Oh happy days! Well, happy for those that want insanely powerful, super-handling, all-purpose utility vehicles that can smash the sound barrier in seconds and climb the Matterhorn in reverse.
We’re convinced engineers at JLR have been itching to release the SVR from the moment the F-PACE arrived in showrooms just shy of two years ago. Jaguar and Land Rover’s resources run deep nowadays so transforming a sometimes-tame midsize luxury crossover into an AWD land-to-land missile didn’t require that much thought.
Behind the massive air intakes, as part of the new more aggressive front graphic, and under the bulging bonnet, is the family supercharged 5.0-liter V8 that produces 550-horsepower and 502 lb.- ft. of torque that is mated to an 8-speed Quickshift automatic transmission. The AWD system is fully SVR-tuned. It is a torque on-demand setup with Intelligent Driveline Dynamics (IDD) control technology. The rear electronic active differential can manipulate power delivery from one wheel to another through torque vectoring for optimal performance and handling.
What does all this mean? The F-PACE SVR will crush the 0-100 km/h sprint in only 4.3 seconds and stop accelerating once it reaches 283 km/h. And with a sticker price set at $89,900, it’s roughly $25k cheaper than the equivalent BMW X5 M and Mercedes GLE 63 AMG.
You might be thinking that the F-PACE SVR is a lesser vehicle than the other two but, at least on paper, it doesn’t seem that way. Physically, it sports full SVR regalia with an aerodynamic package that features specific front and rear bumpers, side skirts, and a rear spoiler. It gets 21” or optional 22” lightweight wheels and a stiffer Adaptive Dynamics suspension.
Behind the wheels are massive 2-piece brake discs, and aft the rear wheels is a specially tuned variable valve active exhaust system that will make this cat purr.
The cabin gains a number of goodies. We love the slim-line performance seats and the SportShift shifter lifted from the F-TYPE. Aluminum paddle shifters adorn the SVR steering wheel and, well, we’re getting excited about driving this beast! Beyond that, the F-PACE SVR is still a capable family-friendly vehicle with a decent-sized boot. As well, a 4G Wi-Fi connection is optional while the 12.3” Interactive Driver Display instrument cluster and 10” touchscreen for infotainment and other functions are standard.
This is not an SVR-performance packaged F-PACE. This is the real deal and is engineered by in-house Special Vehicle Operations (SVO).
The 2019 Jaguar F-PACE SVR arrives in showrooms this summer. In the meantime, check out the brief video Jag put together for the car. That one shot of the rear end really gets our fizz on.
