SVR brings a much bigger engine option to local Jaguar customers

JLR SA

Jaguar’s fastest ever SUV is now officially on sale in South Africa and it is sure to alter perceptions of the brand’s all-wheel drive vehicles.

For decades Jaguar sourced success from building uniquely British limousines and luxury two-door grand touring cars, but now most of the company’s business revenue comes from SUVs.

The transition from a pure sportscar brand, to one which also markets SUVs, has been a radical departure for Jaguar and although traditionalists were initially uneasy with its change in product strategy, this latest F-Pace should assuage all their doubts.

The vehicle in question is Jaguar’s F-Pace SVR and it prices at R1 499 400. Positioned as a rival to the Porsche Macan, F-Pace faces very credible competition, but Jaguar is confident of this SVR version claiming its share of the South African premium SUV market.

SVR is the first F-Pace to feature a V8 engine and at 5-litres of capacity, it is much bigger then the previously largest engine on offer, a 3-litre V6. Supercharging boosts performance, with the V8 producing 405kW and 680Nm. Those engine output numbers are impressive and although the F-Pace SVR isn’t a light vehicle, weighing 2070kg, it is very rapid.

Top speed rates at 283kph and in benchmark acceleration tests, it run 0-100kph in 4.3 seconds. Balancing the SVR’s storming performance are larger brakes than any other F-Pace and a suspension set-up which is stiffer, to resist body roll during high-speed cornering or emergency braking.

Equipped with Jaguar’s adaptive dynamics system and torque vectoring, which uses brake interventions to help SVR turn-in and tuck through curves with more agility, this V8-powered F-Pace tries its best to remain true to Jaguar’s performance car heritage.

Signalling its performance potential to rivals and other road users are several SVR-specific styling details. The wheel arches are larger and flared, to accommodate 22-inch alloy rims, and there is a reshaped front bumper section, which is more aerodynamic than also helps feed a greater volume of cooling air to that large capacity V8 engine. Cooling is a priority, and as such, the bonnet also features additional air-intakes.

Viewed from the rear, SVR is distinguished by quad-tailpipes, a typical feature of V8-engined performance vehicle, which measure 84mm in diameter – and ensure a characteristic Jaguar growl during peak acceleration.

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