Range Rover Evoque Cabriolet to Join Line-Up in 2016

Land Rover will launch the Range Rover Evoque Cabriolet in spring 2016, adding a convertible to its best-selling compact SUV range. The Evoque Cabriolet will feature a fully retractable fabric roof, seating for four and a claimed boot capacity of 251 litres, aiming to combine open-air driving with genuine off-road ability.

Convertible design and roof operation

The Evoque Cabriolet uses a lightweight fabric roof that preserves the model’s distinctive silhouette whether up or down. The roof folds in a Z-pattern, stowing flush with the rear bodywork in 18 seconds and closing in 21 seconds. Both operations can be performed at speeds up to 48 km/h. Land Rover says the roof is the longest and widest currently available on any production car, and its compact stowage allows for a boot that is large by convertible standards.

The folding mechanism is powered by four electric motors and the roof weighs 68 kg. The fabric is lined with thermal and acoustic insulation to maintain comfort and reduce road noise. The rear seats are slightly shorter than the coupé’s to accommodate the roof, but the car retains four-seat practicality.

Chassis, safety and off-road ability

The Cabriolet’s body has been reinforced to retain the structural rigidity of the standard Evoque. For rollover protection, two aluminium bars are hidden behind the rear seats and deploy within 90 milliseconds if the car detects a risk of overturning. Standard safety equipment includes front, side and knee airbags, stability and traction control, ABS, hill start assist and hill descent control.

All-wheel drive and the full suite of Land Rover’s off-road systems are standard. Terrain Response, Wade Sensing and a nine-speed automatic gearbox are carried over from the fixed-roof Evoque, ensuring the Cabriolet matches its siblings for all-terrain capability.