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<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-31157" src="//www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/700x466-1.jpg" alt="" width="700" height="466" srcset="https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/700x466-1.jpg 700w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/700x466-1-200x133.jpg 200w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/700x466-1-421x280.jpg 421w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/700x466-1-120x80.jpg 120w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/700x466-1-500x333.jpg 500w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/700x466-1-400x266.jpg 400w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/700x466-1-600x399.jpg 600w" sizes="(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px" />
Mercedes-Benz, by and large, makes excellent cars. But for all their comfort and technical wizardry, modern Mercs are rather lacking in character. Technical perfection and inoffensive, mainstream styling leave the cars bereft of distinguishing characteristics for one to grow fond of.
One member of the Benz family that still has a bit of personality, though – the unapologetically upright, wilfully different G-Class off-roader. Designed in the 1970s as an off-road military vehicle, the G’s slab-sided exterior has changed little over the intervening decades, maintaining the look and feel of no-nonsense parade ground rectitude.
<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-30918" src="//www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/opti-Merc-Benz-G-Class-Img-3.jpg" alt="" width="700" height="466" srcset="https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/opti-Merc-Benz-G-Class-Img-3.jpg 700w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/opti-Merc-Benz-G-Class-Img-3-200x133.jpg 200w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/opti-Merc-Benz-G-Class-Img-3-421x280.jpg 421w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/opti-Merc-Benz-G-Class-Img-3-120x80.jpg 120w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/opti-Merc-Benz-G-Class-Img-3-500x333.jpg 500w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/opti-Merc-Benz-G-Class-Img-3-400x266.jpg 400w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/opti-Merc-Benz-G-Class-Img-3-600x399.jpg 600w" sizes="(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px" />
In a world full of casual SUVs pretending to be off-road vehicles, the G550 stands out like a drill sergeant at a yoga retreat. Designed with scarcely a rounded surface in sight, its retro shape is highly distinctive, leaving little chance of becoming lost in a crowded car park.
While almost all modern 4x4s would struggle with the least bit of off-road driving, the G-Class backs up its stern, outdoorsy appearance with military grade engineering fit for the wildest stretch of wilderness.
<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-30919" src="//www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/opti-Merc-Benz-G-Class-Img-4.jpg" alt="" width="700" height="466" srcset="https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/opti-Merc-Benz-G-Class-Img-4.jpg 700w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/opti-Merc-Benz-G-Class-Img-4-200x133.jpg 200w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/opti-Merc-Benz-G-Class-Img-4-421x280.jpg 421w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/opti-Merc-Benz-G-Class-Img-4-120x80.jpg 120w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/opti-Merc-Benz-G-Class-Img-4-500x333.jpg 500w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/opti-Merc-Benz-G-Class-Img-4-400x266.jpg 400w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/opti-Merc-Benz-G-Class-Img-4-600x399.jpg 600w" sizes="(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px" />
Beam axles in the front and rear, combined with 210mm ground clearance and permanent four-wheel drive, make the G550 just about the most capable off-road performer money can buy. Power is transmitted to the wheels via a seven-speed automatic gearbox with either high range for road driving or low range for dirty work. The car can even switch between gearbox modes without coming to a halt – simply engage neutral, let the speed drop below 15kph and select low range.
Unusually, even for hardcore off-road vehicles, the muddy Merc also has three locking differentials: centre, rear and front. These offer enthusiastic cross-country drivers all the tools they need to get into and out of especially unwelcoming terrain.
<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-30921" src="//www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/opti-Merc-Benz-G-Class-Img-6.jpg" alt="" width="700" height="466" srcset="https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/opti-Merc-Benz-G-Class-Img-6.jpg 700w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/opti-Merc-Benz-G-Class-Img-6-200x133.jpg 200w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/opti-Merc-Benz-G-Class-Img-6-421x280.jpg 421w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/opti-Merc-Benz-G-Class-Img-6-120x80.jpg 120w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/opti-Merc-Benz-G-Class-Img-6-500x333.jpg 500w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/opti-Merc-Benz-G-Class-Img-6-400x266.jpg 400w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/opti-Merc-Benz-G-Class-Img-6-600x399.jpg 600w" sizes="(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px" />
