Jaguar’s new offering is a real Pace-setter

...and of my incredible mum Minnie, who’s finally left us after 92 years (and just a single driving lesson)

I COULD say of the past seven days – seven months even – that it’s been a sad time. But that simply wouldn’t be true. My mum, of whom I’ve talked a lot via these pages (a record for a mum where a car column is concerned, I’d imagine), has finally been relieved of the lot of us, after 92-and-a-half years of putting up with our various needs, wants and whatever else kids end up driving their parents mad with for the rest of their lives.

For the past two weeks, we’ve all been squeezed into her little bungalow 24/7. During which time, not a single armchair, sofa or square foot of carpet escaped at least one Evans torso sprawled across it at some point.

‘You can all stay, but only on one condition,’ she announced when we first arrived. ‘You all keep calm and carry on.’ I’m paraphrasing a little here, but that was the gist of it.

It is with Minnie’s blessing, therefore – or more accurately, her insistence – that here follows our regular column…

Jaguar’s E-Pace is certainly as handsome and sporty as the world-beating F-Pace – the company’s fastest-selling car of all time – if not more so. Its compact torso giving the impression of a bundle of energy desperate to be unleashed, a look that almost renders the F-Pace long in the tooth by comparison.

My test car came in Borasco Grey Metallic, one of those super-cool, flat matt retro paint jobs that seem to be all the rage. I loved this colour, as did everyone else as I lapped up yet another epic test week. Evinced by two full refills at the service station, the only downside of which being what that might suggest re fuel economy. I’m more than happy to repeat Jaguar’s claimed figure of 36.7mpg (depending on selected mode and driving style), just don’t ask me to testify to that in court.

Not that I did much to help matters. Quite the opposite, in fact. For the most part I drove the E-Pace R-Dynamic like I stole it. Suffice to say, we got on like a house on fire.

‘There is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so,’ spouted Shakespeare. In which case, I think my penchant for the E-Pace might have something to do with a psychological hangover from when I drove one of the first available F-Paces up a treacherous mountain road in South Africa. I was with American blues legend Seasick Steve, an unforgettable few days during which we became smitten by Jag’s first foray into their now famous ‘Pace’ brand.

There are five engine options to choose from on the E-Pace configurator: three diesel and two more powerful petrol units. Mine was the lesser of the two petrol options at 250hp compared with the rangetopping 300hp. That said, the early customer favourite according to initial orders seems the 180hp diesel. Whereas, even though the two petrol cars start, ‘as standard’, for around the same price, I would still choose either of these over the much slower diesel trio. The petrol cars are almost three seconds quicker from 0-100kph at 6.6 seconds as opposed to 9.4 seconds.

For five days, I had a blast in my E-Pace R-Dynamic. There was a bit more lag than I expected up through the gears to begin with, though this disappeared once I put the hammer down on a more regular basis. After which... ‘Dad, this car is fantastic,’ screamed Noah, as we gunned through Surrey.

The car may be heavy for its size but I didn’t mind that at all, I actually thought it helped when it came to handling. Nor was there any discernible lunging back and forth under braking or acceleration.

From inside the cockpit, with its lush, leather-clad, 18-way electrically heated memory front seats surrounded by a classy trim and fancy configurable ambient lighting, it was all Noah and I could do to stop smiling. Even the relatively minuscule rear windscreen, with its spider’s web of heated elements, and the now dated-looking info screen tech, failed to dampen our enthusiasm – though they did contribute to reducing a potential fivestar rating to four-and-a-half.

So is it worth its hefty price tag? Well, it is massively over spec’d considering what most people would probably go for, but otherwise I would say yes, definitely.

Not that two of my best pals agreed. I let Noel Fitzpatrick The Supervet (Mr Range Rover Velar) and my breakfast show co-host Vassos Alexander (Mr Lexus RX), have a go. After which, neither of them seemed to have a clue what I was banging on about. But then again, who’s going to admit to having bought the wrong car in a newspaper column that your wife, kids, pals and co-workers read?

Secretly, I think they both agree with me. Not that it matters, as Vassos has already put down a deposit on an I-Pace and I think Noel may have got his Velar for free.

In which case, we all remain in the Jaguar Land Rover fan club one way or another.

PS. My mum only ever had one driving lesson, after which my dad thought it might be best to leave it at that. As far as I can recall, it was the only thing he ever thought it prudent to overrule her on.