- The Washington Times - Thursday, October 21, 2010

The groundbreaking, all-new Range Rover Evoque has made its global splash at the 2010 Paris Motor Show.

Dr. Ralf Speth, CEO, Jaguar Land Rover, said: “These are exciting times for our business as we continue to widen our portfolio with this all-new addition to the Range Rover line-up. Not only will the Range Rover Evoque increase our worldwide market share, but it demonstrates our commitment to building sustainable, yet highly desirable products.”

Dr. Speth continued: “The Evoque helps to define a new segment for premium compact SUVs that are more sporting and stylish. It makes a strong statement about the future direction of the Range Rover brand and will have a powerful emotional appeal to a very broad range of premium car buyers.”

The Range Rover Evoque has turned the much-acclaimed LRX concept car into reality, faithfully capturing the spirit of its landmark cross-coupe design.

True to the Range Rover brand, the Evoque effortlessly delivers premium levels of craftsmanship, luxury and performance, but shrink-wrapped into a more compact package.

The lightest and most fuel-efficient Range Rover ever, the Evoque demonstrates the marque’s commitment to environmental sustainability, bringing sub-130g/km CO2 capability to the premium SUV class.

Phil Popham, managing director of Land Rover, said: “The groundbreaking, all-new Range Rover Evoque takes the brand into exciting new territory. Highly relevant and contemporary, the Evoque will appeal to a whole new group of customers who may not have considered a Range Rover before.

“For this highly distinctive product, we have chosen a distinctive name. The all-new Range Rover Evoque will be sold in over 160 countries worldwide and its name will be instantly recognizable across language and cultural boundaries throughout the world. Evoque implies exclusivity and arouses emotions, and has a sophisticated aura that matches the car’s urban elegance,” he added.

Dr. Speth continued: “This vehicle has been designed, engineered and will be manufactured in the UK, allowing the creation of more than 1,000 jobs at our multi award-winning Halewood plant in Merseyside. This employment boost, paired with the fact that over 80 per cent of Range Rover Evoque production is planned for export, will be a fantastic support to the UK economy.”

The all-new Range Rover Evoque takes its inspiration directly from the LRX concept car, which drew worldwide acclaim for its exciting new interpretation of classic Range Rover design cues.

Smart design in conjunction with meticulous engineering allowed the spirit of the LRX concept to be turned into reality without compromising the core Range Rover values of interior luxury, refined performance and all-terrain capability.

Gerry McGovern, Land Rover design director, said: “The Range Rover Evoque marks a bold evolution of Range Rover design by adopting new interpretations of classic Range Rover design cues and staying true to the core Range Rover values.

“With its dramatic rising beltline, a muscular shoulder running the length of the car, and a distinctive taper to the floating roofline, the Evoque adopts a very dynamic profile with a powerful and athletic stance.”

Pushing the wheels out to the four corners helps give the car its purposeful stance. The wheelarches are wide, but softly integrated into the body, while the carefully sculpted corners dramatically reduce the car’s visual overhangs front and rear.

Beneath its dramatic exterior, the Range Rover Evoque provides customers with an impeccably crafted luxury cabin, incorporating the premium quality materials and elegant design expected of a Range Rover interior.

In bold contrast to the comforting aroma and supple feel of natural hides, authentic metal finishes provide a series of striking highlights. Cold to the touch and exquisitely crafted, the metal finishes are a tactile and visual reminder of the superior interior quality.

The driver adopts a lower seating position than in one of the larger Range Rovers, offering a more sporting feel but retaining the important Command Driving Position. The result is more generous headroom than is traditionally found in many sporting saloons, despite the low-profile coupe roofline.

Drivers who take their Range Rover Evoque off-road will be reassured to know that in addition to extremely generous ground clearance, the car has a significantly better break over angle, approach angle and departure angle than other premium compact SUVs.

Murray Dietsch, director of Land Rover programs, said: “We’ve tuned the Evoque’s chassis and Electric Power-Assisted Steering (EPAS) to deliver precise and responsive steering at lower speeds, making the car nimble and fun to drive in the city. As the Evoque is lighter, with a compact footprint, it reacts quickly and positively to driver inputs at higher speeds, ensuring that enthusiastic drivers are offered the agility they want from a car.”

