The 2021 Jaguar F-Pace SVR Is the Last of Its Breed
Even in the upscale summer enclave of Newport, Rhode Island, a bright orange Jaguar SUV turns heads.
I borrowed a 550-horsepower 2021 F-Pace SVR in "Atacama Orange" for a weekend trip to the destination that plays a starring role in HBO's The Gilded Age, and it did not disappoint. The “SVR” classification means that it is produced by Jaguar's Special Vehicles unit and tuned to offer a higher level of performance than a base model F-Pace, which starts at $50,900. For about $35,000 more, the SVR offers upgraded accoutrements, like 14-way heated and cooled front seats and red brake calipers.
It's also capable of going from zero to 60 miles per hour in just 3.8 seconds using a feature called "Dynamic Launch." (That's .3 seconds faster than the previous model of the F-Pace SVR.) While the orange stood out even in Newport, it was far from the only Jaguar SUV in town. In fact, I parked next to another late-model F-Pace (albeit not an SVR) at one of the beach clubs on Ocean Avenue.
In 2021, Jaguar announced that all of its vehicles will be fully electric by 2025, so this model is among the last of the automaker's gas-powered SUVs. I asked a brand representative what that means for the design process.
"To quote Jaguar co-founder Sir William Lyons, 'a Jaguar is a copy of nothing,'" Jaguar representative Jeff Jablansky says. “The Jaguar Design team will have at its disposal a bespoke BEV platform entitled Electric Modular Architecture (EMA), which can allow for clever battery and powertrain packaging. And because of their different (mostly fewer) packaging requirements, EVs need not follow the typical, three-box design, i.e. engine in front, transmission tunnel down the center. We will work to evolve signature Jaguar Design cues, like the recognizable long hood and sinuous curves."
One aspect of the gas-powered beauty that will be lost when Jaguar fully shifts to electric vehicles? The loud rumble of the exhaust, which, in this car, is a joy to experience.
Jablansky says that Jaguar's designers focused on "a return to natural materials" in the refreshed F-Pace: "Authentic finishes, including open-pore wood veneers and aluminum, complement the beautifully formed shapes of the details inspired by British craftsmanship throughout the cabin," he says. The color options are also some of the most vibrant in the industry, with more than 15 finishes in the "SV Premium Palette" ranging from ranging from the iridescent Icy White to the eye-catching Sorrento Yellow and Atacama Orange.
In 2022, Jaguar creeps closer to its 2025 EV goal with the I-Pace. The brand's first all-electric SUV, it has a range of 292 miles and a 0-60 time of 4.5 seconds. Also included is an 11kW onboard charger that offers faster at-home charging than the previous iteration. Jaguar Land Rover is also taking orders for its 2023 Land Rover Range Rover Extended-Range Plug-In Hybrid and SV models. The automaker expects the Plug-In Hybrid will have an electric range of 48 miles. A fully electric Range Rover, the first all-electric Land Rover vehicle, will join the lineup in 2024.
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