Huddersfield Daily Examiner

Jaguar F-PACE gets SVO treatment

- By JOHN MURDOCH

MPG figures are official EU test figures for comparativ­e purposes and may not reflect real driving results. Fuel consumptio­n is tested using WLTP and CO2 emissions are NEDC equivalent. Only compare fuel consumptio­n, CO2 and electric range figures with other cars tested to the same technical procedures. For more informatio­n about WLTP please refer to kia.com/uk. Models shown: Picanto 'GT-Line S' 1.25 83bhp 5-speed manual at £14,655 including optional Clear White paint at £260, New Sportage 'GT-Line S' 1.6 CRDi 134bhp 2WD 7-speed Auto DCT ISG at £32,315 including premium Infra Red paint at £615, Stonic '4' 1.0 T-GDi 118bhp 6-speed manual ISG at £20,475 including premium Clear White paint with Black Roof and Venga '4' 1.6 123bhp 6-speed manual ISG at £18,695 including premium Infra Red paint at £530. Specificat­ion varies across the range and is subject to change without notice. *Scrappage saving of £2,000 (incl. VAT) on Picanto and £2,500 (incl. VAT) on Stonic, Sportage and Venga. Offer available on purchase of a Picanto, Venga, Stonic or Sportage in the United Kingdom, Isle of Man or Channel Island between 01.04.2019 and 30.06.2019. Private customer registrati­ons only, excluding Personal Contract Hire. This offer is conditiona­l on the scrappage of a car or van, of any make, taxed and in good working order, originally registered on or before 31.03.2012 and owned by the customer for at least three months prior to the new vehicle's order date. The scrappage saving is in lieu of all other offers. Only one scrappage payment can be claimed for each vehicle scrapped. 7 year / 100,000 mile manufactur­er's warranty. For full terms and exclusions visit kia.com/uk.

Longley Park Motors Ltd trading as Longley Park Motors are a credit broker (not a lender) for the purposes of this financial promotion and can introduce you to a limited number of carefully selected finance providers and may receive a commission from them for the introducti­on.

BIG, bold and with blistering performanc­e the Jaguar F-PACE SVR is the latest offering from the company’s Special Vehicle Operations team.

It might not look too different from the multi award-winning F-PACE SUV but the SVR provides supercar performanc­e from the 5.0-litre supercharg­ed V8 that sits under the bonnet.

It produces a stunning 542bhp with 680Nm of torque and delivers its power through a four-wheel-drive system via an eight-speed automatic gearbox.

The astonishin­g result is that this practical SUV can reach 62mph in just 4.3 seconds before going on to an incredible 176mph. And it does it all while delivering a splendid V8 soundtrack.

Visually the car is transforme­d by a new bodykit designed for aerodynami­c efficiency.

A new front sports large air intakes for cooling and side vents draw out air from the wheelarche­s. The arches themselves have increased in size to cope with the huge

wheels and also to give the car a more sporting aggressive look.

A new bonnet with additional cooling intakes hides that massive power plant and at the rear there is a new diffuser and four large exhaust pipes as well as a spoiler to enhance cooling reduce lift and drag and aid high-speed stability.

To handle all the extra power the SVO team has made numerous tweaks to the chassis and suspension enabling them to reduce body roll.

Uprated dampers, a new anti-roll bar and stiffer springs help cope with all that extra power as do the special tyres which are wider at the rear to provide extra grip and cope with the blistering performanc­e.

Sharper steering and quicker gearshifts are the result of changes to the car’s Dynamic feature on the drive selector set-up and there is always a rear bias on the fourwheel-drive system to provide driving pleasure.

The interior is a dream with the correct blend of luxury and some really neat sporting touches.

Fabulous new slimline embossed sports leather seats hold you in place while you put this remarkable SUV through its paces and SVR logos are stitched on the headrests.

Sports pedals and a new gear selector add to the appeal along with Jaguar’s Touch Pro infotainme­nt and navigation system and a very smart 12.3-inch instrument cluster.

I got to drive the SVR on the French Riviera recently and it was simply astonishin­g.

It could be docile and easy to use around town but a flick of a few switches and it transforme­d into a beast on the open roads or motorways. The performanc­e took my breath away at times and no matter how hard you pushed the SVR always felt glued to the road.

The new lightweigh­t brakes providing excellent stopping power and the variable valve active exhaust system crackled and popped to put a smile on anyone’s face.

A lot of people will question the need for an SUV to be this quick but this car is a worthy flagship for the F-PACE range.

Priced from £74,835 the F-PACE SVR is a super-SUV that delivers sports car performanc­e and still retains its practicali­ty and versatilit­y with a 650-litre boot and some serious off-road ability.

Emissions are rated at 272g/km and that equates to a fuel figure in the region of 24 to the gallon.

The F-PACE is the fastest selling Jaguar ever and this version is sure to add to its appeal and the designers, engineers and technician­s of the SVO team deserve to be proud of it.

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