As a true Range Rover, the Evoque delivers the all-weather, all-surface capability that is a hallmark of the brand. In common with its larger siblings, the new model provides formidable all-terrain potential, enhanced by the latest version of the company’s signature Terrain Response system.

The Evoque will be the first Range Rover to offer customers a choice between the standard, full-time, intelligent, four-wheel-drive system, which delivers outstanding performance and traction on all surfaces, and a low-carbon, two-wheel-drive option for further enhanced fuel economy.

The turbocharged powertrain line-up offers smooth and responsive performance. Customers can choose from the comprehensively updated 2.2-litre turbodiesel with 190PS or 150PS derivatives. The four-wheel-drive version combined with the 150PS 2.2-litre will offer up to an impressive 50mpg and 145g/km CO2. The state-of-the-art new 240PS, 2.0-litre Si4 petrol engine combines direct fuel injection, turbocharging and twin variable valve timing for exceptional driveability and fuel efficiency.

Murray Dietsch continued: “The state-of-the-art, four-cylinder, turbocharged engines combine six-cylinder refinement and performance with fuel economy figures of up to 58mpg and emissions of sub 130g/km CO2. These impressive figures have been achieved by the product development team’s commitment to delivering a compact and weight-efficient product, with no compromise on durability and robustness.”

The Range Rover Evoque sends a powerful message that the brand is determined to deliver relevant new products that are not only desirable, but also significantly more sustainable.

The new car’s greener credentials stem from a comprehensive approach to reducing its environmental impact throughout the product lifecycle, from development and manufacturing, through to customer use and end-of-life recycling.

The result is a Range Rover that sets new standards in the premium compact SUV segment for fuel economy and CO2 emissions, with the two-wheel-drive diesel capable of an exceptional sub 130g/km CO2.

Land Rover designers and engineers have developed a host of distinctive and innovative features, to ensure the Range Rover Evoque stands out from the crowd.

Lighting plays a big part in the Evoque’s distinctive appeal. First to catch the eye is the powerful signature graphic in the front running lights, created by innovative LED light-blade technology. A similar graphic is repeated in the LED rear lights, with their jewel-like 3D petal design.

More special touches greet you when you enter the car. The interior displays come to life with a choreographed animated start-up sequence, while the rotary auto shifter completes the ’greeting’ as it rises silently into the driver’s hand.

LED ambient lighting provides sophisticated and precise illumination within the cabin; a range of colors can be chosen by the driver to suit their mood. Select Dynamic mode, however, and a sporting red color scheme fills the interior as well as the instrument dials and cluster display.

Completing the range of features, the first panoramic roof ever fitted to a Range Rover can be specified, providing an all-round vista which helps to make every journey a special occasion.

There are three main vehicle design themes, each of which has its own distinctive character, exterior treatment and carefully coordinated interior package. The three themes are:

YPure - combining the stunning concept-car exterior with a stylish, clean interior in neutral colors to highlight the pure, simple forms of the cabin architecture. Soft-touch, wrapped materials on the major surfaces contrast with the real-metal brushed aluminum trim.

YPrestige - ultimate Range Rover luxury, combining a bespoke exterior that includes unique, 19-inch wheels and sparkling metallic details with an indulgent interior that is almost entirely leather-wrapped. Luxurious duo-tone color schemes are embellished by premium leather, twin-needle stitching and real wood and metal finishes.

YDynamic - bold exterior with 20-inch wheels and unique bumpers, sills, grille and tailpipes for a more assertive, confident stance. Contrasting roof and spoiler color is a no-cost option, while the premium sports interior offers a darker environment with splashes of bright contrast color, together with perforated leather seats and unique sports detailing.

From the driving wheel, the Range Rover Evoque is distinguished by a carefully conceived system of controls and displays that combines a stylish, uncluttered layout, state-of-the-art functionality and class-leading ease of use.

At the heart of the control system is Range Rover’s much-acclaimed, eight-inch, high-definition touch-screen display with its crisp graphics and simple, intuitive menu structure. The display is available with the innovative dual-view technology, so that driver and passenger can view completely independent content.

Tech-savvy customers get the connectivity they demand with a comprehensive package that includes Bluetooth hands-free mobile phone use and audio streaming, plus a range of USB and auxiliary inputs for iPods and other portable devices.

