Does a convertible Range Rover make sense? It's too late to wonder or turn back, as the Evoque Cabrio is almost ready to hit the high streets. It's been three years in the making, and we're actually excited to see what comes out.
To get the world ready for the rag-top Evoque's debut, the Brits wanted to prove that their latest model is still worthy of the Range Rover badge. How do you do that? By going through the middle of a swamp and doing a cross axle demonstration, of course. A bit of mud never hurt any 4x4.
The platform is the same, but the Evoque Cabrio will be a little chubbier because extra braces need to be added. It's not just the underside, as the windshield pillars have to be thicker to withstand the rollover crash scenario.
Its makers call this "world's first luxury compact SUV convertible". They're describing such a narrow niche because Nissan beat them to the punch with the Murano Cross Cabriolet, a model that's widely considered one of the worst idea ever.
But Land Rover not only have a more loyal following of customers, some of which are women, but also superior technology. By the time the Evoque Cabrio comes out, the old 2.2-liter diesel engines will have been replaced by the Ingenium units used by the Jaguar XE. They will deliver 163 or 180 horsepower though a high-output petrol model will also be available.
Gearboxes? No surprises there, as the 9-speed should make short work of changing gears while dealing with slow crawls up a hill. In, fact, the only revolutionary bit of kit will be the folding fabric roof covering the 4-seat cabin (more like a 2+2).
Keep your eyes peeled, as the Evoque Cabrio will show itself at the Los Angels Auto Show in November. Until then, check out its water wading ability. If only the allied soldiers had some of these back in Normandy, WWII would have been over by Christmas.
The platform is the same, but the Evoque Cabrio will be a little chubbier because extra braces need to be added. It's not just the underside, as the windshield pillars have to be thicker to withstand the rollover crash scenario.
Its makers call this "world's first luxury compact SUV convertible". They're describing such a narrow niche because Nissan beat them to the punch with the Murano Cross Cabriolet, a model that's widely considered one of the worst idea ever.
But Land Rover not only have a more loyal following of customers, some of which are women, but also superior technology. By the time the Evoque Cabrio comes out, the old 2.2-liter diesel engines will have been replaced by the Ingenium units used by the Jaguar XE. They will deliver 163 or 180 horsepower though a high-output petrol model will also be available.
Gearboxes? No surprises there, as the 9-speed should make short work of changing gears while dealing with slow crawls up a hill. In, fact, the only revolutionary bit of kit will be the folding fabric roof covering the 4-seat cabin (more like a 2+2).
Keep your eyes peeled, as the Evoque Cabrio will show itself at the Los Angels Auto Show in November. Until then, check out its water wading ability. If only the allied soldiers had some of these back in Normandy, WWII would have been over by Christmas.