In 1971, I was a student on placement at what was then British Leyland Motor Holdings, or BLMH, when I was asked to take an Austin Champ to the film location of BBC televisions Wheelbase motoring program as the presenters would be driving the new Range Rover. When I arrived there were various other 4×4s on display, but the significance of that day was lost on me until I realized sometime later that I had witnessed the dawn of a new class of cars. Since then no self respecting manufacturer has done without an SUV of some description.
So, its somewhat serendipitous that I have spent today with Range Rover being immersed in the intricacies of its latest offering – the Evoque.
I would dare to suggest that when this car hits the streets later this year that it will be an instant winner and in short supply. Land Rovers management is already talking of 100,000+ prospective sales and 6500 confirmed even before it goes on sale, We aspire to be the gold standard of SUVs, the benchmark, Land Rovers global brand director, John Edwards told me and the Evoque, like the seminal Range Rover, is the dawn of that aspiration.
Key to this is the Evoques adherence to the LRX styling – although it wasnt admitted I suspect Land Rover management were stung by the relative disappointment voiced by the media of the Sport model that followed the sensational Storm concept and were determined not to disappoint this time round after the plaudits LRX garnered.
Evoque makes its German and Japanese rivals look bland and predictable. It is surprisingly roomy inside, even for a six foot plus guy like me, having been designed to cater for 95th percentile adults in the back seats. And, of course, the boot accommodates two golf bags without removing the driver (whatever that is).
Under the hood theres Fords EcoBoost engine, as found in the Focus but now rebadged as a Si4 2. 0L, producing 240 bhp and 251 lb. -ft. of torque and suitably modified to withstand the rigors of Range Rovers off-roading demands even if that only extends to riding the pavement outside Tiffanys that most Evoque owners will subject it to.
Performance is pretty sharp with 60 mph coming up in 7. 1 seconds before topping out at 135 mph. MagneRide suspension, as found in Vettes, Ferraris and Audi R8s, is an option, and for Range Rover a global first for an SUV. Dynamically, the Evoque in this guise feels very assured – from the backseat, whilst youre being chauffeured round a test track by a development driver who knows it and the car better than his own mother. Oh, and we didnt venture off-road either. I will reserve judgment until I have put an Evoque through both disciplines later this year.
On first acquaintance Evoque augers well for Range Rover, but I think it sends a more significant message than that: there is a determined ambition within everyone at Land Rover to achieve levels of engineering and design that was denied to them by previous owners such as BMW and Ford. With Tata, the management truly believes Land Rover and Range Rover will achieve levels of success they have previously been denied.
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沿骑: 范围火星车 Evoque
