Range Rover is known for nimble and increasingly luxurious vehicles that can ford streams and clamber up rugged mountain roads. Its latest Evoque, however, was designed more with beach towns in mind. Based on the popular SUV model, the four-wheel-drive drop-top—a first for the venerable British marque—features a fabric roof that folds into the trunk, hidden roll bars that deploy in the event of an accident, and ample room for four adults. A convertible SUV was never part of the company’s plan, notes chief designer Gerry McGovern. “We made a concept car on a lark,” he says of the model, which goes on sale later this summer. “When we cut the top off the Evoque, we realized we had a completely unique profile.”
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The centerpiece of the interior is a 10.2-inch touch screen, which controls the audio, climate, and satellite navigation.
With the push of a button, the Evoque’s roof lowers in just 18 seconds (and rises in 21 seconds).
Once the roof is lowered, hinged panels at the rear of the interior fold flush to conceal the mechanism.
Like all Land Rover models, the Evoque went through vigorous off-road testing.
