MY INDUSTRY insiders tell me that Land Rover is, to use a phrase more normally associated with her husband’s profession, ‘over the moon’ with Victoria Beckham’s input to the iconic 4×4 brand.
To fill you in slightly, Land Rover is launching a brand new smaller Range Rover called the Evoque.
With that news came the announcement that Victoria Beckham, the former Spice Girl who launched her own fashion brand three years ago, was linking up with Range Rover to help launch the model.
Land Rover MD Phil Popham has been rather breathless about it, regarding it as ‘much more than a publicity stunt’ and that Mrs Beckham was ‘showing genuine interest in what she can bring to the male-dominated world of Land Rover and its products’.
Apparently Mrs Beckham will work two or three days a month for Land Rover and not just on the Evoque. There’s the prospect of limited edition models, bespoke Victoria Beckham interiors and not just on Evoque but also Freelander are some of the more obvious routes to take, gushed Mr Popham according to my sources, before adding that David Beckham is also a Range Rover fan.
Quietly, you might be rather bemused by all of this. Certainly I was. It doesn’t have quite the right tone for this quintessentially British and aristocratic brand. Until you understand the following – the influence of global markets.
Victoria Beckham is immensely popular in China and the US, both key markets for Land Rover; Mr Popham expects China to overtake the US quite quickly as the brand’s second biggest global market after the UK. In both the US and China, Victoria Beckham’s every move is followed voraciously by just the sort of woman who Mr Popham hopes will become Evoque customers.
“Two Chinese journalists said to me after the unveil that Victoria’s presence would ensure it will be a hit in their country,” he said as an example of the Victoria effect.
Closer to home, the team at Land Rover reckons that the Evoque will bring a whole new customer base to Land Rover. Which is something I can believe – the appeal of a baby Range Rover is immense.
“We expect the Evoque to appeal to people with MINIs or Audi TTs or people wanting to move out of premium segment saloons,” added Range Rover brand manager Paul Butterworth.
“It’s difficult to judge but we expect very few Evoque buyers to trade out of models like Range Rover Sport,” he said. Evoque prices are expected to end at around £43,000, the starting price of Sport.
Victoria Beckham or not, this baby Range Rover sounds very, very exciting.
Business Car Manager: Editor’s Blog