With short overhangs front and rear, the Merc can take on especially severe slopes without scraping its nose or tail. It can even keep occupants’ feet dry while fording water up to 60cm deep. It’s here – down in the mud – where the car’s personality really shines through, especially for those unaccustomed to driving dedicated off-roaders.
Mercedes concedes that only a tiny proportion of G-Class drivers will ever take the car off the smooth confines of paved roads, but driving on highways is no less exciting.
Indeed, the G550 is bursting with restless energy. The tall suspension that’s so supple on uneven surfaces has nothing to do on a nice, flat stretch of tarmac, so it gets busy rolling this way and that. The slightest cornering force induces body roll, making for an entertaining drive, even at low speeds.
<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-30920" src="//www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/opti-Merc-Benz-G-Class-Img-5.jpg" alt="" width="700" height="466" srcset="https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/opti-Merc-Benz-G-Class-Img-5.jpg 700w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/opti-Merc-Benz-G-Class-Img-5-200x133.jpg 200w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/opti-Merc-Benz-G-Class-Img-5-421x280.jpg 421w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/opti-Merc-Benz-G-Class-Img-5-120x80.jpg 120w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/opti-Merc-Benz-G-Class-Img-5-500x333.jpg 500w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/opti-Merc-Benz-G-Class-Img-5-400x266.jpg 400w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/opti-Merc-Benz-G-Class-Img-5-600x399.jpg 600w" sizes="(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px" />
The steering adds to this sense of vitality. The G’s recirculating ball steering system is built to insulate the driver from the shocks and knocks encountered while rolling through a forest. On a smooth surface, that forgiving steering results in zero feedback from tyres to fingertips.
With 4.0 litres, two turbo chargers and 310kW, the G550 accelerates respectably well for such a large car. The sprint to 100kph takes around six seconds, but there’s little point in driving the G fast on the road. The body roll is too pronounced, and the steering too vague.
While mechanical fundamentals may preclude a relaxing experience on the road, there are some techno-goodies to help make life with the G easier. Bi-xenon headlights help one see what’s up ahead, and blind spot cameras reveal perils approaching from the rear.
Fuel consumption is predictably high. At well over two tonnes, that’s a lot of mass to move – not to mention three differentials constantly sapping power before it reaches the road, all of which is wrapped in a body shell with the aero-efficiency of a brick.
Although austerely old-fashioned on the outside, the G’s interior is modern and luxurious. Mercedes-Benz’s Comand info-tainment system – accessed through a 200mm touchscreen – comes as standard, as does a Harman Kardon sound system, 40GB hard drive and smartphone connectivity.
<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-30917" src="//www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/opti-Merc-Benz-G-Class-Img-2.jpg" alt="" width="700" height="466" srcset="https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/opti-Merc-Benz-G-Class-Img-2.jpg 700w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/opti-Merc-Benz-G-Class-Img-2-200x133.jpg 200w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/opti-Merc-Benz-G-Class-Img-2-421x280.jpg 421w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/opti-Merc-Benz-G-Class-Img-2-120x80.jpg 120w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/opti-Merc-Benz-G-Class-Img-2-500x333.jpg 500w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/opti-Merc-Benz-G-Class-Img-2-400x266.jpg 400w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/opti-Merc-Benz-G-Class-Img-2-600x399.jpg 600w" sizes="(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px" />
On the downside, the G has a narrow interior, with the rear seat only wide enough to accommodate two adults side by side. The rear luggage space, too, is a touch cramped.
All this may sound horrifying to drivers raised with the notion that pin-sharp steering and silky ride are the holy grails of road transport, but this misses the point. The G-Class isn’t meant to be mainstream; it’s an alternative to the bland ranks of modern SUVs.
Yes, the driving experience is unconventional and restless, but it’s also engaging and entertaining, arguably as rewarding as any high-speed track day missile. It’s a different kind of fun – a kind accessible at socially responsible speeds.&nbsp;
Sadly, this charming exception to Mercedes uniformity is not long for this world. The forces of boredom are conspiring to iron out its quirks, with a new replacement G-Class under development.
So if you want something unusual – or perhaps a car with a personality to match your own nonconformist spirit – now’s your chance.
Text: James O’Donnell 
Photos: Mercedes-Benz
For the full article, please check out the latest issue of Gafencu’s print magazine or the Gafencu app. Download the app from the Google&nbsp;<a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.gafencu.android&amp;hl=en">Play Store</a>&nbsp;or Apple&nbsp;<a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/gafencu/id541555130?mt=8">App Store</a>.

