Jaguar F-PACE SVR mixes SUV practicality with sports car baiting performance

The Jaguar F-PACE is the latest vehicle to get the full SVR treatment following the Range Rover Sport and Jaguar F-TYPE, giving the SUV sports car baiting performance.

Fitted with the supercharged 5.0-litre V8 petrol engine found in its performance siblings, Jaguar’s biggest SUV is gifted 550PS and 680Nm of peak twist, helping propel it from 0 to 62mph in 4.3 seconds and onto a heady 176mph.

But Special Vehicle Operations team has done more than merely increase the F-PACE’s performance by 44 percent, as the chassis and aerodynamics have been enhanced too. Vehicle Integrity Chief Engineer Mike Cross says the newest SVR still delivers the handling and agility to match its performance, adding:

“Everything from the steering to the bespoke suspension set-up has been tuned specifically for our performance SUV and the result is a vehicle that lives up to the promise of both the F-PACE and SVR names.”

Changes to the chassis include fitting stiffer front and rear springs and an anti roll-bar to tauten up the F-PACE. There are also new alloy wheels fit to the SVR with the option to specify 22in versions. The bigger wheels are also 25mm wider at the rear to help improve the F-PACE’s handling, but also provided greater airflow to the uprated Brembo brakes – with the brake discs featuring an advanced two piece construction to save weight.

Even the aerodynamics have been fettled with larger air intakes fitted to the front fenders which not only improve cooling but reduces pressures under the wheel arches and lift. A modified bonnet comes with vents designed to extract hot air from the engine bay, while at the rear is a new spoiler and side strakes on the bumper to aid aerodynamic performance by smoothing airflow away from the back of the vehicle,

A variable valve active quad-exhaust system which allows increased gas flow and gives the SVR a noise befitting the name and the 5.0-litre V8 under the bonnet.

The F-PACE SVR is the also the first member of its family to get a rear electronic active differential, which includes an unique version of the torque on-demand all-wheel drive system’s Intelligent Driveline Dynamics control system, while the electronic power steering, adaptive suspension and dynamic driving modes have all been fettled.

Inside the Jaguar F-PACE SVR gets a few touches to differentiate it from standard vehicles with the fitment of slim-line performance front seats with enhanced lateral support and the fitment of a sports shift selector and aluminium paddle shifters replacing the rotary dial.

The new range topping F-PACE SVR will be available to order in the summer with prices starting from £74,835.

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