AFTER teasing buyers with a near blacked-out image of its new Evoque, Range Rover has taken the wraps off the facelifted version of its most successful ever vehicle.

The company has chosen to carry out its reveal now rather than wait until the Geneva Motor Show next week – which could suggest that Jaguar Land Rover has something else planned for its display at what is, a crucial event on the European automotive calendar.

Range Rover set new standards in the small, luxury off-road segment when it launched the Evoque back in 2011 and four years is the normal lifecycle of a first generation vehicle these days.

A first glance there is little change in the overall design, suggesting JLR has opted for a few style tweaks rather than a full re-model. But then the Evoque still cuts one of the most stylish silhouettes on the road and the company has quite sensibly opted not to go to extremes.

Not that changes haven’t been carried out.

Updates include a new front bumper, two new grille designs, all-LED headlamps and three new alloy wheel designs.  JLR has confidently said these will enhance the Evoque’s unique design to a broad range of customers.

Two new grille designs are available in a range of premium finishes. The standard grille is distinguished by two bold horizontal bars and a new fine-mesh grille pattern. Dynamic derivatives feature a hexagonal design, and its more prominent mesh area lends a suitably performance-oriented character to these sporting derivatives.

The 2016 model year Evoque is also the first Jaguar Land Rover vehicle to be offered with full-LED adaptive headlamps, providing superior visibility at night. Enhancing safety and creating a more striking visual statement, the indicator function is now integrated into the car’s distinctive LED daytime-running lights (DRLs), sweeping across the full width of the light clusters. This energy efficient technology helps to reduce the demands placed on the car’s electrical systems.

The distinctive bonnet vents previously fitted only to coupé models are introduced on five-door HSE Dynamic and Autobiography specification, bringing the sporting character of a coupé to the most versatile derivative. A new tailgate spoiler integrates a wider, slimmer high-level LED rear brake light and optional eye-catching new roof fins feature an integrated 3G antenna, for improved mobile phone signal.

Interior changes include new seats and door casings, new infotainment system, accessed via an eight-inch touchscreen, and the introduction of new colour and materials such as Lunar Ice, Vintage Tan and Dark Cherry (Autobiography only) complementing Evoque’s bold architectural forms.

New seats and door casings combined with a redesigned instrument binnacle are intended to promote a sophisticated ambiance to the overall interior.

Standard models feature Taurus grained leather and powered eight-way adjustment while flagship models feature new unique-in-class front massage seats (optional) with 14-way electric adjustment.

The car also sees the debut of Land Rover’s new UK-manufactured diesel engine. The new EU6-compliant four-cylinder Ingenium unit, made at the firm’s new £500m engine plant near Wolverhampton, is said to bring a class-leading combination of performance, refinement and efficiency.

The engine, which will also power Jaguar’s new XE, provides up to 180PS, fuel economy of up to 68mpg (4.2l/100km) and CO2 emissions as low as 109g/km.

The combination makes the new Evoque the most efficient Land Rover ever produced.

The 2016 model year Evoque is also offered with Land Rover’s existing advanced 240PS Si4 petrol engine. Si4 derivatives can accelerate from 0-100km/h (0-62mph) in just 7.6 seconds and achieve a top speed of 217km/h (135mph), with a fuel economy of 36mpg (7.8 l/100km) and CO2 emissions of 181g/km.

The new Evoque will also be the first Land Rover vehicle to be designated as an ‘E-Capability’ variant. The most efficient models will wear a blue ‘Evoque’ badge, applied to the eD4 109g/km (coupe) and 113g/km (five-door) front-wheel drive derivatives.

The range of improvements engineered into the 2016 model include a series of new convenience features, with an all-new eight-inch InControlTM Touch touchscreen infotainment system providing a more intuitive experience.

InControl Touch, fitted as standard equipment on SE Evoque models, features easy-to-navigate menus and allows users to swipe between screens just like a smartphone. InControl apps allow owners to access many popular smartphone apps using the centrally-mounted touchscreen on the central console.

Additionally, the six-speaker stereo system can be upgraded to include SD-card based satellite navigation, with DAB radio featuring as standard across the range.

Gerry McGovern, Land Rover Design Director and Chief Creative Officer said: “The Range Rover Evoque first established and then dominated the luxury compact SUV sector generating worldwide acclaim and sales success. Our challenge has been to evolve the Evoque design without diluting its distinctive character.”

Jeremy Hicks, Jaguar Land Rover UK Managing Director said: “The Evoque has proven to be an enormous success in the UK with sales of 62,000 since its launch back in 2011. Clever design, class leading residuals and competitive cost of ownership have all been contributors to its success.

“The 2016 model year Evoque builds on this achievement with a new engine line up delivering outstanding CO2 emissions down to 109g/km and for the first time; an all-wheel drive version under 130g/km. This combined with intelligent and relevant technology will ensure that the Range Rover Evoque is an attractive proposition to both private and fleet & business customers.”

