JAGUAR F-PACE SVR

Old-school power play leaves sensible trembling at the traffic lights

IN AN ERA of adding batteries rather than cubic inches to find extra power, Jaguar’s F-pace SVR feels like a bit of an anomaly. Shoehorning an oldschool supercharged 5.0-litre V8 into its mid-size SUV is a (wonderful) case of modern sensibilities be damned.

The net result is a 405kw/680nm uber SUV for a relative bargain ask of $140,262. Along with the bigger engine, the SVR gains new bumper treatments

front and rear which, combined with bonnet vents and quad exhaust tips, add some much-needed aggression to the styling of Jaguar’s first SUV.

Inside, standard equipment includes heated and cooled front seats, heated rear seats, heated steering wheel, electrically adjustable steering column, 11-speaker sound system, Apple Carplay and Android Auto. However, some things that should be standard – blindspot monitoring, adaptive cruise control and head-up display, for example – remain tied up in expensive option packs.

But it’s the engine which is the real headline act here. Acceleration is linear and brutal in equal measure, with the nose nudging skyward as almost two tonnes lunges forward.

Mated to the V8 is an eight-speed auto sending power to all four wheels via an active e-differential. Gearbox calibration is conservative when left in its standard mode, favouring torque to keep revs low. Flick the gear selector over to Sport, and the revs increase as the shifts occur later in the range. But if you really want to grab the F-pace by the scruff of the neck, picking ratios is best taken care of manually via the paddleshifters. This will also give you the best aural experience, with guttural upshift and overrun theatrics.

The F-pace manages its weight well, and while the steering isn’t as impressive as others within the stable, it remains enjoyably communicative and direct. Yet the F-pace falls short of being as dynamically sorted as the class benchmark Porsche Macan, despite running damper rates that are 30 and 10 percent stiffer front and rear respectively compared to the 35t.

The fact our test car rode as well as it did on 22-inch forged alloy wheels (a $2210 option over standard 21s) and steel springs is an engineering feat, but it still struggled with sharper bumps, particularly at slower speeds. Adaptive dampers are standard, thankfully, but the suspension is best left in Comfort mode, with Sport too firm for all bar glassy smooth blacktop.

Bang for bucks, though, the F-pace SVR goes to the head of the class. Compared to rivals MercedesAMG GLC63 S and new BMW X3 M Competition, it’s a keenly priced proposition, positioned $24,638 and $17,638 cheaper respectively.

So the F-pace SVR is a cracker, bringing the theatre and speed of the F-type SVR and mixing it with capability and convenience. It’s an old-school ethos in a brave new-world.