Top engineering prize for Range Rover Evoque

The engineers beat off stiff competition from a hyper-accurate flood risk modelling system and a rapid genome sequencing camera to win a gold MacRobert medal and a £50,000 prize. John Robinson FREng, chair of the MacRobert Award judging panel, said: "Land Rover is bucking the trend with the Range Rover Evoque, which has been hugely successful and opened up new markets around the world. The judges were impressed with the sheer excellence of the engineering design and the team's mission to create a future-facing product that challenges preconceptions of what a Range Rover looks like, while staying true to the qualities that made the brand famous." The Range Rover Evoque concept car, which has helped sustain 30,000 jobs throughout the supply chain, is designed to retain the ground clearance necessary for true all-terrain capability. In order to maintain the original concept's low profile design, Jaguar Land Rover's engineers packaged the under-floor components, the all new front and rear suspension systems, new chassis frame and 70L fuel tank with millimetre accuracy. Safety and weight-saving technologies can be found throughout its bodyshell and chassis, including an advanced steel monocoque frame that is reinforced with ultra high strength boron steel, which enables the Evoque to achieve a slim profile without compromising strength or safety. "The prestigious MacRobert Award showcases the very best of British engineering," commented Business Secretary Vince Cable. "It demonstrates that the UK is home to several highly innovative companies using the very latest thinking and technology to produce world-beating products and achieve commercial success."