New 285bhp Range Rover Autobiography Dynamic said to be one of the sportiest Evoques yet, as well as one of the most quirkily named.
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Members of the crankandpiston.com aluminaughty may remember just under two years ago, when we set a tuned BMW 118i and our then-long term Volkswagen Scirocco R up against a Range Rover Evoque. A compact-SUV going toe-to-toe with two definitive hot hatches? Either we’d been smoking something iffy or this was a big joke at Land Rover’s expense. Imagine our surprise then when we found that the Evoque not only matched its rivals in terms of performance but even managed to outdo them in some areas.
It was difficult not to recall that afternoon’s work on Jebel Hafeet when Range Rover released images of the new Evoque Autobiography Dynamic. The name itself would fit well on the side of a Chanel bottle, but there are one or two points of further interest (and fortunately Mrs David Beckham has been kept at bay with sharpened sticks on this project).
Power and performance to name just two things. The 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder remains intact in the Evoque, only now spitting out 285bhp and 295lb ft of torque, some 45bhp and 44lb ft up on its base model. And in an effort to offer improved handling alongside renewed grunt, the orange one comes with a stiffened chassis, upgraded suspension geometry, firmer spring rates and recalibrated adaptive dampers. There’s also a nine-speed ZF transmission for improved fuel efficiency, albeit recalibrated for sportier driving. Of course that doesn’t phase us. We’ve driven Volvo trucks on the Yas Marina Circuit…
Expect further updates on the Range Rover Evoque Autobiography Dynamic at the Geneva Motor Show, that is if you can peel your eyes away from sister brand Jaguar’s new F-Type Coupe.
– Shots courtesy of Land Rover
