As part of Jaguar’s Art Of Performance Tour, the company made a stop in Detroit and invited the media to hear Chief Designer Ian Callum talk about the new E-PACE and Sportbrake and the transformation of Jaguar over the last five years.
The E-PACE is set to take on the Mercedes GLC, BMW X3, Lexus NX and Alfa Romeo Stelvio, and when you look at that competitive class, the new Jag does seem to be a nice balance of all the above.
Internally known as the Cub, and there is a little Easter Egg to reflect that name in the windshield the goal of the E-PACE was NOT to be a smaller F-PACE. It was meant to be luxurious, but more sporty. Ian Callum called out several design elements pulled from the F-Type including the headlamps, grill and some of the rear styling. Also included in the rear styling is a new design language Jaguar is calling chicane in the rear tail lamps.
The E-PACE will have a transversely mounted 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine developing either 246 horsepower in P250 trim or 296 horsepower in P300 trim. (PS vs BHP for those playing the home game.)
Sitting inside the E-PACE the interior room feels quite large for the size. Yes, it is smaller than the F-PACE but not by much in the seating areas. With the driver seat set correctly for me at 5’10,” I could sit behind the driver’s seat very comfortable and was able to get in and out without any difficulty or having my feet caught up in a tight space between the back of the driver’s seat and the b-pillar.
Interior materials feel premium with plenty of leather and Alcantara spread throughout. There is a 12” TFT display, however, and Ian Callum called this out, they made sure to keep buttons and dials as that tactile feel is much easier and less distracting to use and make adjustments when driving.
Starting pricing with delivery for the new E-PACE will be $39,595 for the P250 and $48,245 for the P300. They also come with Jag’s Elite Care program which is a 5-year/60,000 mile warranty with 24/7 roadside assistance and complimentary scheduled maintenance. So, if you lease, the new E-PACE you should have little other costs than the payment, insurance, and plates.
The Sportbrake is Jaguar’s attempt to appease those asking for more wagons. Yes in an SUV and Crossover crazed market there is a demand for a proper wagon, and interestingly enough, the demographics for that demand is for people making $250,000+. Perhaps they don’t want to get lost in a sea of SUV’s and Crossovers, maybe they just have better taste. To start with the only model that will be offered is the Sportbrake S with the 380-horsepower Supercharged V6.
The Sportbrake features 31.7 cubic feet of load space with the second-row seats up and 69.7 cubic feet with the second row folded flat. As a side note the F-PACE has 33.5 cubic feet of space with the second row up and 63.5 cubic feet with the second row folded flat.
With a 50/50 weight distribution and a low center of gravity, the Sportbrake should be fun to drive. The interior is very well trimmed with plenty of Alcantara and leather to surround you in. The XF, already a good looking car, looks even sleeker when stretched out into wagon form. The Sportbrake will start at $71,445 with delivery and also comes with Jaguar’s Elite Care.
