Louise Roe was on hand this morning at the Jag/Landie booth, continuing the LA trend of hiring fashion professionals to flog cars. When did models become the vision of all things automotive? Especially when you’re showing something as unabashedly alluring as CX-75 turbine-electric concept car. Why invite the awkward comparisons? Anyway, as supercar concepts come, the CX-75 is about as cool as they come. Not only can it claim to be a “Jet-Hybrid,” it looks like it could seduce an F-16 too. Drool.
On the Landie side, the Evoque poked its head out to confirm that both three and five door versions will be both available in the USA. For those that have never seen the Evoque up close, it is deceptively short. Compared with Land Rovers of the past, this is truly Mini Countryman competition. And if the production models can match the interior quality of these pre-production models, Land Rover might just be on to something. The Evoque’s interior is truly worthy of the Range Rover name with stitched dashes and excellent switch gear. Whether the EcoBoost (but don’t call it that) four-cylinder and Volvo-platform underpinnings are up to the task is another question.
This car wants to be the successor to the legendary XJ-13 / 220, but the face doesn’t work. The front intake protrudes too much, and the headlights are too beady.
Close, but not a winner.
Would it be rude to ask if Land Rover is ever going to offer a modern replacement for the Defender?
Instead of putting this futuristic car together, why not stuff a diesel/hybrid system in it and start selling her?
Deja vu another Merc C111.