Land Rover LRX
Encyclopedia
The Range Rover Evoque is a compact SUV
from Land Rover
which went into production in July 2011. The Evoque is designed to appeal to urban buyers and meet increased CO2
emissions and fuel economy
requirements. A concept
model known as the Land Rover LRX was unveiled at the North American International Auto Show
in January 2008 with the aesthetics of the Evoque production model changing very little from the LRX concept. The Evoque has been received positively by the automotive press for retaining the upscale features and off road capabilities of the Range Rover
brand in a smaller more city friendly package.
s, a stop-start system, and the ERAD (electric rear axle drive) parallel hybrid powertrain
system.
The ERAD system could propel the LRX to speeds of up to 20 mi/h before the engine was started by an integrated starter generator as part of the stop-start system. ERAD was designed to reduce emissions by an average of 20 percent under the NEDC
test cycle and was expected to offer another 10 percent reduction in extra-urban driving situations while also optimising the off-road ability of the vehicle. Land Rover aimed to achieve 120 g/km emissions and fuel economy of 60 mpgimp on the European combined cycle with an efficient 2.2-litre turbodiesel
engine. The engine would become the only four-cylinder vehicle in the Range Rover lineup.
The latest incarnation of Land Rover’s acclaimed Terrain Response system was also included offering sport and eco modes in addition to the existing grass, gravel, snow, and sand modes. Typical Land Rover design traits aim at improving off-road performance included a prominent driving position, hill descent control
, and useful approach and departure angles
. A Land Rover first was an air intake system integrated into the roof which offered exceptional wading capabilities though this feature did not make it to the production model. Land Rover's Range Rover styling was visually apparent in the form of the clamshell bonnet, the ‘floating’ roof, dual-pocket headlamps, and raked roof line.
Interior design improvements were another main focus of the LRX concept though the interior of the production Evoque changed significantly from the concept LRX. Notable interior features in the LRX included ambient interior lighting that changed according to Terrain Response settings, and vehicle data which was presented to the driver through a ‘floating’ three-dimensional LCD
display. An aluminium centre console with an iPhone
docking station stretched the length of the cabin, separating the four seats and the tailgate. Seats with open frameworks were used to give the impression of an airy interior while also creating useful under-seat and under-floor stowage areas. Electric motors folded the rear seats forward providing enough room for two mountain bikes to be fitted upright, with front wheels removed and stored in dedicated slots in the floor.
, Liverpool
facility. Phil Popham, Managing Director of Land Rover, announced the production of the Evoque by stating:
Production of the Evoque started on 4 July 2011, at the Jaguar Land Rover Halewood plant
, with the first customer deliveries expected to be made in September. The British Motor Industry Heritage trust will be given the first vehicle off the line to add to their collection, held at the Heritage Motor Centre
in Gaydon. The production model Evoque retained nearly identical bodywork from the LRX prototype including the cabin length the panoramic sun roof. However no hybrid power train is initially being offered though a version of the terrain response system is included.
. Instead the Evoque features a more modern unibody construction technique for improved handling and ride quality, and to appeal to buyers who drive primarily on road. Despite a lack of traditional body on frame construction and dedicated transfer case
, the Evoque is still capable of class leading off road performance with 8.4 inches (213.4 mm) of ground clearance, 25 degree approach/33 degree departure angles, and the ability to ford up to 19.7 inches (500.4 mm) of water.
Fuel economy has been stated as being 19 miles per US gallon (8.1 km/L) in the city and 28 miles per US gallon (11.9 km/L) highway for the 2-litre petrol version.
Land Rover employed singer Victoria Beckham
as a design consultant for the interior and will release a "Victoria Beckham" special edition of the Evoque.
down to under 1670 kg (3,681.7 lb) making it the lightest Land Rover ever built. The use of aluminium for the bonnet
and the roof, and composite plastics for the one-piece tailgate helped produce a vehicle weighing 220 lb (100 kg) less than the Freelander
. The Evoque can be equipped with five exterior cameras to give the driver added visibility for off road maneuvers and compensate for the sloping roofline design with limited rear visibility.
The Evoque comes in twelve different body colours with three optional contrasting roof colors and five optional wheel choices though Land Rover offers a "designers choice" of predetermined combinations on most models. The Dynamic model incorporates more aggressive bodywork including a different front fascia
and lowered suspension.
, Ford Explorer
, and Volvo S60
. Small displacement high output engine choices were made to provide the Evoque adequate power while meeting increasing fuel economy requirements.