G-Class review: A modern Merc with personality

<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="aligncenter wp-image-12802 size-full" src="//www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/rr_evoque_convertible_ext_dynamic_10-e1480652911734.jpg" alt="rr_evoque_convertible_ext_dynamic_10" width="898" height="600" srcset="https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/rr_evoque_convertible_ext_dynamic_10-e1480652911734.jpg 898w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/rr_evoque_convertible_ext_dynamic_10-e1480652911734-200x134.jpg 200w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/rr_evoque_convertible_ext_dynamic_10-e1480652911734-800x535.jpg 800w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/rr_evoque_convertible_ext_dynamic_10-e1480652911734-419x280.jpg 419w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/rr_evoque_convertible_ext_dynamic_10-e1480652911734-768x513.jpg 768w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/rr_evoque_convertible_ext_dynamic_10-e1480652911734-400x267.jpg 400w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/rr_evoque_convertible_ext_dynamic_10-e1480652911734-600x401.jpg 600w" sizes="(max-width: 898px) 100vw, 898px" /> 
It’s a bit too soon to say for certain whether the new Range Rover Evoque Convertible is a triumph or a disaster. By chopping the top off its smallest, funkiest model, the company is either pioneering a brave new class of prestige off-roaders – with the added benefit of infinite headroom – or creating a ghastly mash-up of wholly incompatible automotive ingredients. There’s little room for any other outcome.
The logic behind creating the convertible Evoque seems sound. Chunky, stylish SUVs are the transport du jure for fashion-conscious urban motorists, many of whom wear them like accessories. The downside of driving a tall four-by-four, though, is that it’s hard for people to see just who’s behind the wheel. By lifting the roof off, you gain the advantage of being highly visible, while also getting to experience the timeless joy of open top motoring.
As is the case with any uber-stylish morsel of fashion, it comes with a number of downsides. The first of which pretty much unforgivable by any true fashionista – losing the roof has resulted in piling on the pounds for this baby Range Rover.
The Evoque Convertible is almost 300kg heavier than the two-door Coupe edition which it’s based on. This is largely thanks to the addition of all the electric motors and scaffolding needed to make the roof go up and down, as well as the hefty girders required to strengthen the chassis now that there’s no ridged roof to complete the body cell. Tipping the scales at just under two tonnes, the Evoque is a heavyweight, even though it’s relatively compact for an SUV.
As well as gaining weight, the Evoque convertible sheds luggage space to the oily-whirring bits as well as to the stowage room needed for the tucked-away soft top. A normal Evoque offers 451 litres of baggage allowance, cut to just 251 for the convertible.
<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="aligncenter wp-image-12799 size-full" src="//www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/2017_Range_Rover_Evoque_Convertible_eff-e1480652953249.jpg" alt="2017_Range_Rover_Evoque_Convertible_eff" width="900" height="598" srcset="https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/2017_Range_Rover_Evoque_Convertible_eff-e1480652953249.jpg 900w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/2017_Range_Rover_Evoque_Convertible_eff-e1480652953249-200x133.jpg 200w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/2017_Range_Rover_Evoque_Convertible_eff-e1480652953249-800x532.jpg 800w" sizes="(max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px" />
As well as being small, the boot is somewhat awkward to access, having something of the long and shallow feel of a safety deposit box. To make matters worse, the rear seats don’t fold down, so cargo capacity can’t be increased for special occasions.
Of course, increased weight means decreased speed – a problem only compounded by the choice of engines available on the Evoque. The power plants are restricted to four-cylinder units only, with a couple of diesels and only one petrol motor in the line-up.
The diesels are ponderously slow by modern standards, with 0-62 mph taking 10 seconds plus. The petrol engine is the quickest, though its 0-62 mph is a far from rapid 8.6 seconds.
Even with a petrol power plant, the engine sounds busy, largely thanks to the constant flicking up and down of its nine-speed automatic gearbox. While the driver can opt to change gears, with nine to choose from, it’s an unending and joyless task.
Assuming you have the patience to wait long enough for the Evoque Convertible to actually build up some momentum, the medium to high-speed handling isn’t as bad as you might fear. Granted, there’s a lot of weight that needs moving about, but most of it is tucked down low, so body roll isn’t too extreme when it comes to the more forceful cornering.
<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="aligncenter wp-image-12801 size-full" src="//www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/range_rover_evoque_convertible-e1480653025480.jpg" alt="range_rover_evoque_convertible" width="900" height="600" srcset="https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/range_rover_evoque_convertible-e1480653025480.jpg 900w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/range_rover_evoque_convertible-e1480653025480-200x133.jpg 200w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/range_rover_evoque_convertible-e1480653025480-800x533.jpg 800w" sizes="(max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px" />
This was never going to be a car for performance driving enthusiasts, with the handling disappointment almost entirely predictable. On bumpy, undulating road, the chassis twists noticeably, flagging up the roof ‘s usual role of holding everything together. On top of that, the steering is too light and too vague, the engine too weak and the brakes are nearly overwhelmed by the task of slowing all that mass.
In all, there’s a lot wrong with the Evoque Convertible, at least when judged in strict car terms. To assess it solely as a car, though, would be to almost entirely miss the point.
The correct way to view the little topless Range Rover – and the way that most car buyers view valuable vehicles – is as a lifestyle choice. In this respect, it fares rather better.
First and foremost, it’s very striking to look at. Roof up, it boasts almost exactly the same lines as its fixed head Coupe elder sibling – perhaps not pretty, but certainly noticeable. As befits a fashion accessory, there’s plenty of ‘bling’ to let other road users know that the driver has splashed out on some serious badge. The icing on the top is its Xenon headlights, which thoughtfully include LED Signature surround, adding bit of sparkle to daytime driving.
