Range Rover convertible is a vehicle for all seasons

ONE of the wonders of modern Britain is somewhere deeply rooted in Ancient Britain, namely the Jurassic Coast, a World Heritage Site.

I was transported back to the Jurassic Coast this week along that beautiful Dorset/Devon coastline while contemplating the fate of a rather good car.

The Range Rover Evoque Convertible is, alas, no more, that is, it was sold until 2019, when an all-new MK2 Evoque model range arrived, but did not include a convertible variant.

Yet, I was quite taken with the Evoque Convertible, when, back in 2016, I wrote that this “car for all seasons” was stylish but “hardy and durable”.

After all, somewhere embedded in the Evoque’s DNA, are the crumbling bones of the original Land Rover, which came to life in 1948 as a workhorse off-roader.

I drove the Evoque Convertible off-road as well as on around the Jurassic Coast including a memorable moment when a fleet of test vehicles with journalists on board filled the Sandbanks Ferry at Studland.

The first generation Evoque was produced from July 2011 until 2018 in three and five-door versions, with both two-wheel and four-wheel drive. The second generation of the car went into production in 2018.

In 2023, those antecedents are still intact in a sophisticated new Range Rover Evoque described as a luxury, crossover and no doubt gearing up for the “electric” generation of new cars.

Indeed, the Evoque P300e plug-in hybrid model is a combination of a 1.5-litre 3-cylinder turbocharged Ingenium petrol engine and an electric motor on the rear axle.

The appeal of the Range Rover Evoque benefitted from the launch of the powerful Range Rover Evoque P300 HST.

The Evoque P300 HST features enhanced technology with the latest Pivi infotainment and takes inspiration from the larger Range Rover Sport HST.

With 11 exterior colour options, a sporty look is enhanced with the Black Pack, comprising Gloss Black Range Rover bonnet script, side vents, bonnet louvres, door mirror caps and exterior accents.

A standard Gloss Black Sliding Panoramic Roof and Privacy Glass, plus unique Gloss Black 20in alloy wheels with red brake calipers also set the new HST apart.

You can, of course, pick up “used” Evoque Convertibles: my favourite — and one I spied in my home town of Cirencester — has a personalised number plate that evokes (no pun intended) a fashionable Swiss ski resort.

I think the owner of that car was just the sort of person that the Evoque Convertible was aimed at — I recall that there was a means of stashing your skis in the boot through the middle of the rear seat.

I found a Range Rover Evoque Convertible on AutoTrader that was just about identical to the one I drove at the car’s launch. This one was a one-owner, 2016-registered model advertised for just under £20,000.

At launch, the car’s satnav was a bit special plotting a course visible to the driver on its 10in wide dashboard computer screen — which was the very heart of the machine. The digital mapping was so clear and precise it picked out every road and byway in the ancient land of the Jurassic Coast.

It may be as I read BMW said the other day that today “intelligent technology underpins a new driving experience” yet for me nothing beats the open-air driving experience afforded by the convertible.

Land Rover design chief Gerry McGovern at the time said: “It (the Evoque Convertible) is the first luxury SUV convertible. There have been other convertible SUVs, but not a luxury execution. We’ll take buyers from other luxury cars. Most Evoque customers came from premium brands, but had never owned an SUV before.” Well, maybe things didn’t quite work out for the Evoque Convertible. But however “niche” the car was I still retain a fondness for it simply because I shall always equate it with a magical trip to the Jurassic Coast.

The Jurassic Coast is a 95-mile long stretch of coastline in southern England, situated within the counties of Dorset and Devon. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site recognised for its outstanding rocks, fossils and landforms.

It is one of the most popular destinations in Britain, drawing millions of visitors from all over the world each year.

For more information visit www.jurassiccoast.org