Despite half the cylinders and less than half the displacement
of the flagship Range Rover Sport
, the 2.0-litre tubro Evoque achieves similar performance figures including a 6.7 second 0-60 time and an higher .82 g
average lateral acceleration.
permanent Four-wheel drive
system though a two-wheel drive version is available in European markets. The Evoque also comes standard with Land Rover's latest version of Terrain Response, which maximises traction
in a variety of conditions by altering throttle response, power distribution, and suspension settings. The Terrain Response system also includes electronic stability control
, roll stability
control, traction control
, and an optional hill descent control
which automatically applies braking to control speed when moving off an incline.
A third generation MagneRide
suspension system is also available which works by magnetising iron particles inside the suspension fluid to quickly adapt Shock absorber
firmness to road changes.
and small engine make the Evoque less competitive compared to competing small SUVs like the BMW X3
and Audi Q5
. Still others view the Evoque as the softening of the Land Rover image including popular British car show Top Gear, though they were impressed with the Evoque's off road capabilities.
Motor Trend
contends the Evoque is the necessary evolution of the Land Rover brand to stay competitive in a more environmentally conscious marketplace.
The Evoque was awarded the 2011 Auto Express Car of the Year,
Best production car by Car Design News in 2010,
and the 2012 SUV of the Year by Motor Trend in 2011
Compact SUV
Compact SUV is a class of small sport utility vehicles with a length roughly between . This class should not be confused with mini SUV, which refers to smaller vehicles.- Background :...
from Land Rover
Land Rover
Land Rover is a British car manufacturer with its headquarters in Gaydon, Warwickshire, United Kingdom which specialises in four-wheel-drive vehicles. It is owned by the Indian company Tata Motors, forming part of their Jaguar Land Rover group...
which went into production in July 2011. The Evoque is designed to appeal to urban buyers and meet increased CO2
Carbon dioxide
Carbon dioxide is a naturally occurring chemical compound composed of two oxygen atoms covalently bonded to a single carbon atom...
emissions and fuel economy
Fuel economy
Fuel economy may refer to:*Fuel economy in automobiles, refers to the fuel efficiency relationship between distance traveled by an automobile and the amount of fuel consumed*Fuel efficiency in general...
requirements. A concept
Concept car
A concept vehicle or show vehicle is a car made to showcase new styling and or new technology. They are often shown at motor shows to gauge customer reaction to new and radical designs which may or may not have a chance of being produced....
model known as the Land Rover LRX was unveiled at the North American International Auto Show
North American International Auto Show
The North American International Auto Show is an annual auto show held in Detroit, Michigan at Cobo Center, usually in January. It is among the largest auto shows in North America.-History:...
in January 2008 with the aesthetics of the Evoque production model changing very little from the LRX concept. The Evoque has been received positively by the automotive press for retaining the upscale features and off road capabilities of the Range Rover
Range Rover
The Range Rover is a large luxury four-wheel drive sport utility vehicle produced by British car maker Land Rover. The model, launched in 1970, is now in its third generation...
brand in a smaller more city friendly package.
LRX concept vehicle
The Evoque was developed from the LRX concept vehicle with the goal of producing a smaller more environmentally conscious vechicle. The size of the LRX complemented a wide array of efficiency improving technologies in the form of Land Rover’s e_Terrain technologies. These included biofuel compatibility, lightweight construction materials and technologies such as the removable carbon composite roof panels, regenerative brakeRegenerative brake
A regenerative brake is an energy recovery mechanism which slows a vehicle or object down by converting its kinetic energy into another form, which can be either used immediately or stored until needed...
s, a stop-start system, and the ERAD (electric rear axle drive) parallel hybrid powertrain
Hybrid vehicle drivetrain
Hybrid vehicles are vehicles with two or more power sources in the drivetrain. There are many different types of hybrid vehicles, although only the gasoline-electric hybrid is currently commercially available....
system.
The ERAD system could propel the LRX to speeds of up to 20 mi/h before the engine was started by an integrated starter generator as part of the stop-start system. ERAD was designed to reduce emissions by an average of 20 percent under the NEDC
New European Driving Cycle
The New European Driving Cycle is a driving cycle consisting of four repeated ECE-15 driving cycles and an Extra-Urban driving cycle . The NEDC is supposed to represent the typical usage of a car in Europe, and is used, among other things, to assess the emission levels of car engines...
test cycle and was expected to offer another 10 percent reduction in extra-urban driving situations while also optimising the off-road ability of the vehicle. Land Rover aimed to achieve 120 g/km emissions and fuel economy of 60 mpgimp on the European combined cycle with an efficient 2.2-litre turbodiesel
Turbodiesel
Turbodiesel refers to any diesel engine with a turbocharger. Turbocharging is the norm rather than the exception in modern car and truck diesel engines...
engine. The engine would become the only four-cylinder vehicle in the Range Rover lineup.