The Evoque is the first Range Rover to offer breathtaking new sound systems developed in partnership with the high-end audio specialist Meridian. The premium Meridian offering is an 825W, 17-speaker system that delivers the ultimate in surround-sound performance.

The all-new Range Rover Evoque has turned the LRX concept into reality, marking a bold evolution of Range Rover design, and providing customers with a compact, premium and highly desirable SUV.

A groundbreaking and original cross-coupe, the Evoque captures - almost to the millimeter - the stunning design of the LRX concept. With its cutting edge lines and sporty, dynamic profile, the Range Rover Evoque creates a new segment for a premium off-road coupe.

Unlike any previous Range Rover, the Evoque adopts a very dynamic profile with its dramatic rising beltline, a muscular shoulder running the length of the car, and a distinctive taper to the floating roofline. The bold design graphic created by the exaggerated wedge of the window line is emphasized by the black pillars.

Pushing the wheels out to the four corners helps give the car its purposeful stance; the wheelarches are wide, but softly integrated into the body. The carefully sculpted corners dramatically reduce the car’s visual overhangs front and rear.

The front-end design makes a powerful statement of Range Rover’s identity with the bold horizontal graphic created by the perforated two-bar grille and distinctive headlamps.

The stylish body exudes a strong sense of premium quality with its precise, tight shut-lines, striking details like the bonnet vents and side vents, and the jewel-like quality of the slim front and rear lamps with their LED signature lighting and tapering blade indicator clusters.

“The execution of the design will provoke a strong emotional reaction. Its unique style will attract a new generation of Range Rover customers who have never considered an SUV before, such as premium coupe buyers who would like to make a bold new statement,” added McGovern.

The Evoque’s interior takes the strong, clean architecture and premium quality materials of a traditional Range Rover, and applies them in a more contemporary and sporting fashion.

As in larger Range Rovers, the centerpiece of the cabin is the bold intersection between the solid horizontal elements of the instrument panel and the powerful vertical lines of the centre console.

Designers have also taken inspiration from the stylish forms of the LRX concept interior, capturing the dramatic slope of the centre console and the pure, elegant lines of the instrument panel. The design retains the concept’s distinctive stowage area beneath the sloping console, the open structure echoing the themes of lightness and efficiency found elsewhere in the car.

The exquisite quality and craftsmanship of the materials is highlighted by the very contemporary, clean treatment of the interior surfaces, including the flush treatment of the air vents and horizontal roller shutter in the centre console.

Housed under a compact curved binnacle, the instrument cluster enhances the sporting, premium feel of the interior. The twin dials have an expressive three dimensional form with chunky illuminated chaplets and needles, and are set deep in sporty circular housings finished with bright chrome rims.

An optional full glass fixed panoramic roof enhances the sense of room and freedom within the deceptively spacious cabin, flooding the interior with natural light.

Gerry McGovern explained: “The luxurious, contemporary feel to the cabin is the perfect complement to the concept car exterior. The exquisite materials and craftsmanship, and the pure, elegant design, tell you that this is a true Range Rover interior, but one with a more sporting flavor.”

Range Rover engineers have applied meticulous attention to detail to ensure that the Evoque displays a refined and harmonious sound quality under all driving conditions.

Innovative technologies, including advanced computer simulations and painstaking optimization using state-of-the-art analysis tools like sophisticated acoustic cameras, have been used to identify and remove all undesirable sounds.

The advanced turbocharged petrol and diesel power units are both inherently quiet and smooth, but further careful optimization of the engine installations has made it possible to reduce power train sound levels to best-in-class levels. All sources of unwanted noise have been isolated or eliminated, resulting in a refined sound quality across the full operating range.

Wind noise has been minimized through analysis with computational fluid dynamics, and exhaustive wind tunnel tests. Key areas, such as the shape of the A-pillar and door mirrors, were optimized very early in the development process.

A special acoustic windscreen lamination, as used on the larger Range Rovers, further reduces wind noise and also helps to eliminate high-frequency combustion noise.

Road noise in the Evoque has been comprehensively managed through the use of stiff, lightweight alloy suspension components, along with carefully optimized bushes. These features work in conjunction with extremely stiff suspension attachment points within the body shell and accurately applied sprayed insulation material, to further minimize NVH.