<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="aligncenter wp-image-12797 size-full" src="//www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/1100747_L538C-Infographics_22.10.153_eff-e1480653165155.jpg" alt="1100747_L538C Infographics_22.10.153_eff" width="900" height="600" srcset="https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/1100747_L538C-Infographics_22.10.153_eff-e1480653165155.jpg 900w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/1100747_L538C-Infographics_22.10.153_eff-e1480653165155-200x133.jpg 200w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/1100747_L538C-Infographics_22.10.153_eff-e1480653165155-800x533.jpg 800w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/1100747_L538C-Infographics_22.10.153_eff-e1480653165155-420x280.jpg 420w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/1100747_L538C-Infographics_22.10.153_eff-e1480653165155-768x512.jpg 768w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/1100747_L538C-Infographics_22.10.153_eff-e1480653165155-400x267.jpg 400w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/1100747_L538C-Infographics_22.10.153_eff-e1480653165155-600x400.jpg 600w" sizes="(max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px" />
With a press of a button the soft top tucks away in 18 seconds, leaving an almost completely clean, forward raked bodyline running straight from tailgate to bonnet badge. With frameless doors, the only things poking over that high parapet are the steeply raked windscreen and chunky leather head rests.
The soft top can be raised or lowered at up to 30 mph and, at that speed, there’s remarkably little wind buffeting. This is thanks, in no small part, to the high-sided bodywork and rakish glassware. Even at motorway speed, the resulting turbulence is never less than tolerable.
The experience of driving with the top down, though, is truly remarkable. Despite the heavy, wobbly ride, driving the Evoque top down feels rather like flying – albeit in something akin to an airborne fortress. Perched fairly high off the road surface – and with a completely unrestricted view of the sky – it’s not too hard to maintain that particular illusion.
Drivers and passengers, though, are well looked after. The double-stitched leather seats are both comfortable and supportive, with the front seats boasting 12-way power adjustable positioning, including the facility for recalling the required settings for a selection of drivers.
Overall, there’s just enough leg room in the back seats to accommodate a couple of adults in reasonable comfort for shortish journeys and, when the roof is raised, almost enough head room. It is, however, a strict two-person rear pew, with no provision for any third back seat passenger.
<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="aligncenter wp-image-12796 size-full" src="//www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/1100598_RR_Evoque_Convertible_int_trunk-4-e1480653248505.jpg" alt="1100598_RR_Evoque_Convertible_int_trunk (4)" width="899" height="599" srcset="https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/1100598_RR_Evoque_Convertible_int_trunk-4-e1480653248505.jpg 899w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/1100598_RR_Evoque_Convertible_int_trunk-4-e1480653248505-200x133.jpg 200w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/1100598_RR_Evoque_Convertible_int_trunk-4-e1480653248505-800x533.jpg 800w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/1100598_RR_Evoque_Convertible_int_trunk-4-e1480653248505-420x280.jpg 420w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/1100598_RR_Evoque_Convertible_int_trunk-4-e1480653248505-768x512.jpg 768w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/1100598_RR_Evoque_Convertible_int_trunk-4-e1480653248505-400x267.jpg 400w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/1100598_RR_Evoque_Convertible_int_trunk-4-e1480653248505-600x400.jpg 600w" sizes="(max-width: 899px) 100vw, 899px" />
Overall, everything in the cabin, though, is a tactile delight, with the leather seats and steering wheel all having a comforting solidity. Indeed, every button and switch is pleasingly robust to the touch.
The Evoque features Range Rover’s InControl Touch Pro infotainment system, accessed through a generously sized 10.2 inch screen. As well as the usual interface for mobile devices, satellite navigation and climate control, the system also allows users to configure interior mood lighting, helping to ensure that – even at night – everyone can see just who’s inside the Evoque Convertible.
As well as style, entertainment and comfort, this baby Range Rover also helps the driver out when it comes to safety. There is, for example, automatic lane-keeping assistance, giving due warning in the event of drifting out position on the highway. Should matters get even more seriously out of hand, hidden roll-over hoops spring into position in as little as 90 milliseconds whenever the car detects any possibility of upending.
<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="aligncenter wp-image-12798 size-full" src="//www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/2016-Range-Rover-Evoque-Convertible-5-e1480653312370.jpg" alt="2016-Range-Rover-Evoque-Convertible-5" width="900" height="600" srcset="https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/2016-Range-Rover-Evoque-Convertible-5-e1480653312370.jpg 900w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/2016-Range-Rover-Evoque-Convertible-5-e1480653312370-200x133.jpg 200w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/2016-Range-Rover-Evoque-Convertible-5-e1480653312370-800x533.jpg 800w" sizes="(max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px" />
While the car may not be all that good on the road, it’s actually quite good off-road. It’s not, admittedly, quite as able as its larger Ranger Rover Vogue sibling, but it’s still substantially better than many of the pretend SUVs – the BMW X3 and Audi Q3, we’re talking about you here.
To be fair, its Terrain Response electronics and all-wheel drive can tackle some genuine off-road challenges. Decent ground clearance allows lumpy surfaces to be navigated with ease, while Range Rover’s Hill Descent Control system takes over when it comes to getting down some frankly scary angles, ensuring the driver need never intervene on the brakes. The Evoque even does a passable motor yacht impersonation, wading through water up to 50cm deep.
In truth, the Evoque customer is never likely to use any of these off-road abilities, though having them just adds to its allure. Plus – in the event that a natural disaster befalls the world’s urban spaces – the drivers of this car stand a better chance of making a run for it than the average SUV pilot. As a result, much of the currently fashionable post-apocalyptic fiction may have to be re-written to feature a much higher proportion of urban sophisticate Evoque-owner survivors.
Flawed in ways that don’t really matter to its target market and gifted in lots of ways that do, Range Rover seems likely to have scored a class re-defining hit with the Evoque Convertible. Just as all the other prestige brands copied Range Rover’s original luxury off-roader, it’s likely to be just a matter of time before Mercedes, BMW, Lexus et al release their own drop-top lux off-roaders.
Model  Range Rover Evoque Convertible 
From  £48,200 (HK$463,000 plus import duty) 
Engine   2.0 litre straight four 
Power (BHP)   236 bhp 
Transmission   9-speed automatic through 
four wheel drive 
0-62 mph   8.6 seconds 
Top speed   130 mph 
CO2   204g/km 
Fuel economy:   32.9 mpg

