5-door Range Rover Evoque to debut at Los Angeles Auto Show

The king of custom car shows, SEMA, in Las Vegas, has only just closed its doors on another glittering year when along comes a car, or premium compact SUV, that would look distinctly at home in the vast halls full of super-stylish modified cars. The Range Rover Evoque 5-door.

Instead, the (Beckham) family-oriented 5-door Evoque will appear at the Los Angeles Auto Show as of next week, and what with this being a 'normal' motorshow for 'normal' cars, it looks like the smallest, lightest, most fuel-efficient Range Rover ever will be making the biggest splash, at the expense of the other, mere mortal metalwork.

Word is that Range Rover dealers are measuring up for new swimming pools what with orders for the new Evoque all but flooding in, in spite of deliveries not even starting to roll onto driveways until the summer of 2011. So, it seems that Range Rover have hit the niche-nail right on the head with the Evoque's stunning, and smaller, original styling, all wrapped up in that pleasant Range Rover packaging, and this time delivered at less monetary and environmental expense.

For the first time ever you'll be able to buy a front-wheel-drive Range Rover, and best informed guesses will probably find most Evoques battling in-town traffic rather than mud baths up mountains. But, if you are partial to a bit of mud slinging, the little Range can indeed deliver off the beaten track with full-time four-wheel-drive, clever electronics and high-clearance suspension - all the usual hard-earned Range Rover brand trademarks, thankfully.

The frugal, 5-door front-driver delivers a predicted but, to be confirmed, class-leading CO2 figure of 135g/km with the 150bhp, 2.2-litre turbodiesel engine up front, and not much in the way of mountains ahead. This new range of "state-of-the-art" diesel (and petrol) engines are equipped with direct injection, stop-start and Electric Power-Assisted Steering (EPAS), all helping in the battle against CO2.

In the battle against the blight of SUVs; body-roll, Range Rover have employed some top-end, but optional, technology that's been seen to work with good effect on much more expensive cars like the Audi R8; called MagneRide.

Basically, these special dampers are filled with magnetorheological fluid which is controlled by a magnetic field, usually using an electromagnet. This allows the damping characteristics of the shock absorber to be continuously controlled by varying the power of the electromagnet, in reaction to changes in the driving surface, relayed through sensors. Clever stuff that could have found its perfect application keeping that long-travel suspension in check until it's needed.

"The 5-Door Range Rover Evoque has the same sporting character as the coupe," said Murray Dietsch, Director of Land Rover Programmes. "We have focused on ensuring that the car is agile and fun to drive, so that customers have a rewarding experience, even in day-to-day urban driving. Advanced technologies such as MagneRide mean we can ensure that this dynamic prowess does not come at the cost of top-quality refinement or comfort." All this technology will, says Range Rover, add up to an "exceptional balance between a supple, controlled ride and sharper handling responses."

For those lucky enough to be enjoying this magic carpet ride, there should be some comfy interior treats inside the Evoque, as long as the owner has ticked the right boxes, you can expect: "soft, premium leather and beautifully tailored, twin-needle stitching providing a luxurious finish to almost every surface of the instrument panel, doors and seats."

But the 5-door variant isn't just about the two extra rear doors; Range Rover engineers have built-in more space: 30mm taller than the coupe, but no wider or longer. This extra height pays-back as 50mm more shoulder room for the rear passengers, and greater headroom for all passengers can be found if the full-size glass panoramic roof is specified.

Luggage wise, the baby Rover can swallow 1445 litres at full capacity, and there are the usual practicalities to be found in the back such as seat belts and head restraints for three passengers and 60/40 folding seat squabs equipped with ISOFIX child seat mounts. All-important connectivity options up front include Bluetooth hands-free mobile phone and audio streaming, plus a range of USB and auxiliary inputs for portable devices

Parked side-by-side, you'd probably be hard pushed to notice the taller 5-door tweaks and apparently the Evoque was originally conceived as a 5-door, which makes a lot of sense.

Land Rover Design Director, Gerry McGovern, explains the subtle body differences:
"The key lines remain intact - the dramatic rising beltline, muscular shoulder running the length of the car, and the distinctive taper to the floating roofline - but with a slightly higher rear roof."

Well, if the pictures really do the car justice, the show-goers in Los Angeles will be in for a treat, be they coupe fans or fashionable families. Let's see if they can spot the difference.

So here is the 2-door Range Rover Evoque - pretty, isn't it?

And here is the 5-door Range Rover Evoque - still pretty, isn't it?

Engine options:
2.2-litre turbodiesel making 150bhp or 190bhp.

2.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine with direct fuel injection and twin variable valve timing, making 240bhp.

Three trim levels:
The 5-Door Range Rover Evoque follows the coupe model by offering customers the choice of three main vehicle design themes, each with its own character, exterior treatment and co-ordinated interior package:

'Pure' combines the concept-car exterior with a clean interior in neutral colours. Soft-touch wrapped materials on the major surfaces contrast with the metal brushed aluminium trim.

'Prestige' is the ultimate in Range Rover luxury, combining a bespoke exterior that includes unique, 19-inch wheels and metallic details with an interior that is almost entirely leather-wrapped.

'Dynamic' brings a bolder exterior with 20-inch wheels and unique bumpers, sills, grille and tailpipes for a more assertive stance. Contrasting roof and spoiler colours are available, while the premium sports interior offers sports seats with bright contrast colours.

Other options include:
Park Assist for automated parallel parking.
Blind Spot Monitoring system.
Surround Camera System with five digital cameras, including a reversing system.
Full dual-zone automatic climate control, featuring a Park Heater timer facility.
Hard drive navigation system.
DAB/FM/AM/Sirius tuners, with hard drive virtual 10xCD multiplayer.
Digital and Satellite TV, and DVD playback.
Rear seat entertainment package, with 8-inch video screens, digital wireless
headphones and touch screen remote control.
Keyless entry system and powered tailgate.
Adaptive headlamps with Automatic High Beam Assist.
Heated windscreen, front seats and steering wheel.

Both coupe and 5-Door models of the Range Rover Evoque will be manufactured at Land Rover's multi award-winning Halewood plant in Merseyside, UK. Prices will start from £30,000.