The automotive world needs villains, cars that you love to hate. For the muscle car people, that used to be the Tesla Model S. But who is going to hate the Evoque Convertible? Well, the people who love fast cars, those who can't afford one, and folks who hate posers... everybody, really.
Several years have passed since Land Rover revealed the Evoque Convertible as a concept. Despite the criticism from media and fans, the company just couldn't resist being the first to build a luxury convertible SUV based on their most popular model.
Auto Express seems to have published the first review of the Evoque Convertible, probably shot somewhere in the Alps at an officially organized event. It's less than four minutes long and tells you exactly what we said several months ago when the roofless SUV came out.
The Evoque was never a light car, but because the roof was chopped, the engineers had to add 270 kilograms of extra braces. We've calculated that it now weighs 1,936 kg (4,268 lbs), which is 2 pounds more than an Audi RS6 Avant.
We've become used to powerful SUVs that can keep up with a Porsche 911. However, this isn't one of them. The most powerful engine available is a 2.0-liter turbo that delivers 240 PS and 251 lb-ft (340 Nm) of torque through a standard 9-speed automatic. With a 0 to 60 time of 7.8 seconds and a top speed of 112 mph (180 km/h), it's about as slow as a regular compact. However, most Europeans will go for the 180 PS turbodiesel option.
While it is more economical, it will get around 40+ mpg, which isn't that good. With a sprint time of over 10 seconds, this is also the slowest luxury SUV you can buy. We doubt that listening to the diesel engine will be a pleasant thing when the top is down, while the suspension will feel less compliant.
Yet none of these flaws matter for the people who will buy the Evoque Convertible. It certainly stands out in a sea of other SUVs, and Land Rover have been careful to preserve all the off-road capabilities.
The Range Rover Evoque Convertible will go on sale around the middle of the year, costing $50,475 in the United States, excluding the $995 destination and handling fees. Back home, this fashion victim from the jungle will start at £47,500 OTR for the TD4 HSE Dynamic, £5,200 more than the equivalent hard-top.
Mihnea's favorite cars have already been built, the so-called modern classics from the '80s and '90s. He also loves local car culture from all over the world, so don't be surprised to see him getting excited about weird Japanese imports, low-rider VWs out of Germany, replicas from Russia or LS swaps down in Florida. Full profile
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