• Land Rover officially confirms New Range Rover Evoque Convertible at 2015 Geneva Motor Show
• Premium compact SUV convertible is the first vehicle to have driven Crossrail tunnels below London
• First prototype demonstrates Land Rover capability in underground surroundings
• Watch the video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s_Dx2rR2iRc

Whitley, UK, 02 March 2015 - Land Rover has confirmed the world's first premium compact SUV convertible will go on sale in 2016 by releasing a unique underground testing film.

Forty metres below the streets of London, UK, the first prototype of Land Rover's new Range Rover Evoque Convertible was granted exclusive access to the 26-mile (42km) network of Crossrail tunnels for a development test with a difference. Engineers were allowed the opportunity to drive the disguised Evoque Convertible with its roof lowered in complete privacy.

The short film begins with the highly-capable convertible being lowered into the tunnel network by crane, before negotiating a range of obstacles through the 6.2 metre diameter tunnel.

Murray Dietsch, Director of Land Rover Programmes said: "The tunnels are still under construction, so we had a unique opportunity to explore the vehicle's all-terrain ability in unchartered territory."

The Range Rover Evoque is no stranger to subterranean adventure. At its launch in 2011 the five-door variant was driven through Edge Hill Tunnel in Liverpool, the first tunnel in the world to be bored beneath a major city.

Land Rover will announce further details about its exclusive new premium compact SUV Convertible later this year. It will be built alongside the five door and coupe Evoque at Land Rover's Halewood plant in the UK and will be on sale in 2016.

Editors' Notes

Video embed Code: https://www.youtube.com/embed/s_Dx2rR2iRc

Since 1948 Land Rover has been manufacturing authentic 4x4s that represent true 'breadth of capability' across the model range. Defender, Discovery, Discovery Sport, Range Rover Sport, Range Rover and Range Rover Evoque each define the world's 4x4 sectors, with 80% of this model range exported to over 170 countries.

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Crossrail

• Crossrail will connect the City, Canary Wharf, the West End and Heathrow Airport to commuter areas east and west of the capital.

• Groundworks on the Crossrail project began in 2009 and it is currently the biggest and most expensive construction project in Europe, creating 26 miles (42km) of new tunnels.

• 4.5 million tonnes of excavated material from the tunnels will be shipped to Wallasea Island in Essex to create a new 1,500-acre RSPB nature reserve.

The Government's Regional Growth Fund

The Range Rover Evoque Convertible is supported by the UK Government's Regional Growth Fund (RGF). The Government's RGF has invested nearly +é-ú3 billion to help businesses in England to grow; so far generating over 100,000 jobs. 56 new awards in Round 6 and seven through exceptional RGF support - announced on 12 February 2015, gives +é-ú297 million to 63 projects and programmes to create and safeguard thousands more jobs and unlock an additional +é-ú1.5 billion private sector investment.