The latest incarnation of Land Rover’s acclaimed Terrain Response system was also included offering sport and eco modes in addition to the existing grass, gravel, snow, and sand modes. Typical Land Rover design traits aim at improving off-road performance included a prominent driving position, hill descent control
Hill Descent Control system
Four-wheel-drive and All Wheel Drive vehicles such as the Australian made Ford Territory may have a Hill Descent Control system installed, using the ABS braking to control the car's motion downhill, initially developed by Bosch for Land Rover...
, and useful approach and departure angles
Angle of incidence
Angle of incidence is a measure of deviation of something from "straight on", for example:* in the approach of a ray to a surface, or* the angle at which the wing or horizontal tail of an airplane is installed on the fuselage, measured relative to the axis of the fuselage.-Optics:In geometric...
. A Land Rover first was an air intake system integrated into the roof which offered exceptional wading capabilities though this feature did not make it to the production model. Land Rover's Range Rover styling was visually apparent in the form of the clamshell bonnet, the ‘floating’ roof, dual-pocket headlamps, and raked roof line.
Interior design improvements were another main focus of the LRX concept though the interior of the production Evoque changed significantly from the concept LRX. Notable interior features in the LRX included ambient interior lighting that changed according to Terrain Response settings, and vehicle data which was presented to the driver through a ‘floating’ three-dimensional LCD
Liquid crystal display
A liquid crystal display is a flat panel display, electronic visual display, or video display that uses the light modulating properties of liquid crystals . LCs do not emit light directly....
display. An aluminium centre console with an iPhone
IPhone
The iPhone is a line of Internet and multimedia-enabled smartphones marketed by Apple Inc. The first iPhone was unveiled by Steve Jobs, then CEO of Apple, on January 9, 2007, and released on June 29, 2007...
docking station stretched the length of the cabin, separating the four seats and the tailgate. Seats with open frameworks were used to give the impression of an airy interior while also creating useful under-seat and under-floor stowage areas. Electric motors folded the rear seats forward providing enough room for two mountain bikes to be fitted upright, with front wheels removed and stored in dedicated slots in the floor.
Production model
On 11 March 2009, the UK government announced a £27 million grant to Land Rover to produce an all-new model, subject to the conditions that the LRX would be manufactured at its HalewoodHalewood Body & Assembly
Halewood Body & Assembly is a Jaguar Land Rover production facility based in Halewood, Merseyside, England.Halewood was originally opened by the Ford Motor Company on 2 October 1963 to build the then small-saloon sized Ford Anglia...
, Liverpool
Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
facility. Phil Popham, Managing Director of Land Rover, announced the production of the Evoque by stating:
Production of the Evoque started on 4 July 2011, at the Jaguar Land Rover Halewood plant
Halewood Body & Assembly
Halewood Body & Assembly is a Jaguar Land Rover production facility based in Halewood, Merseyside, England.Halewood was originally opened by the Ford Motor Company on 2 October 1963 to build the then small-saloon sized Ford Anglia...
, with the first customer deliveries expected to be made in September. The British Motor Industry Heritage trust will be given the first vehicle off the line to add to their collection, held at the Heritage Motor Centre
Heritage Motor Centre
The Heritage Motor Centre is a British motor museum and research centre, located adjacent to the Jaguar Land Rover Gaydon Centre near Gaydon in Warwickshire, England. The centre is open to the public, and houses a collection of important vehicles, celebrating Britain's motoring heritage...
in Gaydon. The production model Evoque retained nearly identical bodywork from the LRX prototype including the cabin length the panoramic sun roof. However no hybrid power train is initially being offered though a version of the terrain response system is included.
Overview
The Evoque departs from the classic body on frame design used by the majority of vehicles designed for off road useOff-road vehicle
An off-road vehicle is considered to be any type of vehicle which is capable of driving on and off paved or gravel surface. It is generally characterized by having large tires with deep, open treads, a flexible suspension, or even caterpillar tracks...
. Instead the Evoque features a more modern unibody construction technique for improved handling and ride quality, and to appeal to buyers who drive primarily on road. Despite a lack of traditional body on frame construction and dedicated transfer case
Transfer case
A transfer case is a part of a four-wheel-drive system found in four-wheel-drive and all-wheel-drive vehicles. The transfer case is connected to the transmission and also to the front and rear axles by means of drive shafts...
