Jaguar’s long-awaited F-PACE SUV has debuted in Frankfurt. Inspired by the C-X17 concept vehicle, the new car becomes Jaguar’s first ever crossover.
As well as incorporating design cues from the C-X17, there are also F-Type-inspired elements such as the rear haunches, fender vents and tail light graphics.
However, at 4,731 mm long and with a width of 2,874 mm between the centres of the front and rear wheels, the wheelbase and track dimensions of the F-PACE are not shared with any other Jaguar.
“Every Jaguar should draw your eye from 200 metres away and I believe the all-new F-PACE’s presence on the road is second to none in this class. The Lightweight Aluminium Architecture gave us the design freedom to create a car with latent poise – a svelte car with attitude,” said Jaguar design boss, Ian Callum.
Underpinned by the same modular aluminium platform as the XE and new XF saloon, the body structure comprises 80 per cent aluminium, and is claimed to be the only aluminium-intensive monocoque in the segment.
Additional weight savings come from the composite tailgate and magnesium for parts such as the cross-car beam, while the bodysides are formed from a single sheet of aluminium.
The result is that the rear-wheel drive 178 bhp 2.0-litre diesel manual transmission model manages to weigh in at 1,665 kg and achieves CO2 emissions of 129 g/km.
With a 375 bhp 3.0-litre supercharged engine from the F-Type under its aluminium bonnet, the V6 petrol model, meanwhile, is claimed to accelerate from 0-62 mph in 5.5 seconds before reaching an electronically-limited top speed of 155 mph.
The standard model is fitted with a six-speed manual gearbox, with an eight-speed automatic unit coming as an option; the latter is standard on the V6 diesel and petrol models.
The crossover also benefits from an F-TYPE-derived double wishbone front suspension and Integral Link rear suspension. Torque vectoring and electric power steering also come as standard.
On the inside, the long wheelbase allows passengers to sit further outboard, offering increased space. The luggage compartment is claimed to offer a volume of 650-litres, while the rear seats allow through-loading and when folded flat, the luggage compartment offers up to 1,740-litres of space.
Additional interior details include an InControl infotainment system and a 12.3-inch HD virtual instrument cluster.
Built alongside the XE at the company’s Solihull manufacturing plant, the new F-PACE has resulted in an additional £120m of investment in the facility. This takes the total amount invested in Solihull’s ‘factory within a factory’ to £620mn – the largest investment in the 70 year history of the Midlands based plant.
The car is expected to go on sale early 2016.
Source: Jaguar
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