Land Rover was showcasing its drop-top Range Rover Evoque concept.
It could pave the way for the world’s first premium convertible 4x4, and would build on the success of the existing Evoque model.
Other concept models included the DC100 Land Rover Concept, in ‘snow’ and ‘ice’ specification.
Also taking pride of place on the stand was the 1,000,000th Land Rover Discovery, made at Jaguar Land Rover’s Solihull plant near Birmingham.
Parkers Pick – Evoque convertible concept
- What is it? It’s a posh, four-seat 4x4 without a roof and rumours suggest that a decision on a production model will be made within four to six weeks.
- Vital stats and facts: Could be available in two- or four-wheel drive and added strengthening to keep the body rigid would increase kerbweight by about 75kg over the hard-top version. The concept features a fully retractable roof with a roll-over protection system. Inside, the concept features surround cameras, park assist and infotainment system with an eight-inch dual-view touchscreen. It sits on 21-inch alloy wheels.
- Why would you buy it? If you want the cachet of a Range Rover, credible off-road abilities and the addition of wind-in-your-hair driving, this is a no-brainer. Read Car Magazine’s views on the droptop Evoque here.
- Why wouldn’t you? It’ll be pricey, and that extra weight might compromise the handling.
- Prices and launch date: It’ll probably be around £10% more expensive than the hard-top, which means a starting price of around £31,000. A decision about a full production model is in the offing.
What else is on the stand?
Land Rover was busy showing off the DC100 Land Rover Concept, which was seen last year at the Frankfurt Motor Show. The concept has now acquired a range of accessories to help it deal with icy and snowy conditions, including a driver-activated spiked tyre system which deploys at the touch of a button to improve traction.
The manufacturer was also celebrating the construction of the 1,000,000th Discovery. It’s been sent on a ‘Journey of Discovery’ from Birmingham to Beijing, and stopped off at the Motor Show en route. It’ll cover 8,000 miles over 50 days, and it’s hoped that the trip will raise £1,000,000 for charity.
For more news from the Geneva Motor Show 2012, click here.