Fabulous new Skoda lives up to the billing

The Skoda Fabia has been named What Car? Car of the Year for 2015; TheBusinessDesk.com’s deputy editor in the North West, Nick Jackson took one for a drive to see if it lived up to expectations.

I REMEMBER the days when Skoda cars were driven by die-hard eccentrics hell-bent on buying the cheapest cars available regardless of reputation.

But the time when Skoda was the butt of humour among snobby petrol heads is now a bygone era.

We can thank the Czech car-maker’s alliance with VW largely for this and the new Skoda Fabia, which I had the privilege of driving round some of my favourites East Lancashire haunts at the weekend, is testament to the company’s transformation.

My drive through countryside proved be a highly enjoyable experience thanks to the Fabia’s 1.2 litre lively 110PS engine.

The external appearance of this vehicle is wonderfully quirky – looking tastefully Eastern Europan – and I can understand why it has been given the prestigious accolade of What Car magazine’s 2015 car of the year.

The company’s relationship to VW is unmistakable with Fabia  gobbling up the corners around Clitheroe with the ease – dare I say it – like the acclaimed Golf.
I was transporting four adults in the small hatch and the performance stood the test of the extra weight on board.

The interior refinement of the Fabia, helped by an upmarket touchscreen system which unfortunately lacked a satnav option, is reasonable impressive and for a 6ft 2ins driver like me extremely comfortable.

Once again it has that VW gift of making the driver feel like he/she is in a bigger car.

Other engine specs the Fabia include a lesser powered entry-level engine is a 1.0-litre petrol with 60PS, plus there is a 75PS version of the same engine along with a 1.2-litre with 90PS or 110PS – the one I had. The diesel options are both 1.4-litre, with either 90PS or 105PS.

As you would expect with ever-practical Skoda, the boot is a decent size at 330 litres – significantly ahead of rivals like the Ford Fiesta and Vauxhall Corsa. Despite this fact, there’s space in the back for two adults to sit in reasonable comfort.

If I was in the market for this type of hatch, the Fabia would be serious contender for my hard-earned money – you can’t say fairer than that.

Heady mix provides Aston Martin’s most potent combination to date

ASTON Martin, always keen to give its buyers the sensation of driving on a race track, has taken the concept a stage further with the launch of one of its most potent and uncompromising models to date: the track-inspired Vantage GT3 special edition.

With production strictly limited to just 100 examples, the new model is said to be the summation of Aston Martin’s years of sports car production experience.

Equipped with a new version of the brand’s 6.0-litre V12 engine (which is capable of generating up to 600 PS), the car weighs in at 100kg less than a standard V12 Vantage S.

Comprehensively re-engineered, as well as significantly restyled, the GT3-inspired special edition is lower and wider than any of its Vantage siblings. A broader track – front and rear – delivers improved cornering due to a reduction in lateral load transfer.

The enhanced grip offered by the Michelin Pilot Super Sport tyres is intended to provide even more assured handling.

Thoroughly equipped with cutting edge motorsport-inspired features, from the extensive use of carbon fibre inside and out to the track-focused aerodynamics pack – which includes a prominent rear wing and pronounced front splitter – the race-derived new Vantage is said to bring a more focused and uncompromising capability to a road-going Aston Martin.

The aerodynamics package produces significant downforce to provide even greater levels of grip and stability at higher speeds.

Inspired by Aston Martin Racing’s successful campaigns, this new GT3-derived Vantage has been designed and engineered exclusively at the company’s Warwickshire headquarters.

According to the company, the car is intended to be the most overt expression of everything that defines the Vantage – described by Aston as “an inspirational sports model offering supreme driveability on the road, and uncompromising dynamic performance on track”.

Features include carbon fibre front wings, carbon fibre bonnet, a lithium ion race-derived battery, carbon-fibre door casings, optional carbon fibre roof, optional weight-saving polycarbonate rear window and rear quarter windows. The measures have resulted in a car that weighs just 1,565 kg.

Under the skin lie a number of bespoke engineering upgrades, aside from the new 600 PS V12 engine. Magnesium inlet manifolds with revised geometry, a lightweight magnesium torque tube and a full titanium exhaust system with centre outlets are just a few of the features that underline the re-engineering of the car.

The car’s interior has been comprehensively reworked, too, with a full carbon fibre centre stack and touch-sensitive control array; race-derived carbon fibre sports seats; Alcantara trim and the option of numerous bespoke features courtesy of the brand’s in-house tweaking service: Q by Aston Martin.

Aston Martin CEO Dr Andy Palmer said: “Motorsport is in our blood at Aston Martin. The Vantage is the car we campaign in top level sports car racing around the world and so it seems only fitting that we offer an exclusive, limited edition Vantage that expertly fuses our motorsport know-how with our road car prowess.”

Hardly needs saying after that – drive safely!