Range Rover goes topless with Evoque Convertible

<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="aligncenter wp-image-10693 size-full" src="//www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/15c986_03_eff-e1478587105723.jpg" alt="GLS" width="900" height="600" srcset="https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/15c986_03_eff-e1478587105723.jpg 900w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/15c986_03_eff-e1478587105723-200x133.jpg 200w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/15c986_03_eff-e1478587105723-800x533.jpg 800w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/15c986_03_eff-e1478587105723-420x280.jpg 420w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/15c986_03_eff-e1478587105723-768x512.jpg 768w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/15c986_03_eff-e1478587105723-400x267.jpg 400w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/15c986_03_eff-e1478587105723-600x400.jpg 600w" sizes="(max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px" />
Nowadays, it seems that two rows of seats no longer suffice. It could be the move towards bigger broods or perhaps an increased reluctance to expire on the part of the more doddery outposts of the extended family. It could even be that many now crave to put more space between themselves and the PlayStationing bings and bongs that now inevitably emanate from rear seats.
There are, of course, numerous “people movers” offering, at least, treble rows. The downside is that they’re all too often little more than re-styled delivery vans, with added windows and marginally less industrial interiors. 
For those motorists who find themselves with both a large family and a desire to keep their self-respect intact, there are, thankfully, a few other options available. In fact, many SUV off-road cars are also available in a three-pew configuration. 
The Mercedes Benz GLS 550, the Audi Q7 and the Lexus LX570, for instance, all offer seven or more seats. While each of them has enough badge-cred to impress at the school gates, which one is best?
<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="aligncenter wp-image-10694 size-full" src="//www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/15c986_18-e1478587190892.jpg" alt="GLS" width="900" height="600" srcset="https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/15c986_18-e1478587190892.jpg 900w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/15c986_18-e1478587190892-200x133.jpg 200w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/15c986_18-e1478587190892-800x533.jpg 800w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/15c986_18-e1478587190892-420x280.jpg 420w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/15c986_18-e1478587190892-768x512.jpg 768w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/15c986_18-e1478587190892-400x267.jpg 400w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/15c986_18-e1478587190892-600x400.jpg 600w" sizes="(max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px" />
Looks
The first and most important job of any luxury seven-seater is not to look like a non-luxury seven seater. In this department, the Mercedes leaves observers in no doubt that it’s not a van. Combined with the car’s enormous overall scale and chiselled bodywork, the Merc has all the road presence required for intimidating other road users. Presence, but perhaps not beauty.
The Audi fares rather better in the looks department. Where the GLS is all straight lines and sharp angles, the Q7’s bodywork takes a softer, more rounded approach. If the Q7’s shared heritage is noticeable to the discerning, the Lexus LX570’s roots are blatantly obvious to all. The model is based heavily on Toyota’s wilderness-conquering Land Cruiser. The Lexus stylists seem to have invested little or no effort into disguising that fact, merely slapping on the corporate radiator grille and a few logos.
While all three cars are big, the Lexus is vast. It wears its size well though. The LX570 looks like it’d be equally at home parked outside a downtown pedicurist or a mud hut half way up Mount Kilimanjaro.
<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="alignnone wp-image-10690 size-full" src="//www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/2016_Lexus_LX_570_026_eff-e1478587383336.jpg" alt="2016_Lexus_LX_570_026_eff" width="900" height="599" srcset="https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/2016_Lexus_LX_570_026_eff-e1478587383336.jpg 900w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/2016_Lexus_LX_570_026_eff-e1478587383336-200x133.jpg 200w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/2016_Lexus_LX_570_026_eff-e1478587383336-800x532.jpg 800w" sizes="(max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px" />
Luxury
Naturally, the first test for any car competing in the seven-seater category is the comfort offered by the third row. The GLS creates a good impression right off the bat with its nifty power operated seats. Raising or lowering the GLS’s back seats is relatively straightforward. With a gentle prod of a pleasingly chunky button, electric motors do all the hard work. In terms of size, though, these part-time pews are big enough to comfortably seat two adults, even over long-ish distances. 
This level of pampering is typical inside the Benz. The driver is almost overloaded with luxury toys, while confronted by an intimidating phalanx of buttons.
Although restrained, the Q7 – the biggest of the Audis – feels far from austere. While the driver is faced with more or less as many buttons and switches as with the Benz, their arrangement across the broad, swooping dash seems less crowded and easier to comprehend. As with the Merc, there’s a similar power-operated folding mechanism. The Audi’s part time seats are, however, a little smaller, resulting in a cramped feeling for adults.
The third row of seating is where the Lexus LX570 plays its trump card. It can not only match the power-actuated convenience of the German cars, but it also beats them hands down by having a rear pew fit for three, taking its total seating capacity to eight. Although nicely put together and undoubtedly luxurious, it’s hard to escape the feeling that this is luxury as an afterthought, rather than being intrinsic to the vehicle.
<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="aligncenter wp-image-10689 size-full" src="//www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/2016_Lexus_LX_570_024_97E7B1E35CDB54252E3D6E0EACC2879D652FEFDF-e1478587470515.jpg" alt="2016_Lexus_LX_570_024_97E7B1E35CDB54252E3D6E0EACC2879D652FEFDF" width="900" height="599" srcset="https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/2016_Lexus_LX_570_024_97E7B1E35CDB54252E3D6E0EACC2879D652FEFDF-e1478587470515.jpg 900w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/2016_Lexus_LX_570_024_97E7B1E35CDB54252E3D6E0EACC2879D652FEFDF-e1478587470515-200x133.jpg 200w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/2016_Lexus_LX_570_024_97E7B1E35CDB54252E3D6E0EACC2879D652FEFDF-e1478587470515-800x532.jpg 800w" sizes="(max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px" />
Driving
In its 550 guise, the Mercedes GLS’ not-so-secret weapon is its horsepower. The 4.7 litre twin turbo V8 produces an entirely unnecessary 450 horsepower, enough to propel the car to 60 mph in a genuinely fast 5.3 seconds. All that force is transmitted to the four-wheel drive system via an automatic gearbox, which boasts nine forward gears.
Predictably, for so large a car, the steering is incommunicative and the feel through the brake pedal is dull. Attempting to drive the Q7 hard, though, reveals a surprise – it’s not that bad. It stays reasonably flat under heavy breaking and doesn’t produce too much body roll under cornering. Despite the Audi’s 3.0 litre supercharged V6 producing 333 horsepower it’s only a blink slower to 60 than the Merc – 5.5 seconds. Fuel economy is better too, consuming 10.7 litres per 100km to the Benz’s 11.3. The Lexus is bigger than the other two and feels it. Even with the biggest engine its 383 horsepower 5.6 litre V8 can only manage the sprint to 60 in 7.2 seconds. Piloting the LS 570, with its tremendous size and eight seats, is very much like driving a bus. Control inputs result in lazy outcomes on the road, while any attempt at high-speed manoeuvring results in alarming pitch and roll angles.
<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="aligncenter wp-image-10691 size-full" src="//www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/119396_090107aud-e1478587595718.jpg" alt="119396_090107aud" width="900" height="600" srcset="https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/119396_090107aud-e1478587595718.jpg 900w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/119396_090107aud-e1478587595718-200x133.jpg 200w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/119396_090107aud-e1478587595718-800x533.jpg 800w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/119396_090107aud-e1478587595718-420x280.jpg 420w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/119396_090107aud-e1478587595718-768x512.jpg 768w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/119396_090107aud-e1478587595718-400x267.jpg 400w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/119396_090107aud-e1478587595718-600x400.jpg 600w" sizes="(max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px" />
Gafencu’s Choice
While impressive, the Mercedes is hard to love. It’s too obvious, the interior lacks cohesion and the driving experience is disappointing. The Lexus is only really a choice for those who plan to do some proper off-road work but don’t want the military feel of a Land Rover Defender or the Toyota on which the LX 570 is based. Or for those who really do need that extra eighth seat.
The best all-rounder and Gafencu’s choice – despite its slightly smaller rear seats – is the Q7. It’s the nicest to look at inside and out, as well as being the most car-like to drive.