, the Evoque is still capable of class leading off road performance with 8.4 inches (213.4 mm) of ground clearance, 25 degree approach/33 degree departure angles, and the ability to ford up to 19.7 inches (500.4 mm) of water.
Fuel economy has been stated as being 19 miles per US gallon (8.1 km/L) in the city and 28 miles per US gallon (11.9 km/L) highway for the 2-litre petrol version.
Models
The car was launched as two distinct models: the five-door Evoque and the three-door Evoque Coupé. Each model is available in three trim levels - Pure, Prestige and Dynamic. Land Rover markets the Pure as the minimalist version rather than the "base model" while the Prestige adds luxury options and the Dynamic focuses more on performance. Land Rover estimates 80% of North American sales will be for the five-door model.Interior
The cabin is intended to be upscale and luxurious in line with the rest of the Range Rover brand. The Evoque comes standard with a cabin length sun roof and a touch screen entertainment system that can display two different images simultaneously to both the driver and front passenger. There are 12 interior colour choices available in a variety of wood and metal trims as well as three optional contrasting roof treatments.Land Rover employed singer Victoria Beckham
Victoria Beckham
Victoria Caroline Beckham is an English singer-songwriter, dancer, model, actress, fashion designer and businesswoman. In the late 1990s, Beckham rose to fame with the all-female pop group Spice Girls and was dubbed Posh Spice by the July 1996 issue of the British pop music magazine Top of the Pops...
as a design consultant for the interior and will release a "Victoria Beckham" special edition of the Evoque.
Body
Engineers used advanced weight saving techniques to bring the total kerb weightCurb weight
Curb weight or kerb weight is the total weight of a vehicle with standard equipment, all necessary operating consumables , a full tank of fuel, while not loaded with either passengers or cargo.This definition may differ from definitions used by governmental regulatory agencies or other...
down to under 1670 kg (3,681.7 lb) making it the lightest Land Rover ever built. The use of aluminium for the bonnet
Hood (vehicle)
The hood or bonnet is the hinged cover over the engine of motor vehicles that allows access to the engine compartment for maintenance and repair. In British terminology, hood refers to a fabric cover over the passenger compartment of the car...
and the roof, and composite plastics for the one-piece tailgate helped produce a vehicle weighing 220 lb (100 kg) less than the Freelander
Land Rover Freelander
The Land Rover Freelander is a compact crossover SUV made by Land Rover.The current generation is sold as the LR2 in North America and as the Freelander 2 in Europe...
. The Evoque can be equipped with five exterior cameras to give the driver added visibility for off road maneuvers and compensate for the sloping roofline design with limited rear visibility.
The Evoque comes in twelve different body colours with three optional contrasting roof colors and five optional wheel choices though Land Rover offers a "designers choice" of predetermined combinations on most models. The Dynamic model incorporates more aggressive bodywork including a different front fascia
Fascia (car)
Confusingly, fascia is used for several different things in the automotive world. Many of these meanings are related to the appearance of the car....
and lowered suspension.
Engines
Three engine options are available for the Evoque: a 2.2-litre turbodiesel producing either 148 bhp or 187 bhp currently available only in European markets, and a 2-litre 237 bhp turbocharged petrol engine. The two litre turbo charged engine is sourced from the Ford Ecoboost also being used in the Ford EdgeFord Edge
The Ford Edge is a mid-size crossover SUV manufactured by Ford, based on the Ford CD3 platform shared with previous generation Mazda6 and marketed in rebadged form as the Lincoln MKX...
, Ford Explorer
Ford Explorer
The Ford Explorer is a sport-utility vehicle sold in North America and built by the Ford Motor Company since 1990, as a replacement for the smaller but related Ford Bronco II. It is manufactured in Chicago, Illinois...
, and Volvo S60
Volvo S60
The Volvo S60 is a compact executive sedan produced by the Swedish automaker Volvo from 2000. Two generations of the sedan have been produced to date.-First generation :...
. Small displacement high output engine choices were made to provide the Evoque adequate power while meeting increasing fuel economy requirements.
Despite half the cylinders and less than half the displacement
Engine displacement
Engine displacement is the volume swept by all the pistons inside the cylinders of an internal combustion engine in a single movement from top dead centre to bottom dead centre . It is commonly specified in cubic centimeters , litres , or cubic inches...
of the flagship Range Rover Sport
Range Rover Sport
The Range Rover Sport is a luxury-type sport utility vehicle produced by the Jaguar Land Rover business unit of India's Tata Motors.-Chassis:...
