LA 2015: Range Rover Evoque Convertible is our guilty pleasure
New addition to the brand’s line-up is so much more SoCal than Solihull
The Land Rover brand is one with plenty of devout fans, many of whom hold fairly strident opinions about the type of cars it should be selling.
And while the design team is moving Land Rover and Range Rover’s line-up away from its traditional heartland with every new car launch, all of its products share an inherent desirability that resonates with its customers today, as evidenced by solid global sales.
However, we thought that might be stretched a bit too far when we first saw pictures of the Evoque Convertible, especially as fans of traditional Land Rovers products, but now we’ve seen it, we’re almost ashamed to say it works.
There are a couple of heavy-handed details, like the front mask that’s awash with fake vents, and a rear spoiler that’s there to remind you that it’s sporty. But the roof mechanism is pretty well integrated into the car’s rear, although there’s a gap either side of the roof when it’s stowed. It’s even fairly practical, with a novel tailgate that opens the luggage space that remains the same, whether the roof is up or down.
The most surprising thing is that a roofless Evoque really does communicate the potential for a heightened sensory experience of driving, both on road or off it. Ironically, a key trait of Land Rovers of old.