Gafencu’s guide to choosing the sweetest seven-seater

<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="aligncenter wp-image-9405 size-full" src="//www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/160660M_eff-e1476951611539.jpg" alt="160660M_eff" width="600" height="365" srcset="https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/160660M_eff-e1476951611539.jpg 600w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/160660M_eff-e1476951611539-200x122.jpg 200w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/160660M_eff-e1476951611539-460x280.jpg 460w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/160660M_eff-e1476951611539-400x243.jpg 400w" sizes="(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px" />
The sleek lines of the new Maserati Levante may just as well have come courtesy of a fine artist as from a master of contemporary car making, such is their elegance and grace – pure poetry when in motion. Distinctively Italian in style, it comes complete with a number of breath-taking Maserati design features, including a signature concave grille.
This decidedly racy little number also features feline-inspired headlights and the Saetta logo on the rear pillar. Its fine leather seats give the interior of the Levante a truly sumptuous feel, while also providing superb lateral restraint during sports driving. Maserati’s sport steering wheel enhances the Levante’s sportiness and, coupled with the front seats and the brushed steel pedals, creates an environment that will satisfy any red-blooded sports GT enthusiast.
Its spaciousness is amplified still further by its panoramic electric sunroof. The Levante name was taken from a warm, Mediterranean wind, one that can change from a zephyr to gale force in an instant – again mirroring the car’s highly responsive nature.
<a href="http://www.autoitalia.com.hk">www.autoitalia.com.hk</a>

