Range Rover Evoke

What and where is the L486?

Land Rover has various designations for their different models, not sure if they’re technically code names or just alternate ways to reference the vehicles.

Here are a few of the current models:

L316 – Defender

L319 – LR3 & LR4 – Discovery 3/4

L320 – Range Rover Sport

L322 – Range Rover – Current model(2002 - today), below is a picture used in some technical documents, I don’t have a picture like this for the other models.

L359 – LR2 – Freelander 2

L538 – Range Rover Evoque

L405 – Possible code for the next Range Rover

And back to the point of the post, the L486, it’s been referenced in the press since 2008 or so and has been described by them as a 7-seater Freelander, possibly to be called the Ventura.  I take anything from the press with a grain of salt, but since 2008, it hasn’t really been brought up again. 

http://www.autoblog.com/2008/06/24/land-rover-developing-new-7-seater/

http://www.autoweek.com/article/20080624/free/957481398

I wrote about it back in April after finding some of the designers who worked on the project.

And just thought with the LA Auto show going on and Land Rover PR running at full steam, anyone who has a chance should start asking the LR PR people for comments for reactions.  Or if you have any info, send it over.

Quick reference back to my article from April, here’s the info, a small reference to the L486 along with the L538, which would become the Range Rover Evoque:

http://www.people4business.com/seller-269321.htm

This person has done a lot of work for Aston Martin & Bentley – they list the specific items.  The latest project is listed below:

WARWICKSHIRE (Oct 2007 & ongoing)

CAD ENGINEER – EXTERIOR TRIM – CATIA V5
LANDROVER L538 / L486
Initial design and feasibility studies for the following components: door claddings, rear spoiler, rear finisher, front and rear bumper cover, fender vents. Parametric modeling in Catia V5 to create fully modifiable master CAD models. Use of TCE to save and access data and create product structures. Liaison with styling, CAE and suppliers to mature designs.

Could the L486 be the 5-door Evoque?

And if you have some more current generation code names, please let me know.

One final item, you can see the alternate names in use all over the Land Rover website, below is a header graphic for the Range Rover Sport section, you can see the L320 in its filename:

LRNA_RRS_COMPARE_L320_10_EXT_LOC06-900×200.jpg

2012 Range Rover Evoque–Finally some real information, here we go…

So with about 8 more days to go until the official Paris reveal, Land Rover has lifted the embargo and given us all more specific info on the new Range Rover Evoque then all the previous Evoque news releases combined.

The exterior we’ve seen in various forms for a while now, it’s the new interior pictures that really give us an idea of what this vehicle will be.  There’s A LOT of Jaguar XJ in there from the steering wheel to the controls on the doors and window controls.  And the main 8” display also looks different from current Land Rover designs.  It did get the rotary shift knob, which I guess works with the Ford-made 6-speed that I believe is also used in the LR2 – I guess technology could be adapted to a non-Diesel “Range Rovers” after all?

The actual press release has a huge amount of info that I really want to comment on, so I think I’ll break it up into different posts – there will be Range Rover Evoque overload throughout the next few days.

Like I said prior, I think we’re seeing cues of what we’re going to see in the next real Range Rover.  And this does again keep the actual Range Rover in it’s perpetual game of catch-up to all other vehicles with the actual latest technology.

Here’s the full press release for download, it’s the North American version, I’ll take a look at the UK version as well.

Is the Range Rover Evoque, the 2010 production version of the Range Stormer?

Land Rover did their first-ever concept to preview a new production model back in 2004 with the Range Stormer.  It was our first intro into what would become the first addition to the Range Rover line – the Range Rover Sport.  The Sport was done when they showed the concept for the first time.  So it was more like they took a soon to be released vehicle and created a concept from it.  That’s all old news though, what I wanted to say today was something that caught me off-guard.  We’ve seen the Stormer since 2004 and the final 2-door Evoque was revealed back in June.  The Stormer always seemed to me as a blurry vision of the Sport, what I mean by that is, squint while looking at the Stormer from a distance and it’s a Sport.  However, if you really look at it today, it’s an Evoque with 2004-era Land Rover styling.  And I’m sure the 2-door version is biasing my opinion, but look at how many cues are there.  And I do of course realize they should have similar cues if they’re all basically “Range Rovers.

Look as those wheel arches that intersect the hood line.  Roof line looks closer to Evoque then Sport.  Hood louvers.

Big spoiler & Angular Exhaust – And they both seem to have glass roofs.

And I’ll close with a no longer valid & somewhat now sad quote from the 2004 Range Stormer Press Release:

Like all Land Rovers, the four-wheel drive is engaged permanently…

It’s the “Like all” part that really shows its age.

Range Rover Evoque prototypes go undercover

From the Land Rover UK Flickr account – the worldly camouflaged Evoques:

Range Rover Evoque – Close ups

There aren’t too many pictures out there of the new Range Rover Evoque.  And there aren’t any pictures of the interior.  I zoomed and cropped some of the pictures they’ve given us.

Headlight assembly – those fog lights seem like a lot of bling, but the whole effect looks good.

Here are a couple of the hood vents, I assume they say Range Rover.

And finally a couple shots of the interior, not sure if those seats will see final production.

We can see both the car they revealed and the one used in the official press shot are Left Hand Drive with those red sport seats.

