As I floated serenely through the landscape at the wheel of the refined new 2024 model Range Rover Evoque, I was reminded of the brilliant vehicles our British car manufacturer JLR produces.
Cocooned in my own luxurious living room on wheels, I reflected on how I have followed this groundbreaking Range Rover throughout its life.
Now I was updating the story with this year’s upgrade, although I was aware of some more pressing issues – mainly the theft of its vehicles, insurance concerns and parts supply, all of which JLR is struggling with.
The Best of British: The 2024 Evoque plug-in hybrid is a refined and fun ride
Riding on 20-inch wheels, I drove the P300e plug-in hybrid version in Autobiography trim, which combines an economical 3-cylinder 1.5-liter turbocharged gasoline engine with an electric motor to develop 308 hp, taking it from a standstill to 100 km/h can accelerate. 6.1 seconds to a maximum speed of 210 km/h.
A huge panoramic tinted glass sunroof gives a feeling of airy space, while the high-end Meridian hi-fi costs a £630 upgrade.
It’s an engaging drive, although removing buttons for an uncluttered, minimalist dashboard might be going too far.
The main drive settings are comfort, grass and gravel, mud/ruts, sand and auto. There’s also slope descent control, wade detection and intelligent all-wheel drive.
Once fully charged, a promised electric range of up to 60 kilometers is ideal for short and virtually silent zero-emission commutes, shopping trips and social or sporting events. And there’s still the safety and comfort of the petrol-electric hybrid setup with a 56.5 liter fuel tank.
Provided you keep it charged and drive sensibly, consumption can reach 190mpg, with total CO2 emissions of just 33g/km, although I suspect few would achieve that.
The main drive settings are comfort, grass and gravel, mud/ruts, sand and auto
Provided you keep it charged and drive sensibly, consumption is up to 190mpg
A promised electric range of up to 60 km is ideal for short and virtually silent zero-emission commutes, shopping trips and social or sporting events
With the vehicle seen as a target for criminal gangs, JLR has improved security on all new models
The range starts at £40,080, but the £63,565 version I drove included £3,125 worth of extras, including a £520 tracker theft alert subscription as an option.
With the vehicle seen as a target for criminal gangs, JLR has upgraded security on all new models and updated previous models, as well as launching its own insurance option for buyers.
Funky two-wheeled BMW
At the BMW car launch this week I was pleasantly distracted by this fun and funky electric two-wheeled projector – ideal for beating traffic jams or anti-car regimes on trips into the city.
The BMW CE 02 is a battery-powered e-scooter/e-motorcycle. The 4kW (5hp) version, which costs from £7,450, feels incredibly robust but is light, has a top speed of 28mph and a range of 28 miles, and can be ridden in the UK by anyone with a standard car driver’s license.
Fun and funky: the electric projector on two wheels is ideal for beating traffic jams or anti-car regimes during trips to the city
The more powerful 11 kW (15 hp) version, from £8,450, has a top speed of 95 km/h and a range of 90 km, but requires a motorcycle licence.
There are three driving modes: ‘Flow’ for city driving; ‘Surf’ for more acceleration and effortless cruising and ‘Flash’ for a sportier experience.
Suitable for driving as a couple, including a reversing assistant and LED headlights.