Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) may not have a stand at the Detroit Auto Show, but it did not stop the company making the headlines with the new Range Rover Evoque winning the prestigious Truck of the Year award voted for by US journalists.
The announcement saw the Evoque triumph over tough competition from the BMW X3 and the Honda CR-V. The judging panel chose the Evoque as the winner after reviewing it against its competitors in six key categories: value for the dollar, innovation, handling, performance, safety and driver satisfaction.
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“We are honored that the all-new Range Rover Evoque has been named the 2012 North American Truck of the Year, one of the most celebrated automotive awards in our industry,” said Andy Goss, President, Jaguar Land Rover North America. “This recognition is in keeping with the overwhelmingly positive global response from consumers who are selecting the vehicle for its ideal combination of luxury and capability, within a sustainable package.”
This is a big win for the new ‘baby’ Range Rover launched last year, coming in the land of the truck – 4×4 SUVs – are very, very popular in the US.
Built at JLR”s Halewood factory near Liverpool, the Evoque has already won a number of awards around the world but this rates as one of the biggest.
Car of the Year went to Hyundai’s Elantra.
JLR decided not to have a stand at this year’s Detroit Show because it does not have any new products to display. Insiders also said that the other big US car events in New York and Los Angeles are more important in terms of sales.
Last week the company was at the Delhi Motor Show – but then it is now owned by Indian carmaker Tata and the market there is growing fast.
