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MODELYEAR2012
bringsseveral snow-worthy (andski-
ready)options, including thedramaticandall-new
RANGEROVER EVOQUE
from
LANDROVER
($43,995), acompact crossoverSUV that’savailable
ineither four-doorhatchbackor two-doorcoupebodystyles. Land
Rover’sdecision tooffer the latteroption isdaring for itssheer
unusualness:All otherhigh-endSUVsandcrossovershaveconven-
tional four- or five-door layouts.The two-doorRangeRoverEvoque
isasporty—evensexy—departure from this routine. It comeswith
a turbochargedengine, panoramasunroof, touchscreenelectronic
interface, and, of course, LandRover’s tenaciousTerrainSensing
all-wheel-drivesystem.
Butmaybeyou’dprefersomethingwith the linebacker torqueof
adirect-injecteddiesel engine?BothBMWandAudi deliver.
There’s the$51,450
AUDI Q7 TDI
, a tourde forceof luxury, space, and
brute low-endpower, too.An incredible400 lbs.-ft. of torque—more
thanmostV-8sdeliver— isavailable justoff idle, enough togive this
large-living luxcrossoverSUV thegrunt topull awaywithauthority
and topull a6,600-lb. trailer.
The $57,575
BMWX5 xDRIVE35d
is similar in layout, but leansmore
to the sportyhandling sideof theaisle. It alsoboasts someof the
latest technology, includingemail accessand live/real-timenews
updates through the in-car Internet link. Thehigh-output (and
turbocharged) diesel enginedeliversbothathleticacceleration
(0-60 inabout 7 seconds) and reasonable fuel efficiency: 26mpg
on thehighway.
A final suggestion, ifyour inclinations rungreen:
PORSCHE
has
addedahybridversionof the
CAYENNESUV
($69,000) to the lineup.A
supercharged3.0-literV-6 is teamedupwitha34-kwelectricmotor/
batterypack toproduceaspectacular380hpcombined—80hp
more than thestandardCayenneandonly20hpoff themarksetby
theV-8-poweredCayenneS.
Oneof theneatest featuresof thehybridCayenne is that itcan
operateathighwayspeedswith thegassideof thepowertraincom-
pletelyshutoff.Aneight-speedautomaticand full-timeAWDare
standard, alongwithasuitablyPorsche0-60 timeof 6.1seconds.
WINTER 2011
celebratedliving.com
14
AUTOMOBILES
CROSSOVER
LUXE
Whatever theweather, these rideswill get you
to the slopes in style.
—ERICPETERS
Range Rover Evoque
BMWX5 xDrive35d
PorscheCayenneSUV
Audi Q7TDI
