Land Rover has revealed the production version of the Range Rover Evoque, the new 'baby' model that will go on sale next summer. Unveiled at a party thrown to celebrate the Range Rover brand’s 40th birthday, the production Evoque retains most of the looks of the original LRX concept, which was unveiled as long ago as the Detroit motor show in 2008.
Land Rover hasn't released few technical details, although it has confirmed that the car will be available in two and four-wheel drive, and that some models will emit less than 130g/km of CO2.The Evoque is being described as a "global car"; Land Rover says it will be sold in more than 160 countries. It will be made at Halewood, creating up to 1000 new jobs at the Liverpool facility.
Phil Popham, managing director of Land Rover said, "Range Rover is one of the most highly regarded and iconic vehicles in the history of motoring and has been a continuing success since we first introduced it in 1970. The all-new Range Rover Evoque is an important step for the future continued success and growth of the brand. Customers can be confident that the new car will be premium, luxurious and just as special as the other Range Rover models."
Land Rover's design chief Gerry McGovern said, "This vehicle started as the LRX concept in 2008, and that vehicle was so well received that it was a natural progression for us want to put that into production. This is where the collaboration between our designers and engineers came into play; this car is really a tribute to them."
He added: "It was always our intent to stretch the Range Rover brand to appeal to a bigger audience, and this vehicle will appeal to customers who had never even considered Range Rover before. The design is key to that; it’s like no other Range Rover we’ve seen before, but it’s still unmistakably a Range Rover."McGovern also used the event to 'unveil' a new member of the design team - Victoria Beckham - although he did not outline any specific role for the former singer, who has her own fashion label. Beckham said, "I'm incredibly excited to be collaborating with Range Rover. I'd like to thank Phil and Gerry for such an incredible opportunity. I like to take on a challenge and I'm ready for it."
The switch from the concept’s Land Rover badging to a Range Rover model was a tactical one. It has allowed the firm to keep a more profitable price point on style and exclusivity grounds, without having to offer the rugged practicality associated with the Discovery and Freelander. However, this three-door version is just the start; a five-door variant of the car is also under development.
No prices for the Evoque have been released, but expect four-wheel-drive versions to start at around £35k, for the UK market, with front-drive models following shortly after launch at around £5000 less.
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