Range Rover Evoque Convertible

A Concept Car Come To Life.

Traveling the Pacific Coast Highway is special journey filled with great beauty. Sharp turns revel stunning coastal views, the road weaves thought magnificent forests and the roller coaster altitudes changes require expert finesse when the open road is ahead. We were thrilled to have the opportunity to drive the extremely capable, and comfortable, Range Rover Evoque Convertible from Los Angles To Monterey. The luxuriously appointed, all-seasons, Range Rover Evoque Convertible is a four-seat drop-top that could only be built by Land Rover. Without compare the Range Rover Evoque is in a class by itself, and we applaud Land Rover for bringing this great idea to life. Our car received a lot of attention and while we felt a little guilty for disrupting the beauty of the Pacific Coast Highway with stares from people in other cars, we felt the admiration was worthy this cool new edition from Land Rover.

Equipped with standard all-wheel drive and a fabric roof that stows in a mere 18 seconds while stationary, the roof can be raised in 21 seconds at a speed of 30 mph. A very handy feature for the pop-up rain we encountered along the California coastline. In keeping with the high standards of Land Rover the Range Rover Evoque Convertible is equipped with rollover protection system that deploys two aluminum bars within 90 milliseconds to protect occupants if needed. The InControl Touch infotainment system that we love in the new Jaguars makes it debut in the Evoque Convertible. It bundles a navigation system, WiFi connectivity and a premium sound system, along with an 10.2 inch touchscreen to create seamless controls.

Image: Range Rover.

The Evoque Convertible comes in two trims, a SE Dynamic and HSE Dynamic. Standard features on the base model include ebony leather seats, 12-way electric memory seats, a 10.2-inch touchscreen, and a 10-speaker Meridian sound system with subwoofer. The HSE trim offers more interior color combinations a 12-speaker surround-sound Meridian sound system, head-up display, autonomous braking, 360-parking aid, and a Black Pack with 20-inch black alloy wheels, blacked-out lighting, black paint and more. In addition to a few structural changes from the Evoque, there are two aluminum bars from the rear quarter panel of the convertible to protect occupants in a roll-over. Range Rover also added underbody bracing so that the convertible can maintain the same torsional rigidity as the coupe without undermining off-road capability. The Evoque Convertible still maintains its off-road promises as a Range Rover Should. This compact SUV can scale 45-degree gradients and wade through water up to 19.7 inches deep. Hill Descent control comes standard, as does Terrain Response with Grass/Gravel/Snow, Mud, and Sand modes. The model also receives the Evoque’s 2.0-liter gas engine with 240 hp and 251 lb-ft of torque, paired with a nine-speed automatic.

Needless to say with the roof down we experienced the full wonders of the changing coastline completely. Through patches in the dense fog the comforts of the heated seats allowed us to keep the top down, only raising it for protection from a passing shower. We encountered the soft ocean breezes, and relished in the aroma of woods, we felt the mist of the fog, in our Range Rover Evoque Convertible, all the while capturing a wealth of Instragram shots from the passenger seats. Range Rover Evoque Convertible, Pacific Coast Highway (PHC)

Story By Ken Panton

Photos By David Lewis Taylor.