Brian Joss –
Land Rover has unveiled the world’s first luxury compact SUV convertible – the Range Rover Evoque.
The ground breaking and distinctive shape of the original Range Rover Evoque lends itself to an elegant convertible design and the new model sits at the pinnacle of the Evoque portfolio as the most exclusive and capable convertible in the world, Land Rover said.
As the fifth member of the Range Rover family – and the first Land Rover convertible – the new model combines traditional Range Rover luxury with a distinctive four-seat design and versatile storage.
The Range Rover Evoque: breaking new ground. Picture: Land Rover/Motorpress
The Range Rover Evoque Convertible has been engineered to meet Land Rover’s most rigorous standards, ensuring exceptional structural rigidity, the trademark refinement, outstanding levels of safety and unrivalled breadth of capability.
“Range Rover Evoque Convertible is a vehicle for all seasons,” said Gerry McGovern, Land Rover Design Director and Chief Creative Officer. “Its uniquely distinctive design and world-class engineering adds another dimension to the Range Rover family, further enhancing its desirability and appeal.”
The global SUV market is forecast to grow by 20% over the next five years* and Evoque Convertible will play a key role in continuing Range Rover’s 45-year success story, pioneering an all-new SUV sector.
Evoque Convertible’s eye-catching exterior design is made possible by a sophisticated fabric roof shaped to create a crisply defined silhouette that remains faithful to the original design. Its Z-fold mechanism lays flush with the rear bodywork for a sleek, uncluttered appearance when lowered. The fabric roof is the longest and widest currently fitted to any vehicle on sale today.
The fully automated roof stows in just 18 seconds, and can be raised in 21 seconds, at speeds up to 48km/h. When closed it provides high standards of refinement with a layer of acoustic insulation ensuring interior comfort on a par with five-door Evoque. In addition, the position of the roof doesn’t affect loadspace, with a generous 251-litre boot offering unrivalled practicality for a convertible.
At the heart of the high-class cabin is a high-resolution 10.2-inch touchscreen with Jaguar Land Rover’s InControl™ Touch infotainment system. The system allows drivers to control a multitude of vehicle functions, including the entertainment system.
Safety hasn’t been overlooked, with the Evoque Convertible featuring a Roll-Over Protection Device featuring deployable rollover bars hidden in the rear bodywork. It deploys two aluminium bars within 90 milliseconds in the unlikely event of a rollover situation to create a survival space for occupants.
Evoque Convertible is underpinned by Land Rover’s world-class all-terrain capability, using the same advanced technologies as Evoque five-door and Coupé derivatives. The four-wheel drive powertrains combine with Land Rover’s nine-speed automatic transmission, Terrain Response® system and optional All-Terrain Progress Control and Wade Sensing, ensuring Evoque is a convertible for all seasons.
The new Range Rover Evoque Convertible will be produced at Land Rover’s Halewood plant in the UK, alongside the five door and Coupé bodystyles, and goes on sale across from the first half of 2016 in more than 170 markets worldwide.
Destined for South Africa in the second half of 2016, pricing, local specification and availability will be communicated closer to the time.