2019 Jaguar F-Pace SVR: One Ferocious Feline

Competes with: Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio, BMW X5 M, Mercedes-AMG GLE63

Looks like:  The F-Pace has been pumping iron

Drivetrain: 550-horsepower, supercharged 5.0-liter V-8; eight-speed automatic transmission; full-time all-wheel drive with torque vectoring

Hits dealerships:  Summer 2018

You knew this was coming. There’s no way it wouldn’t be, not with SUVs being the hottest segment of the market right now and the horsepower wars reaching their hottest point since the 1960s. This is the 2019 Jaguar F-Pace SVR: the meanest, loudest, fastest version of the F-Pace that Jaguar has ever created. It’s meant to do battle with the likes of luxurious super SUVs like the Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio, the Mercedes-AMG GLE63 and the BMW X5 M — but it costs less than either of the two Germans, making the Alfa its main foe.

Related: More 2018 New York Auto Show Coverage

Exterior

Already one of the most stylish SUVs on the market, the F-Pace amps up its feline curves with some pumped-up styling elements. New front and rear bumpers are more aggressive, with an SVR aerodynamic package that includes lower side sills and a rear spoiler to aid in cooling, reducing lift and improving high-speed stability.

Standard wheels are 21 inches with optional 22-inch models, with a staggered width from front to back; they fill fenders that are adorned with extensions. There are quad exhaust tips out the back bumper, and the hood has heat extractor vents as well, setting the SVR apart from lesser F-Pace models.

Interior

The F-Pace SVR gets slimline sport seats up front and heavily sculpted backseats that mimic the bolstering of the fronts. The upholstery is a signature Jaguar “lozenge quilting” on the front and rear seats, and includes an embossed SVR logo. The rotary shift knob that comes with other F-Pace models is banished from the SVR, replaced with a SportShift gear selector like the one in the F-Type sports coupe and convertible.

The SVR badge also can be found on the unique steering wheel, which itself gets genuine aluminum paddle shifters. A 10-inch touchscreen multimedia system is standard, accompanied by a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster behind the steering wheel. One has a choice of four interior colors for the Jaguar F-Pace SVR, including Red with Jet (black), Light Oyster with Jet, Siena Tan with Jet, and Jet with Light Oyster stitching.

Under the Hood

Now we get to the goods. Stuffed under the vented hood is a supercharged 5.0-liter V-8 engine making 550 horsepower and 502 pounds-feet of torque. It lets itself be heard through a new lightweight sport exhaust that has a variable-valve opening, allowing your Jag to roar when you want it to and boosting performance by reducing back pressure.

The power gets to the ground through an eight-speed automatic transmission that sends power to all four wheels in a permanent all-wheel-drive setup, employing a standard electronic active rear differential with torque-vectoring technology. The suspension is also active electronic, as is the steering. The Dynamic Driving Mode selector can help you choose anything from sedate around-town driving or a full-on track monster mode.

Jaguar reports that performance numbers are formidable, with a zero-to-60-mph time of 4.1 seconds and a top speed of 176 mph. Massive two-piece 15.5-inch front and 15.6-inch rear brake discs haul you back down from these speeds, while an upgraded chassis with progressive front and rear springs helps keep everything under control.

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