Land Rover cans Evoque three-door

LAND Rover Australia has dropped the three-door Range Rover Evoque due to low sales volumes, and the deletion of the ‘coupe’ bodystyle has coincided with the launch of the two-door Evoque Convertible rangeSpeaking at the national media launch of the Range Rover Evoque in Hervey Bay, Queensland, Land Rover Australia managing director Matthew Wiesner explained that in the four years the three-door bodystyle has been on sale, it was running at fewer than 5.0 per cent of total sales volume.

“In this market it (Evoque three-door) has been, even since launch, very small,” he told GoAuto.

“I think at launch there had been a reasonable array of three doors ordered, but Australia has never been a big three-door market with any particular car.”As a further reason for the move, Mr Wiesner said: “We’re trying to make sure as our product range is growing, and where we can make sure we’re not drawing the offerings out too far and cleaning them up a bit to try and make sure we’re offering what’s relevant.

“Particularly at this stage in the lifecycle we’re just making sure we’re focusing on things that sell well. We’ve got to make sure the (dealer stock) is kept reasonably fresh and turning over.”Mr Wiesner added that the small number of three-door buyers could more likely be tempted by the Evoque Convertible that goes on-sale in dealerships in November, despite a premium of $15,430 for the soft-top over the hard-top.

The outgoing Evoque HSE Dynamic three-door cost $77,765 plus on-road costs, compared with $93,195 for the equivalent Convertible, with both using the same 132kW/430Nm 2.0-litre turbo-diesel four-cylinder and nine-speed automatic.

However, the Evoque Convertible is – as with five-door models – available in a more affordable SE specification from $85,343 whereas the three-door was available only in HSE trim prior to being binned.

But Mr Wiesner added that he expected the Convertible to snare up to 10 per cent of Evoque sales – which last year tallied 2321 units, down 10.2 per cent on the year prior – and insisted that is a substantially higher take-up rate than the three-door ever procured.