Taking the prize for most audacious reveal at the Frankfurt Motor Show is Jaguar, which sent its new F-Pace crossover through a Guinness World Record-beating loop-the-loop as part of its global debut.
Battling 6.5G through the 19.08-meter (63-foot) loop, the F-Pace helped celebrate Jaguar’s 80th Birthday and showcase the crossover’s agility. Besides the grand entrance, much of the F-Pace’s form and function is already known.
Based on the C-X17 concept, the F-Pace is built on the same modular aluminum chassis as the XE and XF sedans and will share handling technology with the F-Type sports car like its torque-vectoring system. Paired with an advanced all-wheel drive system, the F-Pace should be one of the most capable handling crossovers on the market.
The F-Pace’s electric power steering has been calibrated for as much feedback as possible, with acute sensitivity to driver inputs. Its suspension will be a double wishbone front setup and an integral link rear configuration.
The Jaguar F-Pace is powered by two flavors of supercharged V6 engine: one with 340 horsepower and the other with 380. The more potent engine gets the F-Pace to 60 mph in 5.1 seconds. Later, a 2.0-liter Ingenium diesel will join the lineup, offering 180 horsepower and 317 lb-ft of torque. The base V6 spec will start at $42,390 and the F-Pace S will go for $56,700.
Inside, five occupants are treated to a spacious cabin with 33.5-cubic-feet of storage space. Available is Jaguar’s InControl Touch Pro infotainment system featuring a 10.2-inch capacitive touchscreen, a virtual 12.3-inch HD instrument cluster with full-screen navigation display, and a laser head-up display. You can also add on a Wi-Fi hotspot that can host up to eight devices.
“This was our first crossover design, and, yes, it was hard. We found the initial results quite difficult and disappointing, said Ian Callum, lead designer on the F-Pace. The profile, the 200-meter view, was the hardest bit, and that’s what sells cars. But I reckon we cracked it in the end. ”
When the F-Pace goes on sale in Spring of 2016, a special “First Edition” model will be available with production limited to 2,000 units. The F-Pace will rival Porsche’s Macan and BMW’s X4 for share of the cross-coupe market. Jaguar expects the F-Pace to sell on par with the XE compact sport sedan, meaning it will be a sales leader for the U.K. automaker.
