Spoiled for choice – NZ Herald

The Range Rover will unveil its Evoque five-door at the Los Angeles auto show next week, about a year before it arrives in New Zealand.

The five-door joins the three-door “coupe” that first appeared at the Paris Motor Show last month. Both vehicles have been added to the Range Rover lineup to extend the appeal of the premium brand.

New four-cylinder diesel and gasoline engines using mild hybrid technology will also help Range Rover meet new fleet emissions standards set for Europe in 2012.

It will be the same for the choice of front-wheel drive or all-wheel drive, a first for the off-road specialist.

Phil Popham, managing director of Land Rover, Range Rover’s parent company, says the five-door body has the same compact footprint and technologies as the three-door.

“Improving durability has been central to the design and development of the Range Rover Evoque,” ​​he said. “We give customers the choice.”

The five-door is 30mm longer than the coupe and offers more shoulder and headroom in the rear. Land Rover Design Director Gerry McGovern said he was looking to keep the coupe’s “emotional appeal” in the five-door.

“The key lines remain intact – the dramatic rising beltline, the muscular shoulder along the length of the car and the distinctive taper of the floating roofline – but with a slightly higher rear roof,” he said. he declares.

“The finished vehicle offers impressive levels of space and versatility while retaining the overall essence, visual toughness and jewel-like detailing of the coupe.”

The Evoque is the first Range Rover to offer an audio system from premium specialist Meridian.

The choice of engines includes two turbocharged diesel engines and a gasoline unit mated to six-speed manual or six-speed automatic gearboxes.

The 2.2-liter oil burners deliver 112 kW or 142 kW and up to 400 Nm of torque. Land Rover claims a CO2 emissions rating for the 112 kW front-wheel drive unit at 135 g / km.

The 2.0-liter gasoline engine combines direct fuel injection, turbocharging and dual variable valve timing to deliver 180 kW.

Land Rover calls it the Si4, but it’s almost identical to the Ecoboost engine that Ford New Zealand will be using under the hood of the Ford Falcon from next year.

Murray Dietsch, Land Rover Program Director, said: “We have combined advanced powertrains with a lightweight body and a range of low carbon technologies to deliver fuel efficiency, which is exceptional for a top SUV. range.”