LEADING THE GREEN CAR PARADE

A year ago, a Range Rover would have seemed out of place in Colorado’s Green Car Parade. This year, a Range Rover led it, writes Ed Dobbs, Centre Manager at Land Rover Flatirons in Denver.

 

We were showcasing our 2012 Range Rover Evoque, the lightest, most fuel‑efficient and most sustainable Range Rover ever.

While it surprised plenty of people to see a Range Rover leading a Green Car Parade, it all made sense to them when they heard of its 28 mpg highway fuel economy, its 95 percent recyclability, and the 35 pounds of recycled material used in its construction.

 

This was the fifth year of the Colorado Green Car Parade. It’s held in the run‑up to the Denver Auto Show to raise awareness for the environmentally‑focused cars and SUVs that would be on display at the show.

It kicked off with a one‑day, five‑city tour that started in Denver, making stops in Boulder, Longmont, Loveland, Fort Collins and Greeley. At each place, the media and consumers came out to look at the vehicles and hear about their eco‑friendly credentials.

 

Then we got to line‑up the 18‑or‑so vehicles around the perimeter of the State Capitol building here in Denver, before setting off on the parade through the downtown streets to the Colorado Convention Center.

We brought along a Firenze Red Range Rover Evoque Coupe to lead the parade, and this being Colorado, we naturally fitted a matching red mountain bike to the roof. We also added stickers to the bodywork highlighting the compact SUV’s 28mpg economy and 95 percent recyclability.

The event was great because I got the opportunity to talk to a lot of consumers about the Range Rover Evoque’s sustainability, explaining that around 1,000 recycled plastic bottles are used in each Evoque to make components like the center console, air cleaner, wheel arch liners, parcel shelf and engine cover.

I also pointed out that there are 46 pounds of natural and renewable materials, such as leather, cotton, cardboard and rubber, in each Range Rover Evoque, and that the stylish Morzine trim fabric used for the headlining and roof pillars, is produced entirely from recycled plastic bottles and fibers.

But, I think what surprised people the most, was discovering that under the hood was a highly‑efficient turbocharged four‑cylinder, rather than a V‑6 or V‑8.

For me, the icing on the cake came when members of the Rocky Mountain Automotive Press voted the Range Rover Evoque their 2012 'New Vehicle of the Year' in their annual Vehicle of the Year awards. The award went to the vehicle that best represented Colorado and its outdoor lifestyle.

That in itself is surely worthy of a parade.