Land Rover teases second-gen Evoque
BY ROBBIE WALLIS | 15th Nov 2018
LAND Rover has begun the teaser campaign for its second-generation Range Rover Evoque medium SUV with a wire mesh art installation on the streets of London, ahead of its reveal at 6:45am on Friday, November 23.
If the idea of a wire mesh teaser installations sounds familiar, that is because it is – Land Rover pulled the same stunt in 2015 while teasing the Evoque convertible in 2015.
Four of the 1:1 scale models are set up at select locations in the well-to-do London suburbs of Kensington and Chelsea, finished in shades of copper, red and blue.
The sculptures give some clues as to what shape the new Evoque will take, with the model looking to retain many of the design cues of its predecessor.
It will feature the same high waistline and low, rearward-sloping roofline, while the headlights also look as though they will have a similar flat, horizontal design that narrows towards the vehicle's flanks.
The sculptures suggest large alloy wheels will feature, while the tail-lights will remain slimline and integrated into the tailgate. A rear diffuser is also expected to be carried over to the new model.
Land Rover first introduced the Evoque in 2010, with a major update following in 2015. Its imminent refresh means that the mechanically related Land Rover Discovery Sport will also be set for a new-generation model in the near future.
The British car-maker has said the new Evoque will feature “new standards of design, capability and sustainability”, suggesting the new model may feature greater off-road ability than the urban-focused first-generation version.
Greater sustainability means the Evoque will likely be offered with alternative powertrain technology, in accordance with Jaguar Land Rover's plans to offer either a full EV, plug-in hybrid or mild hybrid variant with each of its models developed from 2020.
Along with an electrified variant, the Evoque will likely be offered with 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol and diesel Ingenium engines, in a range of engine tunes.
Land Rover chief design officer Gerry McGovern said the installations reflected the contemporary design attitude of the Evoque.
“The wire forms have been created to preview the new Evoque – which is the embodiment of Range Rover’s modernist design approach,” he said,
“Where better to put these bespoke installations on display than in the heart of London – one of the greatest cities in the world.”
To the end of October, Land Rover has sold 1183 examples of the Evoque, a 52.8 per cent skid over the same period last year.
It trails the leaders in the premium medium SUV space such as the Mercedes-Benz GLC (5054 units), BMW X3 (4259), Audi Q5 (3342) and Lexus NX (3207).
Land Rover previously sold a three-door version in Australia, but it was discontinued in 2016 due to low sales.
GoAuto has contacted Land Rover Australia to obtain local timing for the new Evoque.
