When Jaguar first unveiled the F-Pace back in 2016 at the New York Auto Show, the SUV proved to be a winner for Jaguar, both in terms of style, as well as awards with the SUV picking up several awards while out on the auto show circuit. However, the world wondered what would happen if the F-Pace was given the claws to back up its svelte looks? Thankfully, the folks at Jaguar’s SVR division have answered this compelling question, and unveiled their latest diabolical performance offering, the 2019 Jaguar F-Pace SVR.
Wheras the standard F-Pace is a V6 exclusive affair, the SVR shoehorns the same 5.0 liter supercharged V8 that also sees duty in the F-Type SVR. In this application, the trick V8 produces 550 horsepower and 502 lb-ft of torque. This is about 170 more horses than the F-Pace S, and allows the F-Pace SVR to claw its way to 60 mph in 4.1 seconds thanks to an Electronic Active Differential and standard all-wheel drive. The F-Pace SVR can also shimmy its way around a track in more precise fashion thanks to a stiffer suspension that features front and rear springs that are 30 and 10 percent stiffer respectively. Jaguar claims that the setup reduces body roll by five percent, and it should be a notable improvement over the “S” variants already poised handling behavior.
The massive well of performance under the hood also bleeds some of its influence into the exterior styling of this beast. While the basic theme is the same beautiful canvas that first graced the world in 2016, SVR engineers made some subtle tweaks to help the F-Pace SVR truly stand out at the local race circuit. For instance, larger air intakes in the grille and lower front bumper help keep the supercharged V8 cool in the heat of the moment, while larger side vents reduce air pressure in the wheel arches. The rest of the styling tweaks are more aesthetically pleasing versus formally functional, but unique wheel arch extensions and lower body moldings help give the SUV a more ferocious persona while an SVR exclusive hood with larger hood vents serve as figurative icing on the cake.
21-inch alloy wheels are standard equipment, but buyers can opt for bigger 22-inch rims that are 5.3 lbs lighter at the front and 3.7 lbs less at the rear. Beefier brakes are also on tap, with the fore-mentioned wheels designed to enhance air flow to the brake rotors.
Despite all the performance upgrades, this version of the F-Pace still retains the capability and practicality that helps the interior of its lesser peers stand out from the crowd. The rear of the F-Pace SVR features a respectable 33.5 cubic feet of cargo space. as well as WiFi connectivity for up to 10 different mobile devices. Jaguar’s 10-inch InControl Pro infotainment system is also standard, though it is a bit of a pity that the slicker InControl Pro Duo system could not be shoehorned into the cabin to make the SVR standout even more from its peers.
“The F-PACE SVR delivers the handling and agility to match its performance” said Mike Cross Chief Engineer of Vehicle Integrity at Jaguar Land Rover. “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.
When the 2019 Jaguar F-Pace SVR eventually makes its way to showrooms later this spring, it will have a base MSRP of $79,990 which does not include the $995 destination fee as well as any optional extras equipped to the model. For those that are curious, this pricing scheme makes the supercharged F-Pace SVR $5 dollars cheaper than the twin-turbocharged Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifolglio, and adds credence to the saying “every cent counts.”
Carl Malek has been an automotive journalist for over 10 years. First starting out as a freelance photographer before making the transition to writing during college, his work has appeared on numerous automotive forums as well as websites such as Autoshopper.com.
Carl is also a big fan of British vehicles with the bulk of his devotion going to the Morgan Motor Company as well as offerings from Lotus, MG, and Caterham. When he is not writing about automobiles, Carl enjoys spending time with his family and friends in the Metro Detroit area, as well as spending time with his adorable pets.