All other operating sounds within the car, from door closing sounds to the noises made by switches and motors, have been analyzed and refined during the development process to create a harmonious and premium sound quality for all occupants.

David Mitchell said: “It was critical that the Range Rover Evoque met the same standards of refinement as the larger models in the line-up. When drivers experience the new model, they will recognize the characteristic Range Rover qualities of relaxed and effortless performance and the tranquil interior environment.”

The all-new Range Rover Evoque sends a powerful message that the company is serious about sustainability, and determined to deliver products which are both relevant and highly desirable.

As a smaller, lighter and more efficient new Range Rover, the Evoque addresses the growing consumer need for more environmentally friendly vehicles.

While the Evoque offers the premium levels of luxury and performance customers expect from a new Range Rover, it also demonstrates the kind of efficiency and responsible design that make it one of the most sustainable cars in its class.

David Mitchell said: “The greener credentials of the Range Rover Evoque stem from a comprehensive approach to reducing its environmental impact, not just during customer use, but throughout the entire life-cycle of the car. This whole-life approach allows us consider the best ways of minimizing the overall carbon footprint, taking account of development, manufacturing and end-of-life recycling, so that we can make the smartest, most sustainable decisions”

The first step in creating a more sustainable Range Rover was to make it smaller. Following the lead of the LRX concept, the Range Rover Evoque is the smallest Range Rover ever, packing the same level of luxury and technology but shrink-wrapped into a much more compact and efficient footprint.

It is worth noting that the Evoque’s compact footprint has not been achieved at the expense of traditional Range Rover virtues. The car retains generous interior legroom and headroom, a very practical trunk, plus highly capable off-road geometry and ground clearance.

The state-of-the-art petrol and diesel engines featured in the Range Rover Evoque have been completely optimized using the latest powertrain technology to deliver outstanding fuel efficiency and minimised CO2 emissions.

The all-new lightweight, downsized 2.0-litre Si4 petrol engine employs the latest generation of high pressure direct-injection technology, together with low-inertia turbocharging and twin independent variable valve timing, to create an exceptionally efficient combustion system.

Compared to conventional larger capacity engines with a similar power output, the new Si4 engine can reduce CO2 emissions by up to 20 per cent.

For diesel customers, the latest TD4 turbodiesel engine has been comprehensively updated to achieve reduced fuel consumption and CO2 emissions, with 60 per cent of components either all-new or significantly modified.

On diesel cars with a manual transmission, the Evoque becomes the first Range Rover to offer a stop-start function, which reduces fuel consumption and CO2 emissions by a further eight per cent.

Automatic models benefit from the latest generation AW F-21 six speed transmission, which has been extensively revised to improve its operational efficiency, including gear train optimization, advanced idle control, and the adoption of low viscosity transmission fluid.

David Mitchell stated: “While the Range Rover Evoque is geared towards delivering sporting and fun-to-drive handling on the road, it will still be at home on a variety of terrains.Exclusive technologies like the patented Terrain Response and Hill Descent systems provide the Evoque with a unique competitive advantage when the going gets tough.”

The Range Rover Evoque features an all-new structure and suspension system which have been developed to deliver outstanding dynamics both on- and off-road, while preserving the stunning sporting profile of the original LRX concept car.

The exceptionally strong, lightweight steel monocoque body structure has been developed to deliver outstanding stiffness and refinement together with excellent crash performance. The structure was optimized using the latest state-of-the-art computer multi-dimensional simulation tools, and uses 18 per cent of special high-strength and Boron ultra-high-strength steels in strategic load-bearing areas.

The Range Rover Evoque’s optimized steel structure protects occupants using an incredibly strong and stable safety cell, which is complemented by a comprehensive system of airbags and restraints.

The occupant safety package includes a carefully optimized restraint system including driver and passenger airbags, knee airbags, and side curtain and thorax airbags.

The Range Rover Evoque features a powerful all-disc braking system for confident stopping in all conditions. Generous disc diameters provide a huge thermal capacity, providing formidable, fade-free stopping performance which equals that of premium sports saloons.

Like larger Range Rovers, the Evoque is equipped with a convenient and effective electronic park brake, activated via a switch in the center console, which disengages automatically when the car moves off.

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