Jaguar told us their SUV is coming right after the XE sedan, and since that’s been done, here comes the F-Pace. It looks good. Very good.
We knew that if Jag’s SUV turns out to be anything like the C-X17 Concept from 2013, success is almost guaranteed now that all buyers want are luxury SUVs. It seems like they also realized that, and Ian Callum did a good job as well, once again.
Jaguar just released a few images of their F-Pace going through extreme temperature testing in Arjeplog, Northern Sweden, and the deserts of Dubai. F-Type rear, XF front, SUV done.
On thing I can tell you is that driving sporty SUVs high up north is the best fun.
Jaguar has 37 miles of purpose-built handling tracks, mountain climbs, inclines, split-friction straights and off-road areas in Sweden. That should do it for the handling.
As for Dubai, cabin temperatures can exceed 158 °F there, so Jaguar takes the prototypes there to make sure the climate control and the touchscreens work perfectly in such extremes of heat and humidity.
But the best part is that they also went rallying with them:
The F-PACE has also been driven over graveled mountain passes. This is the first time that a Jaguar test program has included this uniquely challenging environment, and it is this attention to detail that will help to make Jaguar’s first performance crossover the benchmark in its segment.
Benchmark or not, I would race an F-Pace on gravel.
Photo credit: Jaguar
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