The Jaguar Land Rover Special Vehicle Operations (SVO) department has been screwing the brutal 575 hp 5.0-liter V8 compressor engine from the low Jaguar F-Type SVR into the high Range Rover Sport SVR for a few years now. This results in a powerful machine, with which the English can provide a good response to the German brands (with their SUVs with AMG, M or RS logos). And it doesn’t stop there, because now that engine with “only” 550 hp is also delivered in the Jaguar F-Pace SVR.
It is as if this mastodon is shot forward by an enormous primal force. A propulsion that ends when air resistance wins and the speedometer is at 283 km / h. However, dry numbers are very different from intangible things like behavior and character. We are dealing here with a car that, given performance and handling, is one of the absolute top in the segment. With its compressor, the Jaguar engine is good at the lesson, especially in the Sport mode. Traction is present over a wide rev range, with a proverbial overdose. Without hesitation, the automatic transmission ensures the right resistance. This drivetrain has no problem with the weight of over two tons. The Jaguar chassis is absolutely in line with the performance of the brutal V8; the wide Pirelli P Zero’s around the 22-inch SVR wheels do their job perfectly: providing maximum contact with the road. The SVR chassis is significantly tighter than the braver F-Pace variants, but it also provides more peace of mind in the car. The SVR is basically a rear-wheel drive; Only when the rear tires can no longer handle the two of them, drive forces are sent to the front wheels. The electronics control the extent to which this happens unnoticed. It ensures that the car turns around the corner for a very long time. The Jaguar is an easy car and a stable travel companion on longer journeys.
Jaguar has cleverly arranged the space. You do not notice that when you sit in the front, but you do in the back. The Jaguar offers plenty of space for rear seat passengers and luggage. The materials used and the finish are in the F-Pace class. Everything you see and grasp in the Jaguar comes across as high-quality. From the soft leather with beautiful stitching to better plastics. For the sporty accent we also see a few carbon panels here and there. The last Jaguars and Land Rovers now have two touch screens on the center console, but with the F-Pace that is not yet the case and you have to do it with one screen. A central controller on the center console is unfortunately not included; to operate the system, you have to point your finger at the screen. The electronics behind the touch screen work quite quickly and the menu structure is set up logically, although Jaguar is not in front of the troops.
Various electronic assistance systems are available. A nice feature is a system with which you can descend controlled slopes with a loose surface. The switch for this can be found on the center tunnel, right next to the one with which you open the valves in the exhaust to enjoy the V8 even more. Most assistance systems are also aimed at use on paved roads, such as torque vectoring or lane assistance and adaptive cruise control. In the option list of the Jaguar we find a trailer stabilization system; The F-Pace SVR can tow a trailer of up to 2,400 kg.