Range Rover's stylish Evoque has finally hit Australian shores. But you can't have one because the first 250 examples of the high-riding hatch have already sold out until about May, 2012. There's even strong global demand with more than 32,000 pre-sale orders, far exceeding the company's initial expectations.
The Evoque is the smallest, lightest, most fuel-efficient car to wear the Range Rover badge. It's also the cheapest, with prices ranging between $49,995 and $75,895 (plus on-road and dealer costs).
Land Rover's design director Gerry McGovern says the Evoque is "not meant as an entry-level vehicle but a true Range Rover in a compact form," which is a point that's sharply accentuated once a few options are added. It's not hard to push the Evoque close to $100,000, which is well into Range Rover Sport territory.
Not only will it compete with regular compact luxury SUVs such as Audi's Q5 and BMW's baby X1 and larger X3 (the Evoque is approximately sized between the later two), but it will also take on everything from conventional luxury sedans, the iconic Mini Cooper and sports cars such as Audi's TT.
Up to 70 per cent of customers will be new to Land Rover, according to Land Rover Australia's brand manager Tim Krieger, who expects the company's 80:20 male-dominated skew see a greater gender balance.
The Evoque will even be available in two-wheel-drive entry-level guise from July next year, which is an admission that many owners are unlikely to venture too far from the bitumen - a point once sneered at by the British off-road specialist brand.
Source: The Sydney Morning Herald
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