Set to compete in a microscopic market of convertible crossovers (its only earnest competition, the Nissan Murano CrossCabriolet, is no longer in production), the Range Rover Evoque Convertible will go on sale in mid-2016 in limited production numbers.
Land Rover first revealed the concept version in 2012, and since then, talk of a production version has drawn both criticism and enthusiasm from the automotive community. As we can see, the final design closely matches the styling of the regular Evoque, just without the fixed roof and pillars. When the top folds, it secures flat and flush, maintaining the character lines of the body. Land Rover only offers the fabric roof in Ebony Black, but customers can choose from 13 exterior colors, including the new Waitomo Gray Metallic and Baltoro Ice.
Mechanically, the Evoque Convertible parallels its coupe-styled sibling with a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine making 240 horsepower and 251 pound-feet of torque. The power is delivered to all four wheels via a nine-speed automatic transmission capable of powering the Evoque Convertible to 60 mph in 7.8 seconds. While the cabrio design forfeits some utility, it still manages 8.9 cubic feet of trunk storage.
As for safety and convenience, the folding roof can be operated at speeds up to 30 mph and takes 18 seconds to fold down or 21 seconds to raise up. Land Rover says it has designed the Evoque Convertible to insulate passengers from wind noise nearly as well as the regular version. The model also gains a roll-over protection device (RPD) that is slotted within the rear quarter panel and deploys two aluminum bars automatically in just 90 milliseconds to shield passengers. Also on board is a new airbag system with thorax and head protection for front seat passengers.
The Evoque Convertible weighs in at 4,268 pounds, about 366 more than its fixed-roof twin, and comes standard with halogen headlights, LED daytime running lights, LED taillights, an 8.0-inch infotainment system, a 10-speaker Meridian sound system, climate control, Android Auto, and Apple Carplay. The roofless model also uses the same Terrain Response system as the regular crossover with multiple traction settings.
Prices for the Range Rover Evoque Cabrio will start at $51,470, including destination.
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