Polished, punchy and phwoar!

You’ll hear these two coming . . . they go very fast, writes Richard Bosselman.

Performance V8s are ultimately doomed, but what chance they’ll go quietly? Ferocious growling is intrinsic to the Jaguar F-Pace SVR and the Mercedes-AMG C63 S estate.

Each delivers an exhaust timbre of such strength in full phwoar footing – the Brit supercharged 5.0-litre pushing out a touch deeper-throated bellow, even more off-throttle crackle-pop and a louder at-idle burble than Germany’s 4.0-litre biturbo bogan – there’s potential they’ll be heard before they are seen.

And yet, when the occasion calls for a less overt ambience . . . well, they can tone down the trumpeting quite considerably.

Such is life with multi-modal exhausts’ ability to suit the mood of any given moment. From a quiet ‘‘eco’’ setting that’s primarily there to satisfy official sound check tests to settings that progressively liberate more effusive sounds that are music to enthusiast ears. Perfect, right?

Best make the most of it. Breaking news suggests change in the air will detune today’s high-intensity rumble. European drive-by noise regulations have become less lenient. What’s OK now, soon won’t be. AMG has already admitted future product will be quieter.

For Jaguar, there’s this plus knowing the raucous AJ engine featuring here will become redundant anyway, with production ending next year. Talk is the replacement will be

. . . gulp . . . BMW’s 4.4-litre eight. Sad faces at Special Vehicles Operation if M-Division muscles into their patch.

Even with less roar, they’ll still be raw. And yet, offering something you normally don’t expect with high performance. Another ‘‘p’’ word.

Having a big power-operated tailgate and a swag of space behind it doesn’t seem to inhibit how those models go, but it surely must raise their status when fun and family must be considered.

Jaguar has an extra edge in that the F-Pace meets the market’s SUV fascination, presenting in four-wheel-drive and costing $12,900 less than the rear-drive Benz. But either way, if there’s stuff to shift, they’re versatile load swallowers – just mind the upmarket leather trims.

The Bunnings-friendly format doesn’t diminish ability to crack on at crazy pace. They also have optimal load for brawn and so not only have gold medal potential in their categories but run almost equally for optimal top speed and in the zero-to100kmh sprint (where the AMG tops, with 4.1 seconds against the Brit’s 4.3). Top speeds are also in the headline-making 280kmh zone.

Fuel burn? Yup, they’re big on that though, surprisingly, with an average 10.6 litres per 100km from test, the AMG was actually 0.1l/100km under the official combined claim while the Jag sat half a litre above the cited 11.7. Carbon dioxide emissions, another reason why these engines are ultimately doomed? Not flash. Jag at 272g/km, the bonker Benz 237.

The power of pedigree shapes up with extrovert stylings. Wheelarch extensions, rear diffusers, roof spoilers and unique alloys are common ingredients, but it’s the Jaguar

that’s most warlike due to large air intakes in the front mudguards, bonnet vents and an incredibly vivid blue paint. The interiors of both also adapt to the task at hand, both running wellbolstered sports seats, the Jag’s with a cool quilted surface, and offering great, low-set driving positions.

I like that the SVR edition has a regular gear lever in place of the old rotary dial – so much more appropriate than the C-class stalk shifter – though, in fairness, either way you soon find yourself running in Drive for everyday then shifting into manual, and using the paddle shifts (AMG’s are better) when wanting to go hands on, appropriate given their abilities. You need not go far to be reminded these are serious cars demanding respect and talent.

The supercharged V8’s strength is the wall of wallop, torque spanning from 2500-5500rpm is so unremitting in its oomph that you just find it hard to believe it is less muscular than the AMG. The allwheel-drive element is hugely beneficial on winding roads; once through an apex, you can feed in more grunt more quickly than with the Benz, which tailwags and might even briefly wheelspin if over-hurried.

Given that it carries more mass than the Merc and also has more air between its underside and the seal than any other roadlegal performance Jag, you’d think it only fair to cut the F-Pace some slack. Assuredly, it seeks no such sympathy. With uprated dampers, firmer springs, a thicker anti-roll bar, huge brakes, a trick rear-axle mounted electronic active diff and high-performance tyres, it has the goods to undermine thought that SUVs are pushing their luck when being punted hard out.

You do need to watch your surfaces. Even though the fronts will ultimately pull as forcefully as the rears push, most of the power goes to the rear wheels until the system detects slippage. This, and the tyres’ often failing to cut through heavily metalled sections, made for plenty of oversteer on 40km of unsealed road I committed to, taking a wrong turn on a route I thought I knew better. The tail-wagging would have been more fun without the unwelcome elements of dizzying drops, blind corners and having to undertake an emergency avoidance of an ownthe-road stock truck.

Using the AMG for an open road trek down country roads was a touch nerve-racking, since even on coarse chip in the ‘‘comfort’’ setting, it’s a bit jittery. Would it crack? No.

Expensive to buy and keep. That’s how it goes with all performance cars. At least, with these, you get practicality with the polished punch.