is something that Land Rover only offers as a dealer add-on. Limited warranty covers four years or 50,000 miles Powertrain warranty covers four years or 50,000 miles No complimentary scheduled maintenance Specifications Specifications 2024 Land Rover Range Rover Velar Vehicle Type: front-engine, all-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 4-door wagon PRICE Base: Velar P250 S, $62,775; P250 Dynamic SE, $64,875; P400 Dynamic SE, $71,875; P400 Dynamic HSE, $86,070 ENGINES P250: turbocharged and intercooled DOHC 16-valve 2.0-liter inline-4, 247 hp, 269 lb-ft P400: turbocharged, supercharged, and intercooled DOHC 24-valve 3.0-liter inline-6, 395 hp, 405 lb-ft TRANSMISSION 8-speed automatic DIMENSIONS Wheelbase: 113.1 in Length: 188.9 in Width: 76.0 in Height: 66.3 in Passenger Volume, F/R: 51/45 ft3 Cargo Volume, Behind F/R: 60/30 ft3 Curb Weight (C/D est): 4150-4450 lb PERFORMANCE (C/D EST) 60 mph: 5.2-7.0 sec 1/4-Mile: 13.8-15.7 sec Top Speed: 135-155 mph EPA FUEL ECONOMY Combined/City/Highway: 21-23/19-22/25-26 mpg More Features and Specs
