Evoque Convertible

[WJNB]

Oscarmac said:

Still had prototype vehicle under front number plate.

The dreadful colour & the proximity to the globes finest dining establishment encapsulates in one image nearly all that's vulgar about such a vehicle. All that's missing from the picture is a WAG or a rusty non-taxed/MOT'd/insured Transit pickup complete with towbar & loaded with some spare tarmacadam.

[anonymous-user]

Saw the Evoque Convertible at the end of last week.

To be fair it was designed by Victoria Beckham so what do people expect.

[Chris944]

Saw orange one at Penmon in Anglesey last week. Seemed quite odd and a wacky idea, A convertible SUV ... hmmm ... why not. It's fun, distinctive and a bit marmitey - you'll love it or hate it. Not a vehicle for me but I can see the idea spreading Care to bet on a convertible Macan coming along? Cayenne too maybe..

[anonymous-user]

ELUSIVEJIM said:

Saw the Evoque Convertible at the end of last week.

To be fair it was designed by Victoria Beckham so what do people expect.

No it wasn't

[schmalex]

Don't forget; the very first Land Rover was a convertible...

I saw a white one at CarFest this weekend and it wasn't for me. Especially in 2WD guise.

[Hungrymc]

v8250 said:

It is a bad thing. If this is the best the JLR engineering design team can come up with then it's a bloody sad day for British engineering. JLR have been continuously heading down this track for some five years now. It's no longer about designing and building best in class vehicles, it's about producing marketing bullst that results in hair dresser type cars...over blinged, over priced and over here. I'm waiting for age and the second hand market to catch up with JLR and for their over complex components to start keeling over, and it will happen. When I think of JLR I think of the ridiculous Castrol oil cartridge project that was promoted last year as the new thing in automotive oil...it's rubbish unecessary hyped up marketing...who on earth needs an encrypted oil cartridge for oil changes?

Who said it was the best they could do? It's a small volume niche vehicle targeted at a small market. It's a very minor part of their range.

It's incredible how many people don't have a clue about the importance of making cars that the market will buy. It's business, not a hobby or some titilation for engineers. Best in class? it's just that the 'class' and the most important attributes have moved on and no longer line up with your tastes and wants. As it happens, the Evoque convertible doesn't do it for me either.... But that's because it wasn't intended to appeal to me. In the same way a Ford KA wasn't.

The criticism you are levelling at JLR is no different to what you could say about any other OEM.... S-line 2.0D? M sport 2.0D ? .... It's because it's a business and they have to sell cars.

[B.J.W]

schmalex said:

Don't forget; the very first Land Rover was a convertible...

I saw a white one at CarFest this weekend and it wasn't for me. Especially in 2WD guise.

They don't sell a 2WD version.....

And to all the haters, I wouldn't worry about it to much - they are not exactly flying out of the dealerships

[TwigtheWonderkid]

Hungrymc said:

It's incredible how many people don't have a clue about the importance of making cars that the market will buy. It's business, not a hobby or some titilation for engineers.

Absolutely right. JLR will sell as many of these as they can make. That is slightly more important that a whole bunch of PH high horsed wkers and their mindless mockery.

As it happens, I like it. Especially the orange and black combo. In a few years time when they hit the 2nd hand market, I may well get one. But luckily for me, as a 53 y/o male, I'm well beyond caring what people think of me. Like the JLR bean counters, I couldn't give a toss.

[schmalex]

B.J.W said:

schmalex said:

Don't forget; the very first Land Rover was a convertible...

I saw a white one at CarFest this weekend and it wasn't for me. Especially in 2WD guise.

They don't sell a 2WD version.....

And to all the haters, I wouldn't worry about it to much - they are not exactly flying out of the dealerships

I stand corrected

[Bristol spark]

I actually quite like it with the roof down.

Looks hideous with the roof up though, maybe a metal folding roof would have been better?

[PGNSagaris]

Love it. Completely unnecessary. Trying to convince my wife into one

[Dan_1981]

B.J.W said:

schmalex said:

Don't forget; the very first Land Rover was a convertible...

I saw a white one at CarFest this weekend and it wasn't for me. Especially in 2WD guise.

They don't sell a 2WD version.....

And to all the haters, I wouldn't worry about it to much - they are not exactly flying out of the dealerships

Who says they're not selling well?

I've not seen any public figures?

[Hungrymc]

Bristol spark said:

I actually quite like it with the roof down.

Looks hideous with the roof up though, maybe a metal folding roof would have been better?

I think metal roofs are harder to package and inevitably less flexible in terms of the design that can be produced (anything with a larger folding metal roof tends to be horrendous).

Looks to me like they really prioritized a flat deck with the roof down and tried to stay as close to the original roof line as possible roof up (will have been further away with folding metal).

But I agree with your view, looks good for a convertible SUV with the roof down and quite awkward with it up.

[B.J.W]

Dan_1981 said:

B.J.W said:

schmalex said:

Don't forget; the very first Land Rover was a convertible...

I saw a white one at CarFest this weekend and it wasn't for me. Especially in 2WD guise.

They don't sell a 2WD version.....

And to all the haters, I wouldn't worry about it to much - they are not exactly flying out of the dealerships

Who says they're not selling well?

I've not seen any public figures?

We've had one go out before September 1st, there are 3 ordered between now and December (so far).

