There really is no getting away from it - SUVs in all their forms are more popular than ever. Small ones, large ones, convertible ones and performance ones; if it's SUV in style, the buying public want it. That's including Sports Utility Vehicles in a coupe style...
When you make an F-Pace into a Range Rover
With sustained demand for the BMW X6 and X4, plus the Mercedes GLE and GLC partners in coupe crime, Range Rover appears to be following suit with a Sport Coupe. Just remember: if people didn't want them, manufacturers wouldn't make them.
To this prototype then. Our spy photographers believe it's codenamed 'L560' and based on a Jaguar F-Pace, fitting into the Range Rover line up between the Evoque and the regular Sport. The F-Pace influence is most evident from the rear, with a more shallow rake to the rear screen than a normal Range Rover and more slender tail lights. It's far more recognisable as a Range Rover at the front, with cues from the current Sport and recently facelifted Evoque.
While a more road biased Range Rover to compete with German rivals is not the biggest surprise in the world, the trick will be in matching the dynamics of those cars with the Range Rover off-road ability. The Sport SVR has hinted at that possibility, but the Coupe should improve by using the lighter F-Pace architecture. Or could this car simply be less capable off-road than we've come to expect?
With the Range Rover Sport Coupe still at the heavily disguised prototype stage, it won't be seen at the - insert SUV stereotype here - for a little while yet. It's believed that the car will launch for the 2018 model year, suggesting a debut in the early part of 2017. Is this the car Range Rover should be making? Opinions, as always, are welcome. More details when possible!
Images: S. Baldauf/SB-Medien
