LAND Rover, last week, unveiled its new compact Range Rover, dubbed the Evoque, the company’s smallest SUV that is expected to widen the net of enthusiasts of the popular luxury vehicle.

Without revealing much technical details, other than it will be available in two or four-wheel drive, Land Rover introduced the all-new, two-door Evoque at a celebration of the original Range Rover’s 40th birthday at a special event in London, England.

Land Rover, at the same time, heralded the vehicle, which is based on the LRX model, as its “lightest and most fuel-efficient vehicle ever produced”. The manufacturers, however, have not revealed the engine size of the vehicle.

The Evoque is expected to make its international debut at the Paris Motor Show this September.

“In this part of hemisphere it will be available in the latter part of 2011,” Richard Reid, sales manager at local Land Rover dealer Kingston Industrial Garage (KIG) told Auto.

According to reports from the unveiling, Land Rover expects 80 per cent of Evoque buyers to be those who would previously not have considered buying a Range Rover.

When released to the market, customers will have a choice of four-wheel-drive or two-wheel-drive versions and the promise of a four-door model in the future.

The two-door Evoque model, which goes on sale after the Paris show, is expected to be priced at around US$50,000.