THE Range Rover Evoque Convertible looks every bit the drop top sensation Land Rover is hoping for.

It's still a few months away from being released but we have just been given a sneak preview of the first open top Range Rover.

To be built alongside the current Evoque three and five door models at Land Rover's Halewood factory on Merseyside the new convertible will join a line up that has become the company's fastest seller, notching up almost half a million sales since its debut in 2011.

In the metal, the convertible takes the Evoque into a new dimension with a sophisticated design that builds on the car's stand out looks.

It is streamlined and sexy and with the hood down all that protrudes above the body line are the head rests and the raked-back windscreen.

Inside are the luxury traits which are the hallmark of any Range Rover with finely stitched leather upholstery and a dashboard centred on a full colour touchscreen that gives access to Land Rover's latest InControl technology which includes an array of smarthphone functions.

The convertible is a four-seater and rear legroom is sufficient for adults while the boot space at 251 litres is not compromised by the roof retraction with the hood stowing above the luggage compartment. There's also a ski-hatch through to the cabin allowing for longer objects to be carried.

Roof retraction is fully automatic and takes 18 seconds. It can be raised in 21 seconds at speeds of up to 30mph.

Land Rover says that acoustic insulation on the fabric roof is such that noise levels inside are on par with the metal-topped Evoques and when folded the hood fits flush behind the rear seats ahead of a neat rear spoiler which runs across the boot lip.

There's a large, glass rear window and even with the roof up the body line remains sleek.

The convertible is fitted with the same 4x4 technology as in all other Evoques including Land Rover's all-terrain progress control which automatically adjusts the vehicle's settings to give it traction under all conditions.

The Evoque Convertible is priced from £47,500 and will be available with a choice of four-cylinder engines including the company's new Ingenium diesel which offers fuel economy of 55mpg with emissions of 149g/km. A 240ps petrol engine will also be included in the range.

Such is the demand for the new generation of Land Rover and Jaguar models fitted with the Ingenium engine the company is about to double the size of its engine plant in Wolverhampton taking investment into the site, which went into operation only a few months ago, to more than £1 billion.