Forget the Freelander, the “baby” Range Rover is the new kid on the block
The brand new Evoque is set to become the top selling vehicle at Land Rover according to company chiefs. The vehicle, touted as a “baby” Range Rover due to its compact design, was officially unveiled yesterday and it was also revealed that 18,000 eager people have already put deposits down.
The impressive rate of sales, which if continued means the new coupe will usurp the Freelander 2 as the fastest selling vehicle, was announced by Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) chief executive Dr Ralf Speth.
The Evoque has been eagerly awaited by the majority of the motoring industry, ranging from consumers who might previously opt for a used Land Rover Freelander due to its lower cost and its low emissions rate and lightweight design.
At the launch Land Rover global brand director John Edwards said: “We think this will be our bestselling car and the order books are looking very healthy. Halewood is going to be pretty busy with the Evoque for some time to come.
“I have worked for JLR for 25 years and this car is going to be a global success. We believe it will out-sell the Freelander 2.”
What makes the success even more staggering is that there is not a single test model in any showroom across the country, so the customers have ordered without even seeing the car in the flesh or taking it for a test drive.
Only last month the Liverpool Echo reported that the Freelander, currently built in Halewood, continued to be the jewel in the crown of the manufacturer.
That is set to come to an end as sales of the Evoque have already generated £630m of revenue for the company, which is also good news for the UK economy because the majority of vehicles will be exported around the world.
However the triumph will not mean an explosion of used Freelanders flooding the second hand market as owners switch to the newest release. Edwards insisted the popularity of the Evoque will not be at the expense of its predecessor as 80 per cent of Evoque’s “order banks” have been tempted away from other automotive brands.
The unveiling was hosted by TV and radio personality George Lamb, a Range Rover driver himself, and was attended by production workers from the Halewood plant, at which more than 1,000 jobs will be created by the production of the vehicle.
The price range of the SUV begins at just under £28,000 and goes up to just over £44,000. It is seen by the firm as the product which will challenge the long standing perception of 4x4s as gas guzzlers due to its environmentally friendly performance.
Standard models boast a smart system which cuts emissions to 159g/km in traffic, while the coupe version emits less than 130g/km of CO2. This does not compromise performance though as the 2.0-litre Si4 turbo-charged petrol engine has direct fuel injection and twin variable valve timing. This translates to 0-60mph in 7.1 seconds.