Unique Market Opportunities, Part 1: How the Evoque Convertible Makes Sense

Over the past several years, one of the hottest segments genres has been the 4 door-coupe, generally bringing the styling of a coupe with the two row comfort expected of a sedan. First introduced with the Mercedes CLS, then further advanced with the A7, this segment now even includes mainstream vehicles, such as the previous gen Hyundai Sonata with its long curved roof and short deck. The design philosophy is now an established part of the major market and automakers have been quick to adopt it to the next most popular segment, the SUV.

BMW brought the X6 into the market which convinced Mercedes to follow up with the GLE Coupe. Even the smaller SUV’s are getting the design treatment, demonstrated by the X4, the GLA, and the Range Rover Evoque, with each representing a slightly different interpretation of the SUV Coupe design.

Land Rover has decided to push even further into the unchartered territory of the SUV coupe theme, by not only offering the Evoque as a 2-door, but as a 2-door convertible as well. This is where people will probably  point to the Nissan Murano CrossCabriolet which is vehicle generally regarded as someone’s April fool’s joke taken seriously. In many ways, the Murano never stood a chance in the market. It proved that, no matter the segment, the vehicle’s success depends on how well its brand aligns with the target customer expectations of the brand.  Since its introduction, the brand image of the Evoque has been carefully managed to be more than just a vehicle with eye catching styling, it become a fashion statement. This puts the the Evoque Convertible in a great position to be a sales and brand success.

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