When the original Range Rover was launched back in 1970, Land Rover's chief engineer, Tom Barton, demanded vinyl seats and a rubber floor so you could hose out the cabin when it got muddy. He allowed a trace of carpet but that was only to dampen down the whine from the gearbox. Imagine what Barton would think of the new 2012 Land Rover Range Rover Evoque. Here is a Range Rover built for trendy urbanites that'll be offered with an interior designed by Victoria Beckham. It's a conscious attempt to cash in on the appeal of compact crossovers and to give Land Rover a relevancy in a world more obsessed by appearances and exhaust emissions than off-road prowess.

Its pre-sale hype alone is indicative of its mission. First unveiled as the LRX Concept at the Detroit auto show in January 2008, there have been technical presentations, celebrity galas and even wireframe statues posing as art. But now, at long last, we've had the opportunity to drive it. And not just around the block, but from Land Rover's headquarters in Gaydon all the way into the heart of Ireland....