Maserartiness

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There is a malady spreading in the motoring world, a virulent condition spreading from marque to marque. Particularly vulnerable are the more venerable of the carmakers of Europe, with several having already tested positive. Many more, it is predicted, are about to be similarly afflicted.
Among the early symptoms are a downswing in sales, inevitably followed by a rash of outlandish “concept” models suddenly appearing at prestigious car shows. An incubation period of around two to four years then follows, after which the patient is normally beyond redemption.
Typically, one or more products in the auto maker’s range becomes notably bloated, swelling upwards and outwards, gaining weight and losing any of its previous vitality. Throughout it all, though, many of these poor unfortunates retain a passing semblance of the style and looks that marked their glory days.
The latest once-proud European house to be afflicted with this auto-pandemic – the so-called Saloon Ultra-modification Virus (or SUV for short) is Maserati. While the company’s new Levante model bears all of the marque’s tell-tale traits – right name, right badge – its dimly perceptible hereditary features are now stretched across its very wrong, very enlarged body.
The Levante is the first attempt at an SUV by the company, a prestigious Italian carmaker better known for its flamboyant cabriolets, grand tourers and fast luxury saloons. The fact that the new car bears more than a passing resemblance to the company’s four-door Ghibli super-saloon – albeit one that has suffered an extreme allergic reaction – should come as little surprise. The two cars, after all, share the same basic floor plan, as well as having various oily bits in common.
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At a little over 5meters long, 1.97meters wide and 1.68meters tall, its height is the most striking difference between the Levante and the Ghibli. While not as overtly looming as, for instance, the mountainous BMW X5, this newest Maserati languishes somewhere in that territory. For sure, it’s an SUV, but it’s far from being the most toxic case ever to see the inside of a showroom.
Taking a lead from the putative SUVs of a number of other luxury carmakers’ SUVs, the Levante looks very much like the model it was originally based on. Except, of course, for that additional 30centemeters or so of bodywork, stretched out somewhere between the sills and the windows. As with the Porsche Cayenne, Audi Q7, Bentley Bentayga (see Gafencu Men, February 2016) and so many others, the result has a rather hall-of-mirrors air to it – normal at the top, normal at the bottom, but far too long by half in the middle region.
This stretched body shell, while maintaining that distorted family resemblance, pulls off a rather neat trick. According to Maserati, the Levante has the best aerodynamics of any car in its class, boasting a drag coefficient of just 0.31 (the lower, the better). As well as boosting fuel consumption and minimising wind noise, that swollen but slippery body actually adds to its speed quotient.
Aside from a more imposing road presence – all the better for intimidating other road users – the other plus point of the SUV infection is increased interior space. Ghibli owners could be forgiven for coming over all déjà vu when first clambering aboard a Levante. The car’s cabin is almost indistinguishable from the its precursor albeit with more head and leg room.
Thankfully, the Ghibli template is excellent. Cliché as it might seem, its Italian design delivers a sense of urbane sophistication and timeless craftsmanship, one that is often missing from the offerings of some German, British, Japanese and American manufacturers.
Its cabin styling is a delicious balance between simple elegance and finely turned detail. The dashboard instruments are large and unfussy, while the dash-mounted seven-inch and centrally-positioned 8.4-inch multi-function screens are large enough to read easily, but not overwhelm the aesthetic.
Buyers with acute hearing and deep pockets should opt for the 14-speaker Harman Kardon sound system or dig even deeper into their pockets for the top-spec Bowers &amp; Wilkins 17-speaker surround system.
Leather seats throughout come as standard on all levels of Levante, with further bovine-derived luxury cladding available as an option for the doors and dashboard. Also standard are the six-way adjustable front seats. For additional sticker price, you can upgrade to 12-way adjustable seating, with a choice of either “comfort” or “sport” configuration.
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Maserati, of course, is not the first company to sprinkle sporty cues over its SUV, largely in the hope of dodging the inevitable agricultural associations that dog most 4X4s. To date, the Range Rover Sport has been the most blatant, but successful, example of this genre.
Maserati makes the bold claim that the Levante is now the best handling car in its class. That’s not that hard to believe. After all, it does come with notably clever suspension, not too much mass and near perfect 50/50 front to rear weight distribution.
With the increased volume of an SUV, an overall weight gain comes as standard. At around 2,100kg for the petrol engine-variant, the Levante is heavy, though not crushingly so. Much credit here to the engineers, who seem to have gone out of their way to minimise heft, largely through a liberal interweaving of lightweight materials.
