Land Rover has confirmed plans to build a production version of its Range Rover Evoque Convertible concept. The idea of a topless Evoque was presented at the 2012 edition of the Geneva Motor Show.

Set to be based on the Evoque Coupe, Land Rover will bill the Evoque convertible as an alternative to premium German drop-tops like the Audi TT. However, the Evoque convertible is expected to remain a low-volume niche model designed primarily to boost Land Rover's image.

The yet-unnamed convertible Evoque will reportedly be powered by members of Jaguar - Land Rover's new Ingenium family of four-cylinder engines. A nine-speed automatic transmission will come standard all across the board, with two- and four-wheel drive variants.

Like the equally-controversial Nissan Murano CrossCabrio that recently went out of production, the Evoque will utilize a conventional cloth soft top because the setup is lighter and easier to stow than a retractable hard top. Land Rover teased the Evoque convertible's launch with a video showing the crossover traversing obstacles in Crossrail tunnels under London, indicating the soft-top will at least partially live up to Land Rover's off-roading heritage. The Land Rover Evoque convertible will likely gain a few hundred pounds in extra chassis bracing needed to prevent body flex.

Although based on the 2012 concept, the production version of the Evoque convertible will differ slightly from its show car counterpart. The rear fenders of the prototype look as though they have been re-worked and the rear fascia of the Evoque convertible is noticeably more squared-off than the earlier show car.

Land Rover will officially announce the Range Rover Evoque convertible at this week's Geneva Motor Show, but we're unlikely to see the production version of the car for a few more weeks. Land Rover says the open-air Evoque will launch sometime in 2016.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8JZYuUvSMQY