Jaguar’s latest edition, the E-PACE compact SUV has barrel rolled its way into the Guinness World Records at its world premiere. The E-PACE, driven by veteran stunt driver Terry Grant, leapt 15.3 meters whilst performing a 270-degree corkscrew barrel roll earning the title for ‘Furthest Barrel Roll in a Production Vehicle’.
The stunt driver, Terry Grant, said: “As far as I am aware no production car has ever cleanly completed a bonafide barrel roll and therefore it has always been an ambition of mine to perform one ever since I was a boy. After driving the Jaguar F-PACE in the record-breaking loop-the-loop, it has been amazing to help launch the next chapter of the PACE family in an even more dramatic dynamic feat.”
This impressive feat was performed at ExCeL in London after months of testing and analysis to determine angles and speeds required, obviously, this barrel roll is not something to be tried at home, though it is impressive.
Apart from its record-breaking barrel rolling abilities, the new Jaguar E-PACE should have a lot to offer when it finally makes its way to Australian shores around April 2018.
The Jaguar E-PACE is a five-seat, all-wheel-drive compact SUV which aims to combine sports car elements into a practical package. The E-PACE will look to do battle with the BMW X1, Audi Q3 and the Mercedes GLA.
Although it is the smaller sibling to the World Car of the Year F-PACE, it draws design inspiration from the Jaguar F-TYPE sports car. The fast sweep of the roofline, side window graphics, distinctive Jaguar grille and muscular proportions are all key indicators of the sports car influence.
Jaguar’s Director of Design, Ian McCallum, said: “Established Jaguar design principles ensure the E-PACE is immediately recognisable as the sports car of its class. Our new compact SUV combines the interior space, connectivity and security that families expect with the kind of proportions, purity of design and performance not usually associated with such a practical vehicle”
Connectivity is one area that the E-PACE should excel in. The standard 10-inch touchscreen infotainment system features the Jaguar Land Rover InControl system which allows a smartphone or smartwatch to be connected to the car. Via this system the vehicle can be tracked remotely and features functions such as temperature control, checking fuel levels and mileage. It will also automatically alert emergency services if involved in an accident.
The E-PACE will even allow up to eight devices to connect up to a 4G Wi-Fi hotspot. To keep those devices running the E-PACE will be equipped with up to four 12-volt charging points and five USB connections.
Individualised driving settings will also be available in the form of the Configurable Dynamics system which allows the driver to control settings for the throttle, automatic transmission, steering and adaptive dampers if fitted.
Under the hood, the E-PACE will offer the choice of five powertrains with three diesel and two petrol engines. The 2.0-litre four-cylinder Ingenium diesel engine will be available with outputs of 110kW, 132kW and 177kW whilst the 2.0-litre four-cylinder Ingenium petrol turbo engine offers a 183kW or 221kW output.
The engines will all be matched to a nine-speed automatic transmission that sends power to all four wheels. At launch, the E-PACE will only be offered as an all-wheel drive line up, no doubt, rear-wheel drive variants will follow.
Safety and driver assistance technology will not be forgotten in the E-PACE either. Autonomous Emergency Braking system, pedestrian detection, Lane Keep Assist and Driver Condition Monitor systems are all features. Front and rear parking aids are also included as standard across the grades.
Continuing with the safety theme sees a new Forward Traffic Detection system introduced as well as Blind Spot Assist. Advanced active safety features include a pedestrian airbag which deploys from the bonnet in the event of a collision.
The Jaguar E-PACE will also be the first to feature the next-generation Thin-Film Transistor (TFT) Head-Up Display technology. Up to 66 per cent more information can be displayed with large, full-colour graphics at the driver’s eye line which reduces the need to look away from the road. Information such as speed, navigation directions, various alerts and updates will be in full view at all times.
Customers with an active lifestyle may also benefit from the Activity Key. The weatherproof and shockproof wristband allows the driver to lock the main key inside the car while they enjoy active pursuits without having to carry around a conventional key fob. Any key fob left inside the vehicle will be disabled whenever the Activity Key is activated.
The E-PACE will be available in four specification packs – E-PACE, E-PACE S, E-PACE SE and E-PACE HSE – which are similar to those found in its Land Rover counterparts, before further options are added if desired. There will also be an R-Dynamic version of each grade available.
Indicative pricing for the Australian market puts the new Jaguar E-PACE anywhere from $48,000 to $85,000 plus on-road costs depending on the configuration.
Let’s start a Car Conversation, what more technology could you ask for in the new Jaguar E-PACE?