Aluminium is the material of choice for the front and rear sub frames, as well as the bonnet, doors and hatchback. Even magnesium puts in an appearance in its lateral stiffening, while carbon fibre is also used throughout, albeit more for cabin decoration than mass alleviation.
Keeping the kerb weight down, of course, helps to keep the Levante’s speed up. It shares the same Ferrari-designed 3.0-litre V6 twin-turbo power plant with the Ghibli, producing 350 horsepower in the half-caff edition or 430 bhp with the full-strength espresso Levante S version.
The Levante S can dash to 62 mph in a genuinely fast 5.2 seconds, while its top speed is a respectable 164 mph. It seems that not even an improved Ferrari engine and prime aerodynamics can fully overcome that expanded front and accompanying wind resistance so symptomatic of the SUV syndrome.
Of course, a car that goes quickly also needs to be able to stop quickly. Thankfully, the top-of-the-range S edition comes with 15-inch cross-drilled Brembo discs up front, all grasped firmly by six piston brake callipers, while the rears get by on 13-inch rotors.
Its self-levelling air suspension system is carried over almost unchanged from the Ghibli, complete with electronically controlled dampers.
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This particular Maserati’s suspension can lift the car, increasing ground clearance to more than 10 inches in the off-road driving mode. While not up to tackling the muddiest reaches of parts more rural, it’s more than enough for weekend trips along rough tracks.
Select the sport driving mode and the suspension drops the car closer to the asphalt. Simultaneously, it stiffens the dampers, while sharpening the throttle response and gear changes in is eight-speed ZF gearbox.
Hurtling into a corner, while applying the brakes, immediately reveals the advantages of this particular suspension system. Despite its great mass, the Levante doesn’t overly lean forward on deceleration. Throughout, the feel through the “slow” pedal remains good – all forces building and releasing progressively.
As braking blends into cornering, the suspension resists too much roll. The steering is hydraulic rather than electromagnetically power-assisted and acts to increases the resistance as its speed builds.
When accelerating out of a corner, the Levante has two traction-deploying advantages. The first is its adaptive four-wheel drive system, which acts to redistribute 90 percent of the engine effort to the rear. Usefully, its on-board computer driving brain can shift the torque to the front in as little as 0.15 seconds, compensating for any loss of traction.
Its second plus comes in the form of the mechanical limited-slip differential on the rear axle. Ideally, this should reduce the need for any computer intervention in the first place.
The third – and final – of its three driving modes rejoices in the name of ICE – Increased Control and Efficiency. As you might expect, it’s primarily intended for more slippery conditions, calming down the engine and softening up the suspension. Besides making snow driving less scary, this mode makes cruising more comfortable, hushing the exhaust and numbing the throttle.
The air suspension provides predictably cloud-like levels of ride comfort, with only the bumpiest bumps upsetting the in-cabin serenity. Cruising at high speed is remarkably quiet, with the slippery outer shell ably cutting down on the wind noise.
While the SUV epidemic has certainly spread to Maserati, the marque would seem to have some natural resistance to the disorder’s worst excesses. Far from taking a saloon car and making it worse, this SUV’d Ghibli is, perhaps, somewhat better than the saloon car on which it is based. It does, after all, offer greater semi-off-road ability, greater comfort and more generous internal space, all at the expense of a relatively minimal reduction in absolute driving performance.
That it is only slightly SUV’d, though, may actually be the Levante’s ultimate detriment. The Maserati’s relatively elegant lines – for an SUV, at least – may not be obvious enough for those buyers in search of a little in-your-face wealth-flaunting. In the increasingly crowded prestige fast SUV market – a market soon to be joined by Jaguar’s F Pace – the Levante may prove to be an SUV for people who don’t really want an SUV.
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Maserati Levante S 
Engine: 3.0-litre V6 turbo 
Power: 430 bhp @ 7,550 rpm 
Torque: 428 lb-ft @ 4,500 rpm 
Transmission: Eight-speed ZF automatic through all wheel drive 
0-62mph: 5.2 seconds 
Top speed: 164 mph 
Price: from £58,000 (HK$660,000 plus import tax) 
Above: Instruments are large but unfussy, screens are easily readable and the aesthetic remains intact and elegant

Tag: suv

G-Class review: A modern Merc with personality

Range Rover goes topless with Evoque Convertible

Gafencu’s guide to choosing the sweetest seven-seater

Maserartiness

SUV SOS

Tag: suv

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G-Class review: A modern Merc with personality

Range Rover goes topless with Evoque Convertible

Gafencu’s guide to choosing the sweetest seven-seater

Maserartiness

SUV SOS