AC/DC Rocker, Sarasota Café Racer & Range Rover Autobiography owner, Brian Johnson checks out the sporty, sexy & chopped Evoque.
Range Rover is on a roll. Its bold foray into the world of premium compact/crossover SUVs with its LRX Concept-based Evoque has exceeded all expectations. The 2012 Evoque is cleaning house when it comes to winning awards and accolades from the media. It has already garnered more than 50 International awards, including: North American Truck of the Year, Best of the Best Truck (Autoweek), All-Star (Automobile), Sport/Utility of the Year (Motor Trend), Car of the Year (Top Gear) plus the prestigious R.L. Polk Loyalty Award.
Some of the many accolades coming from enthusiasts who have driven Evoques came from accomplished road racer (Lola T70 Spyder) and rock group AC/DC front man, Brian Johnson. We spent an afternoon with Brian, above, and an Evoque while he was back home from practicing for the upcoming (January 28-29) Rolex Daytona 24-hour enduro. He will be one of the pilots of the Highway To Help Daytona Prototype. It’s Brian’s first 24-hour race and he’ll be driving a Dinan-prepared BMW-Riley DP in the 50th anniversary running of the classic.
"It is bloody brilliant, goes anywhere and drives, handles, stops and is as functional as a sporty, luxury hatchback. It may be a Crossover or SUV, but I think it’s a super car," said rocker Johnson.
The subject of rumors for a decade, the Evoque is the production baby Range Rover that is lean, mean, and the most fuel efficient model ever to be exported to the U.S. It’s also green, in more ways than our Evoque’s optional ($950) Colima Green paint, delivering 18 City mpg and an impressive 28 Highway mpg. Weighing it at approximately 3,900 pounds it is 30 percent lighter and 17 inches shorter than the Range Rover Sport. It sips (premium) fuel at almost half the rate of the full size Range Rover’s V8.
Weighing in at approximately 3,900 pounds and powered by a small alloy 2.0-Liter (122 cubic inches) Turbo Four, the Evoque delivers impressive performance and fuel economy for a head-turning on-road vehicle with off-road cred. Nestled up front under a plastic/composite cover (to isolate engine noise and dress up the engine compartment), is a turbocharged DOHC direct-injected Four, above, with variable valve timing rated at 240 horsepower at 5,500 rpm and 250 pound-feet of torque coming in at 1,750 rpm. Depending upon your driving style, you can click off 0 to 60 mph sprints in the low-seven-second range.
“There’s little to no turbo lag and when boost comes on, it’s like a kick in the ass,” said our intrepid tester, right, as he was working the shift paddles!
While the Evoke has many of the qualities of a Crossover, it does not share that category’s typical use of compact car platforms. The Evoque boasts a strong lightweight steel monocoque body with extremely stiff, isolated front and rear sub-frames fitted with suspension components engineered for long travel and maximum durability/reliability. This makes the Evoque ideal for those owners who may occasionally choose to partake in off-road adventures. Its standard Terrain Response Technology adapts the responses of the vehicle’s engine, transmission, center coupling and braking stability systems to match the demands of the terrain. The results: optimal drivability and comfort as well as maximum traction.
“Even when I pushed the Evoque around corners at speed, body roll was hardly noticeable and grip was outstanding. Are you sure this is an SUV?” said Johnson.
The 2012 Range Rover Evoque is available in two-door coupe and five-door versions, with prices starting at $44,145. Identical in overall length and width; the five-door has a 1.18-inch higher roofline than the raked and radically styled Coupe. Every Evoque sold in the U.S. is equipped with all-wheel-drive (Haldex Gen IV) and a 240-horsepower, Turbo Four coupled to a six-speed automatic transmission with Sport shifting paddles. Our Colima Lime Coupe stickered at $58,520 thanks to an incredible array of luxury, styling and comfort and convenience options.
In addition to the Dynamic Premium Package that adds almost $8,000 to the MSRP, it also had 20-inch alloys, special paint and heated front seats, windshield, steering wheel and jets. The Evoque’s outstanding fixed Panorama Glass Roof with Power Blind that you might expect to be an extra-cost option is standard. It boasts more glass per-square-foot than Billy Joel’s glass house on Long Island, NY (as seen on the cover of his top-selling album, Glass Houses)!
“The Evoque’s roof line is killer, looks like a torch-wielding artisan chopped, channeled and shortened a Range Rover Sport,” said Johnson.
The 2012 Evoque captures the spirit of the iconic Range Rover brand, fuses bold contemporary styling, best-in-class craftsmanship, technology and multi-terrain technology. It is the benchmark of compact SUVs.
For Brian Johnson and AC/DC fans, check out Brian Johnson Racing, http://www.brianjohnsonracing.com/
For more information about the 2012 Range Rover Evoque, please visit, http://www.landrover.com/us/en/rr/range-rover-evoque