FPace SUV plus raging V8 equals genius!
Jaguar’s Macan Turbo rival squeezes a supercharged V8 into an upgraded chassis. By Jake Groves
IT WAS ONLY a matter of time before JLR’s Special Vehicle Operations department got its hands on the F-Pace, and here it is: Jaguar’s first high-performance SUV. The F-Pace SVR crams in a supercharged 5.0-litre V8 and a feast of chassis and cabin upgrades.
There’s 542bhp and 502lb ft on tap, good for a 0- 62mph sprint in just 4.3 seconds, maxing out at 176mph. But as SVO’s Duncan Smith says: ‘It’s not just the engine. There are really special brakes and important work done on the suspension and chassis. It’s a complete package.’
The uprated brakes – 395mm discs at the front, 396mm at the rear – are joined by rear tyres that are 25mm wider than the fronts (a handling-enhancing trick also used on the Porsche Cayenne) and an electronic active differential for the rear wheels, all optimised to make sure you can make the most of that V8. The automatic transmission, torque vectoring, adaptive dynamics and all-wheel-drive systems all get their own go-faster SVR modifications.
Other details making the F-Pace SVR unique include 21-inch standard or 22-inch optional alloy wheels, stiffer anti-roll bars and an active exhaust that’s not only 6.6kg lighter than the standard F-Pace system but also allows that supercharged V8 to howl.
‘Everything from the steering to the bespoke suspension setup has been tuned specifically for our performance SUV,’ says Mike Cross, chief engineer for vehicle integrity at JLR. ‘ The result is a vehicle that lives up to the promise of both the F-Pace and SVR names.’
At the front there are huge air intakes to feed the engine and cool the brakes, while at the rear there are bulbous fins in the rear bumper and a flip-up spoiler to keep the car pinned to the road at speed.
Inside, the rotary gear selector has been replaced by a trigger-like shifter for the transmission. Leather sports seats with bespoke SVR detailing are standard, as is a digital instrument display and Jag’s InControl Touch Pro system with a wireless 4G hotspot. Yours for around £75,000, and available to order this summer.