Crossover meets cabrio in new Range Rover Evoque Convertible
World's first soft-top luxury compact SUV goes on sale next Spring
Previewed in wire frame models positioned around the country, Land Rover has now revealed full details of the new Range Rover Evoque convertible.
Sure to become one of the most polarising models on the market – and one of the most ubiquitous in trendier districts of the UK – Land Rover describes the new model as ‘a convertible for all seasons’.
It’s also the brand’s first-ever convertible model – unsurprising, given Land Rover’s traditionally off-road-biased focus. Maintaining that competency off-road has been one of Land Rover’s priorities with the new car – alongside structural rigidity, refinement and safety.
The convertible roof has been designed to retain the shape of the coupe when closed, and when open the roof lays flush with the rear bodywork. It stows in 18 seconds and raises again in 21 seconds, at speeds of up to 30mph. This rear bodywork also hides a pair of roll-over bars that deploy in 90 milliseconds should you take the term ‘off-road’ too literally.
There shouldn’t be too much incentive to drive the Evoque Convertible with vigour however, retaining as it does the regular Evoque’s engine range – better suited to cruising than it is emulating hot hatchbacks.
The units aren’t short on performance – the 240PS petrol Si4 reaches 60mph in 7.6sec in the coupe variant, so performance should be similar in the Convertible. The diesels are from the now-familiar Ingenium engine range, found across the Jaguar-Land Rover lineup. The most efficient of these sips a gallon of fuel every 55 miles and emits 149 grams of CO2 each kilometer.
Four-wheel drive is available, which should retain some degree of the regular Evoque’s surprising off-road ability. A nine-speed automatic transmission, Terrarin Response, Wade Sensing and All-Terrain Progress Control all conspire to give the Convertible comfortable ability on terrain no owner will ever subject it to.
More relevant to the Evoque Convertible’s audience is a 251-litre boot, a 10.2in touchscreen with the latest version of InControl Touch Pro, smartphone integration, navigation, 3G connectivity and a premium sound system.
Pricing, for the TD4 HSE Dynamic model at least, begins at £47,000. Deliveries are scheduled to begin in Spring 2016.