, the 2.0-litre tubro Evoque achieves similar performance figures including a 6.7 second 0-60 time and an higher .82 g
GeForce
GeForce is a brand of graphics processing units designed by Nvidia. , there have been eleven iterations of the design. The first GeForce products were discrete GPUs designed for use on add-on graphics boards, intended for the high-margin PC gaming market...
average lateral acceleration.
All terrain systems
The Evoque is primarily configured with a generation IV HaldexHaldex (company)
Haldex AB , also known as Haldex Group, is a Swedish public company operating in the commercial vehicle industry...
permanent Four-wheel drive
Four-wheel drive
Four-wheel drive, 4WD, or 4×4 is a four-wheeled vehicle with a drivetrain that allows all four wheels to receive torque from the engine simultaneously...
system though a two-wheel drive version is available in European markets. The Evoque also comes standard with Land Rover's latest version of Terrain Response, which maximises traction
Traction (engineering)
Traction refers to the maximum frictional force that can be produced between surfaces without slipping.The units of traction are those of force, or if expressed as a coefficient of traction a ratio.-Traction:...
in a variety of conditions by altering throttle response, power distribution, and suspension settings. The Terrain Response system also includes electronic stability control
Electronic stability control
Electronic stability control is a computerized technology that may potentially improve the safety of a vehicle's stability by detecting and minimizing skids. When ESC detects loss of steering control, it automatically applies the brakes to help "steer" the vehicle where the driver intends to go...
, roll stability
Rollover
A rollover is a type of vehicle accident in which a vehicle tips over onto its side or roof. The most common cause of a rollover is traveling too fast while turning.- Dynamics :Vehicles can roll over in several ways...
control, traction control
Traction control
A traction control system , also known as anti-slip regulation , is typically a secondary function of the anti-lock braking system on production motor vehicles, designed to prevent loss of traction of driven road wheels...
, and an optional hill descent control
Hill Descent Control system
Four-wheel-drive and All Wheel Drive vehicles such as the Australian made Ford Territory may have a Hill Descent Control system installed, using the ABS braking to control the car's motion downhill, initially developed by Bosch for Land Rover...
which automatically applies braking to control speed when moving off an incline.
A third generation MagneRide
MagneRide
MagneRide is an automotive suspension system owned by Beijing World Industries Group that utilizes magnetically controlled dampers, or shock absorbers, for a highly adaptive ride. As opposed to traditional suspension systems, MagneRide has no mechanical valves or small moving parts that can wear out...
suspension system is also available which works by magnetising iron particles inside the suspension fluid to quickly adapt Shock absorber
Shock absorber
A shock absorber is a mechanical device designed to smooth out or damp shock impulse, and dissipate kinetic energy. It is a type of dashpot.-Nomenclature:...
firmness to road changes.
Reception
Since its launch the Evoque has received acclaim from the automotive press including several best of awards. However, critics feel the high suggested retail priceSuggested retail price
The manufacturer's suggested retail price , list price or recommended retail price of a product is the price which the manufacturer recommends that the retailer sell the product. The intention was to help to standardise prices among locations...
and small engine make the Evoque less competitive compared to competing small SUVs like the BMW X3
BMW X3
The BMW X3 is a compact crossover SUV marketed by the German automaker BMW, based on the BMW 3-Series automobile platform, and now in its second generation. BMW designed the X3 in conjunction with Magna Steyr of Graz, Austria — who manufactured all X3s under contract to BMW for the first...
and Audi Q5
Audi Q5
The Audi Q5 is a compact crossover SUV which was released by German automaker Audi for the 2009 model year. It is built using the new Audi MLP platform which debuted in the 2007 Audi A5 coupé. The Q5 is the second Audi model in the "Q" range, after the full-size Q7...
. Still others view the Evoque as the softening of the Land Rover image including popular British car show Top Gear, though they were impressed with the Evoque's off road capabilities.
Motor Trend
Motor Trend
Motor Trend is an American automobile magazine. It first appeared in September 1949, issued by Petersen Publishing Company in Los Angeles, and bearing the tag line "The Magazine for a Motoring World". Petersen Publishing was sold to British publisher EMAP in 1998, who sold the former Petersen...
contends the Evoque is the necessary evolution of the Land Rover brand to stay competitive in a more environmentally conscious marketplace.
The Evoque was awarded the 2011 Auto Express Car of the Year,
Best production car by Car Design News in 2010,
and the 2012 SUV of the Year by Motor Trend in 2011
External links
- Range Rover Evoque microsite
- Range Rover Evoque at global Land Rover site
- Land Rover LRX Concept website