Range Rover Evoque Website? helloevoque.com

UPDATE: IT”S LIVE NOW

As seen on the Interactive Land Rover site, it looks like there will be a domain devoted to the new Range Rover Evoque – just doesn’t seem to be working yet.  Although it does have a cool “R” favicon.

It was registered on May 22 through godaddy and looks to still be hosted there, it was registered by an individual with a residential address in the UK.  I wonder what other Land Rover domains are hiding out there?

And Google did index it at some point in the last couple hours, but it’s not cached:

The URL returned is full of Urchin Analytics variables:

http://www.helloevoque.com/?utm_source=Google&utm_medium=SEM&
utm_term=range_rover_Evoque&utm_campaign=Evoque_Consideration

Range Rover Evoque – Press Videos

Phil Popham, Managing Director, Land Rover

Gerry McGovern, Design Director, Land Rover

All-New Range Rover Evoque (beauty shots)

Range Rover Evoque – L538

The production version of the LRX Concept will be known as the:

Range Rover Evoque

All-new Range Rover EVOQUE makes guest appearance at 40 year celebration of the Brand

• First image of all-new compact Range Rover released
• Officially named Range Rover Evoque
• 1,000 new jobs created at award winning manufacturing plant Halewood, Liverpool
• Global car to be sold in over 160 countries
• Design stays true to LRX concept car
• Smallest, lightest, most fuel efficient Range Rover ever
• Available in both 4WD and 2WD and sub 130g of CO₂
• Official public debut at Paris Motor Show: 30 September
• On sale summer 2011 in UK
• On sale in North America Fall 2011
• Third Range Rover model to compete in fuel-efficient 4WD Luxury Compact SUV segment in North America

The Orangery, Kensington Palace, London 1st July 2010 – The first official picture of the all-new compact Range Rover is released today, following an exclusive preview in London for guests attending a 40^th birthday celebration of Range Rover held in partnership with VOGUE magazine*.

Named the Range Rover Evoque, this all-new coupé will join the Range Rover and Range Rover Sport line-up in the summer of 2011. It will be the smallest, lightest and most fuel efficient Range Rover ever produced. Customers have a choice of both a 4WD and a 2WD version, with a sub 130g/km CO₂ demonstrating the Range Rover brand’s commitment to environmental sustainability.

Phil Popham, managing director of Land Rover said: "Today is a very special occasion for Range Rover, not only are we celebrating 40 years of the brand, we are also demonstrating our exciting future by showing the all-new Range Rover Evoque. Range Rover is one of the most highly regarded and iconic vehicles in the history of motoring and has been a continuing success since we first introduced it in 1970. The all-new Range Rover Evoque, is an important step for the future continued success and growth of the brand. Customers can be confident that the new car will be premium, luxurious and just as special as the other Range Rover models. Its sporting looks and unique qualities will open the brand to a new group of customers who may not have considered a Range Rover product before.

"The all-new Range Rover Evoque will be built at our multi-award winning plant in Halewood, creating 1,000 new jobs in the Merseyside area, a fantastic boost to the UK economy. The Halewood plant has a reputation for excellence and quality and is recognised throughout the industry as a leader in Lean Manufacturing.

"The all-new Range Rover Evoque is a true global car and will be sold in over 160 countries. It was important to give the car a name that was instantly recognisable through language and cultural boundaries throughout the world. We wanted to create a new name which was innovative and different. A name which implies exclusivity and arouses emotions. Evoque is cosmopolitan and cross-continental, sophisticated and matches the car’s urban elegance," he added.

Gerry McGovern, Land Rover design director said: "The Range Rover is an iconic design that has stood the test of time and it’s not difficult to see why. Like the current version, the original Range Rover is such a simple and memorable shape that is easily recognisable.

"The all-new Range Rover Evoque marks a bold evolution of Range Rover design, providing customers with a desirable, premium and compact car like SUV. In 2008 we introduced the LRX concept car: after a positive reception worldwide, the natural step for the business was to turn the LRX concept car into reality. Tonight we wanted to show the world that we have stayed true to our word and delivered a car that completely represents the spirit of the LRX concept.

"The all-new Range Rover Evoque will resonate with customers on an emotional level. Its unique silhouette accentuated by the distinctive falling roof and dramatic rising waistline creates a modern and relevant execution of the familiar Range Rover design language. This car makes a powerful statement of the Range Rover’s brand intent to appeal to a wider audience," he added.

The all-new Range Rover Evoque will make its global public debut at the Paris Motor Show at the end of September and will go on sale from next summer.

Chris Marchand, Executive Vice President of Land Rover North America, said," The new Range Rover Evoque has a very clear mandate in North America to give luxury SUV customers another choice to enjoy Range Rover style, luxury and all terrain traction, but with a more compact, fuel efficient footprint. This is an incredibly important expansion of the Range Rover brand in this market."

…Ends

*Range Rover’s partnership with VOGUE magazine for this celebration links back to 1981 when the first factory-produced limited edition Range Rover ‘In-Vogue’ was used by VOGUE magazine for a fashion shoot in Biarritz, France. This special edition led to Range Rover adopting the ‘Vogue’ nameplate in 1983 which is still a specification choice on the car today – the Range Rover Vogue.