Land Rover has lifted the wraps of their open top version Evoque ahead of the car’s official debut in Geneva.
Building on the success of the hard-top version, the Evoque Convertible Concept wants to "explore the potential for the world’s first premium convertible SUV", with the British automaker planing to gauge the visitor’s reaction and analyze weather or not they should take this thing into production.
Gerry McGovern, Land Rover Design Director said that "The Evoque lends itself beautifully to the idea of a convertible. This
study is not a traditional convertible design execution – instead we
have worked with the balance of the Evoque’s lines to retain its
distinctive shape and create something that is unique and, we believe,
highly desirable."
Based on the Evoque Coupe the Convertible Concept features a retractable premium roof system with a Roll Over Protection System [ROPS], and it combines capability and versatility with a drop down tailgate and the comfort of a four seat package.
The roof mechanism is stowed discreetly below the belt-line, with Land Rover claiming that they managed to create this new body style with minimal changes to weight and torsional rigidity.
John Edwards, Land Rover Global Brand Director stated that "The Evoque Convertible Concept is a new twist to the Evoque story and
explores the potential to further extend the nameplate’s appeal by
giving existing customers more choice, whilst at the same time reaching
out to a completely new customer base. We are excited to see the
response to this concept as we assess the potential for building on the
Evoque’s exceptional success so far".
