Range Rover Evoque first drive

There's something very special about the launch of a brand new, never before seen car like Land Rover's new Range Rover Evoque. With its killer good looks, this is a car going places, a car that's going to do big things for Land Rover - not just here but around the world.Preparing to drive the car for the first time in Wales this morning, we admit to being a little excited. Due to arrive in Australia early next year, Land Rover is already holding close to 170 orders for the compact luxury sports utility vehicleHell, the orders started rolling as soon as they showed the first pictures, with many people happy to put their money down just to make sure they're the first to get one.Did I mention the price? You can get your hands on one of these delectable looking runabouts for as little as $49,990. That's the asking price for the entry level, two-wheel drive model with a turbodiesel engine - but you'll have to wait a little longer for that one which won't be launched There's a choice of three and five-door, two-wheel and four-wheel drive models, with three engines and two transmissions and a variety of options packs. Standard equipment includes push button start, an electric parking brake and Bluetooth with audio streaming, as well as rear parking sensors, colour computer screen and power adjust front seats. For the top of the line Prestige model with a turbocharged petrol engine and all the options, you can pay close to $120,000.
If the Ranger Rover Sport experience is anything to go on, the Evoque is headed for number one with a bullet, destined to easily become the biggest selling model in the Range Rover range based on price alone. flocked to the cheaper, smaller Sport model when it was launched in 2005. Last year, Land Rover sold 4789 vehicles in Australia and 3451 vehicles so far this year - an increase of nearly 20 per cent. There's even talk the Evoque could double sales.At the same time however the Evoque is likely to steal sales from other models, so the marketing focus is going to be on getting new customers into the brand. Land Rover Australia brought its dealers over to the UK to see and drive the ca
r for the first time a month ago.
The reception was very positive according to spokesman Tim Krieger
The Range Rover Evoque is the smallest, lightest and greenest Range Rover ever and we expect it to have huge appeal in the market, many of whom may never have considered a Range Rover before,We already have 8000 people who have registered interest in the model and over time we expect it to be our biggest selling model." The petrol engine is the excellent 177kW 2.0-litre twin turbo unit that we have already seen in some Ford and Volvo models, with direct injection and twin variable valve timing, coupled with a six-speed Aisin automatic transmission. The two 2.2-litre fuel efficient diesels, at 110 and 140kW, are the same as those found in the Land Rover Freelander 2. It has to look good, it has to be offered for a good price and finally it has to go good. Two out of three ain't bad - we're about to find out whether it ticks the final box. Just climbing into the Evoque now.At the end of the day (and what a long day it's been) it doesn't really matter how well the new Evoque goes or does not go - it's all about the looks. This is not just a good looking car, but a great looking car, inside and out - that will appeal to a wide variety