As we lurch towards an electric future, there are going to be a few last blasts of big, honking, powerful petrol engines and this, the 500hp supercharged V8 nestled in the front of the revised Jaguar F-Pace SVR, could be one of the best of the last.
Big chin spoiler
The whole F-Pace SVR has been updated in line with the recently revised standard F-Pace, and gets the same styling tweaks (smoother front end with no bonnet seam anymore, new lights front and rear with the 'Double-J' daytime running signature) with a hulking SVR performance bodykit. There's a big, deep chink spoiler that puts us slightly in mind of the 1980s Aston Martin V8 Vantage, a bonnet bulge, quad exhausts at the back, and Jaguar claims that the car is now more aerodynamically efficient (the coefficient of drag has fallen to 0.36Cd) and that the car now develops 35 per cent less lift at speed. There are also the expected gaping air intakes, bonnet vents, and massive 22-inch alloy wheels, finished in 'Gloss Black' with 'Satin Grey' inserts.
Inside the F-Pace SVR, again, gets many of the same updates recently bestowed upon the standard F-Pace. Most importantly it gets the big, new 11.4-inch central touchscreen, which uses Jaguar's new 'Pivi Pro' infotainment system, which has a terrible name but is a really slick system. It allows for lots of online connectivity services, has built-in access to popular apps such as Spotify, and can recieve software updates over the air via its built in mobile communications chip. There's also a new 12.3-inch digital instrument panel, active noise cancellation, and the new Activity Key, which looks a little like an Apple Watch but which allows you to lock and unlock the car without having a key in your pocket.
SVR-specific touches include zinc-alloy paddle shifts for the eight-speed automatic gearbox, a split-rim steering wheel with red SVR stitching, a dimpled leather finish for the new, chunky, gear selector, and some gorgeous high-back bucket seats with a racing harness slot (which we guess will never get used properly) which have SVR logos embroidered on the headrests.
More torque, higher top speed
Up front, that mighty 550hp V8 gets an extra 20Nm of torque, bringing it to a total of 700Nm, which can fling the F-Pace SVR to 100km/h in just 4.0 seconds, and on to a top speed of 286km/h, and increase of 3km/h over the old model. CO2 emissions are actually down a little (!) but seeing as we're talking about a fall from 281g/km to 275g/km, Greenpeace might not be breaking out the bunting just yet.
There's a new electronic architecture, which allows for sharper throttle response, faster-reacting adaptive suspension, and a new Dynamic Launch function which uses the inertia of the engine to keep load going through to the tyres during acceleration runs when the gearbox is changing up. There's also an uprated steering system, and Jaguar says that there's a more sharply defined difference between the car's Comfort and Sport modes. That also allows Comfort to be more comfortable, meaning that when you're not attacking apexes, the F-Pace SVR is a snuggier long-haul companion. Height sensors at each corner of the vehicle measure the vertical body movement, roll and pitch 100 times a second, while steering inputs are measured 500 times a second. The Adaptive Dynamics suspension system uses these inputs to continually adjust the damper stiffness to maximise, claims Jaguar, comfort and control.
The massive brakes (395mm at the front) now use two-part discs, and the brake booster has been modified for shorter pedal travel and greater feel. The Configurable Dynamics setup allows you to set up the vehicle to suit their personal preferences, with a choice of Comfort or Dynamic settings applied to the throttle mapping, gear shift points, steering effort and suspension. A stopwatch, G-Meter and pedal graph also help the driver to monitor performance in Dynamic mode while Adaptive Dynamics continuously adjusts the dampers for enhanced comfort and refinement depending on road and driving conditions.
Tweak the chassis settings to your taste
The new F-Pace chassis now supports the introduction of the latest JaguarDrive Control and new Auto Vehicle Hold function. JaguarDrive Control features Comfort, Eco, Rain-Ice-Snow and Dynamic modes, which can be chosen manually by the driver based on the road conditions. The settings, selected through a new rotary dial next to the all-new Drive Selector (nice, if you miss the old rotary gear shifter), can optimise the F-Pace SVR's steering, transmission, throttle and (when specified) Adaptive Dynamics settings accordingly.
Michael van der Sande, Managing Director, Jaguar Special Vehicle Operations, said: "The original F-Pace SVR was incredibly characterful, well received by our customers and has gone on to become the highest-selling Jaguar SV product ever. The new version builds on this success, by making numerous detailed improvements that combine to raise the bar in the high-performance SUV segment. With a wide range of technological enhancements from our team of expert engineers and a comprehensively improved exterior and interior finish, the new F-Pace SVR is more focused, inspires more confidence and is even more captivating than ever before."