The model鈥檚 2.0 litre TSI engine has 290 PS at 5,500 to 6,500 rpm and 380 Nm from 2,000 to 5,400 rpm. The unit is paired with a seven-speed, wet dual-clutch DSG transmission, and power is applied to all four wheels via the automaker鈥檚 4Motion all-wheel drive system. Performance figures include a 0-100 km/h time of 5.1 seconds and an electronically-limited 250 km/h top speed. Inside, the car features Vienna R leather interior upholstery, an R sports steering wheel with paddle shifters, brushed stainless steel pedals and illuminated scuff plates. It also features a 9.2-inch touchscreen Discover Pro infotainment system with a gesture control function. Aside from an eight-speaker audio system, there鈥檚 a 10 GB jukebox on top of the usual connectivity features, which includes App-Connect, which offers smartphone screen mirroring functionality via Apple CarPlay, Android Auto or MirrorLink. Other items include park distance control and a rear-view camera. The R comes with front/rear fog lamps, driver profile selection, cruise control and automatic headlights/wipers and keyless access lock/start, among other things.Safety-wise, the car is equipped with seven airbags, ESC and a Proactive Occupant Protection System. Three colours are available for the Golf R, Lapiz Blue, Pure White and Deep Black.
The Evoque鈥檚 MHEV system uses a belt-integrated starter generator to cut the engine off completely below 11mph when the car is coming to a halt, and to help it get moving again from rest. It鈥檚 said to deliver between 20Nm and 30Nm of torque in most scenarios (although it can supply up to 100Nm), and as well as improving efficiency, saving up to 8g/km in CO2 emissions, it helps to reduce turbo lag. As we head into the hills near Welshpool, a couple of things are almost immediately evident. Firstly, there is a considerable step up in cabin quality, with our HSE鈥檚 Kvadrat wool-blend upholstery matched by acres of double-stitched, padded material across the dashboard and in the door liners. The twin-screen infotainment and car control system will be a quantum leap for Evoque owners, too, with a crisper resolution than before and quicker responses, not to mention added functionality and the likes of Android Auto and Apple CarPlay.
The second thing that springs to mind is how quiet it is. When we suggest that even from the passenger seat, this already feels more like a true baby Range Rover than the old Evoque ever did, Cross smiles knowingly. 鈥淭hat was one of our real goals,鈥?he reveals. 鈥淚t鈥檚 getting harder and harder to drive quickly, and it鈥檚 becoming less and less socially acceptable anyway. So what we think customers wanted with this car was more luxury, more comfort, more connectivity. We worked as hard on wind-noise isolation as we did on powertrain refinement.鈥?That鈥檚 an oblique reference to the Audi Q5, which insiders suggest was the main benchmark, ahead of the BMW X3 and Porsche Macan. Cross explains our car has continuously variable dampers - an option across the range, unless you go for the largest 21-inch rims, at which point they become compulsory. But even so, there鈥檚 compliance over rippled and broken surfaces.
We鈥檇 probably settle for the look of 19-inch wheels in return for a teeny bit more tolerance over big potholes, but image-focused Evoque buyers will be gifted more comfort on the larger alloys than they鈥檝e experienced previously. The roads get quieter as we head into the wilds of Wales and Cross begins to show off the Evoque鈥檚 capability when the speeds rise. This car has Active Driveline - a similar system to that offered on the Jaguar E-Pace and Ford Focus RS, which uses a rear-mounted double-clutch to offer torque vectoring on the rear axle, helping turn-in. But with Cross at the wheel, and even on sinuous Welsh B-roads, there鈥檚 no drama; progress is rapid, but serene. And that鈥檚 the same in Dynamic mode, which delivers added punch in throttle responses, pushing more torque towards the rear and tightening up body control. But it never comes close to making Cross look like he鈥檚 hustling along a hot hatch. Would it be fair, we ask, to say an E-Pace would be dancing around a bit more along the same route? 鈥淧robably a little,鈥?Cross replies. It鈥檚 genuinely hard to feel the mild-hybrid tech doing its work from the passenger seat, and Cross says it鈥檚 not much more evident from behind the wheel. Even so, this is far from the cleanest new Evoque. You鈥檒l need a diesel example (鈥淭ry the mid-spec one; it鈥檚 plenty quick enough,鈥?Cross suggests) if you want to dip under 150g/km of CO2 emissions. Market forces and possibly legislation will determine if Land Rover鈥檚 engineers have succeeded in making the Evoque more environmentally acceptable, while retaining off-road capability that is authentic, even if it鈥檚 rarely used. But on the basis of this short exposure to the Mk2 Evoque, this already feels like a car that delivers where it counts.
One of only 1023 produced Carreras for the European market. These cars are not to be confused with the US spec Carreras of 74 & 75, as they carry the iconic RS motor (type 911-83) of the 73 Carrera RS from the factory. These cars are very rare and come to market rarely, especially in the US. Weighing in at 1075kg (2365lbs) the performance envelope is just like that of an RS Touring model. This particular car was sold new to Italy and is fully numbers matching. It comes with a Porsche Certificate of Authenticity issued in Italy. It was sold from Italy to Great Britain in 2007 and eventually found its way to a collector here in the Midwest. The car was recently taken to bare metal and re-sprayed to its authentic grand prix white. The wheels, undercarriage, brakes and engine are fully sorted and detailed and in wonderful shape. While not freshly rebuilt, the engine is in tip top condition with excellent leak down and compression numbers and no oil leaks.
