Evoking desires

Land Rover has unveiled the world’s first luxury compact SUV convertible, named the Range Rover Evoque Convertible, and the marque believes that its bold design and comprehensive specification will prove a hit with customers.

The distinctive shape of the original Evoque lends itself to the open-top design, which features a sophisticated folding roof to create an all-season convertible, its makers say.

The SUV has been engineered to meet Land Rover’s standards of exceptional structural rigidity, refinement, and high levels of safety and capability while keeping the four-seat design and versatile storage.

Gerry McGovern, Land Rover design director and chief creative officer, said: “This model is a vehicle for all seasons. Its uniquely distinctive design and world-class engineering adds another dimension to the Range Rover family, further enhancing its desirability and appeal.

“The booming SUV market, which is forecast to grow by 20 per cent over the next five years, now has the Evoque Convertible which will play a key role in continuing Range Rover’s 45-year success story, pioneering an all-new SUV sector.”

The convertible’s exterior design is made possible by a sophisticated fabric roof shaped to create a 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 and the fabric roof is the longest and widest currently fitted to any vehicle in the world.

The fully-automated roof stows in 18 seconds, and can be raised in 21 seconds, at speeds up to 30mph. When closed it provides high standards of refinement with a layer of acoustic insulation ensuring interior comfort. In addition, the position of the roof doesn’t affect loadspace, with a 251-litre boot offering practicality.

A high-resolution 10.2-inch touchscreen provides a suite of infotainment features, with Jaguar Land Rover’s next-generation InControl Touch Pro system providing connectivity and responsiveness with seamless smartphone integration.

Safety-wise, the vehicle features a Roll-Over Protection Device featuring deployable rollover bars hidden in the rear bodywork. It deploys two aluminium bars within 90 milliseconds in the event of a rollover situation to create a survival space for occupants.

Under the bonnet, the 240PS Si4 four-cylinder provides performance and reliability, as does the nine-speed automatic transmission and plethora of 4WD features like Terrain Response, Wade Sensing and All-Terrain Progress Control.

The new Range Rover Evoque Convertible will be on sale in the kingdom from Spring 2016.

For more information, visit the Euro Motors Land Rover showroom in Sitra or call 17750750.