[Clem Fandango]

Almost posted a thread last week when I saw one drive into TESCO car park.
It was a really nice sunny evening and the metallic orange sparkled like a 70s dune buggy at Count's Kustoms, it immediately caught my eye and just about everybody else too.
The couple left it with the roof down next to the trolley coral so I gingerly crept by it to have a look inside.
First thought was, I wouldn't leave that there if it was mine, second thought was, especially not with the roof down. Next thought was I couldn't work out whether it was the most hideously pointless niche marketing ever, the world's largest pram or something genuinely different and pretty cool.
The wheels seemed massive, the body squashed flat, the interior looked really appealing, and there was just an amazing sense of newness whilst looking at the visible suspension parts and shiny chunky tyres.
I still couldn't decide when I walked out of TESCO and watched the couple reverse out of their space, checking out the stares, and drive off to the traffic lights and off into the dusk.
The guy next to me watched them too and remarked "what a complete pair of tools, they probably think everybody is jealous, but that car is absolutely awful. He's probably a Land Rover salesman posing with the receptionist."

I made up my mind straight away.
I really like it !

[Lester H]

Clem Fandango said:

Almost posted a thread last week when I saw one drive into TESCO car park.
It was a really nice sunny evening and the metallic orange sparkled like a 70s dune buggy at Count's Kustoms, it immediately caught my eye and just about everybody else too.
The couple left it with the roof down next to the trolley coral so I gingerly crept by it to have a look inside.
First thought was, I wouldn't leave that there if it was mine, second thought was, especially not with the roof down. Next thought was I couldn't work out whether it was the most hideously pointless niche marketing ever, the world's largest pram or something genuinely different and pretty cool.
The wheels seemed massive, the body squashed flat, the interior looked really appealing, and there was just an amazing sense of newness whilst looking at the visible suspension parts and shiny chunky tyres.
I still couldn't decide when I walked out of TESCO and watched the couple reverse out of their space, checking out the stares, and drive off to the traffic lights and off into the dusk.
The guy next to me watched them too and remarked "what a complete pair of tools, they probably think everybody is jealous, but that car is absolutely awful. He's probably a Land Rover salesman posing with the receptionist."

I made up my mind straight away.
I really like it !

Nice bit of humour.. didn't see it coming. niche marketing equals profit.

[seany87]

v8250 said:

It is a bad thing. If this is the best the JLR engineering design team can come up with then it's a bloody sad day for British engineering. JLR have been continuously heading down this track for some five years now. It's no longer about designing and building best in class vehicles, it's about producing marketing bullst that results in hair dresser type cars...over blinged, over priced and over here. I'm waiting for age and the second hand market to catch up with JLR and for their over complex components to start keeling over, and it will happen. When I think of JLR I think of the ridiculous Castrol oil cartridge project that was promoted last year as the new thing in automotive oil...it's rubbish unecessary hyped up marketing...who on earth needs an encrypted oil cartridge for oil changes?

I agree, lets go back to 1997!!! and lets have us make the Discovery 1, proper mans car built to be best in class (with Austin Allegro door handles and Metro switchgear and a laughable propensity to rust)
I suppose if you really HAVE to debase yourself and pander to the masses you could do no better than a Freelander 1...

fking laughable

I work with a lad who has been with the Land Rover Brand since 1997, he said whenever a customer came in to the showroom they were pounced on by about 8 different salesmen all vying for a sale, why you ask? Because the cars they sold were utter st. Nowadays you have to make appointments in some dealers to be seen. Where in this scenario would you rather be as a brand?? As a customer?

Yes you can slag off the Evoques and Disco Sport type cars all you want, but when 1/3 of all LR's sold today are Evoques (500,000 in 5 years) and 1/4 of all LR's sold today are Disco Sports, maybe stop and be thankful for them as they are the cash cow that allows Land Rover to build cars that you may actually like in the future.

[Dan_1981]

B.J.W said:

Dan_1981 said:

B.J.W said:

schmalex said:

Don't forget; the very first Land Rover was a convertible...

I saw a white one at CarFest this weekend and it wasn't for me. Especially in 2WD guise.

They don't sell a 2WD version.....

And to all the haters, I wouldn't worry about it to much - they are not exactly flying out of the dealerships

Who says they're not selling well?

I've not seen any public figures?

We've had one go out before September 1st, there are 3 ordered between now and December (so far).

3 or 4 month wait list tho isn't it?

[threespires]

Lester H said:

Clem Fandango said:

Almost posted a thread last week when I saw one drive into TESCO car park.
It was a really nice sunny evening and the metallic orange sparkled like a 70s dune buggy at Count's Kustoms, it immediately caught my eye and just about everybody else too.
The couple left it with the roof down next to the trolley coral so I gingerly crept by it to have a look inside.
First thought was, I wouldn't leave that there if it was mine, second thought was, especially not with the roof down. Next thought was I couldn't work out whether it was the most hideously pointless niche marketing ever, the world's largest pram or something genuinely different and pretty cool.
The wheels seemed massive, the body squashed flat, the interior looked really appealing, and there was just an amazing sense of newness whilst looking at the visible suspension parts and shiny chunky tyres.
I still couldn't decide when I walked out of TESCO and watched the couple reverse out of their space, checking out the stares, and drive off to the traffic lights and off into the dusk.
The guy next to me watched them too and remarked "what a complete pair of tools, they probably think everybody is jealous, but that car is absolutely awful. He's probably a Land Rover salesman posing with the receptionist."

I made up my mind straight away.
I really like it !

Nice bit of humour.. didn't see it coming. niche marketing equals profit.

I agree! Excellent ☺☺☺

[Ozzie Osmond]

seany87 said:

be thankful for them as they are the cash cow that allows Land Rover to build cars that you may actually like in the future.

Is there a new Land Rover sportscar in the pipeline that I've missed?

Sounds hugely optimistic to me. They'll IMO keep on churning out lumbering lumps of Gucci'd-up SUVs until the cows come home. If any of that lot do another sportscar it'll be Jaguar, which seems doubtful with F-type a slow seller.