Speed On: 178 MPH Jaguar F-PACE SVR for 2021 Rolls Out

Jason R. Sakurai
by Jason R. Sakurai

Zero to sixty in 3.8 seconds, or 0.3 seconds faster than the outgoing version, the 2021 Jaguar F-PACE SVR is also said to be 2 mph faster, with a top speed of 178 mph. The real question is where outside of Iredell County, North Carolina, scene of NASCAR racer Kyle Busch’s infamous 2011 speeding ticket (128 mph in a 45 mph zone), could you get anywhere near those limits?

What makes the new Jaguar F-PACE SVR faster than ever? Well, a 550-hp, 5.0-liter twin vortex supercharged, 32-valve, dual-overhead-cam V8 engine with a revised torque curve that raises peak output to 516 lb-ft for starters. Then there’s the new-for-2021 Dynamic Launch function, which uses driveline inertia to maintain power to the wheels during gear changes, contributing to its 0-60 MPH times, according to Jaguar an incremental tweak.

All-wheel drive with Adaptive Dynamics suspension technology ensures a precise yet supple ride, while Configurable Dynamics enables the driver to set up the vehicle to suit their personal preferences. A new electronic power-assistance system delivers steering system input and provides greater connectivity between you and the F-PACE SVR. Sounding like an aftermarket enhancement you get from a throttle optimizer, Jaguar has incorporated retuned pedal feel at no additional charge, along with an integrated power brake booster, and improved cooling and brake pads, resulting in a shorter, sportier brake pedal.

Motorsport-inspired design details include aerodynamic benefits derived from new apertures and vents for improved powertrain and brake cooling. The changes are said to deliver a 35 percent reduction in aerodynamic lift and a reduction in drag to 0.36 Cd, yet nothing on the spec sheet indicates this enhances fuel economy or in any way lessens the F-PACE SVR’s environmental impact.

The interior of the new F-PACE SVR has been redesigned, with seat and door inserts and the 12.3-inch HD Interactive Driver Display all finished in Alcantara. Elements such as the central cubby and leather midroll are wrapped in Windsor leather. However, the off-white or light gray interior color in the pre-production images does not inspire outings with your Golden Retriever. The optional slimline, semi-aniline leather sports seats are diamond embroidered with backrest perforation and an embossed SVR logo on the headrests. The dimpled leather Drive Selector may have performance feel, finished with its debossed SVR logo, but it looks clunky. A new SVR split-rim steering wheel fitted with shift paddles that allow for manual gear changes.

As the F-PACE flagship, the F-PACE SVR features all of the advanced technologies including intuitive Pivi Pro infotainment, Software-Over-Air capability, Active Road Noise Cancellation, wireless device charging, the latest advanced driver assistance systems, Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto.

Pricing for F-PACE SVR has yet to be announced. Every new Jaguar vehicle comes with Jaguar’s EliteCare ownership package, which offers a 5-year/60,000-mile new vehicle limited warranty, complimentary scheduled maintenance, 24/7 roadside assistance, and unlimited-mile Jaguar InControl Remote & Protect connected services.

[Images: Jaguar]

Jason R. Sakurai
Jason R. Sakurai

With a father who owned a dealership, I literally grew up in the business. After college, I worked for GM, Nissan and Mazda, writing articles for automotive enthusiast magazines as a side gig. I discovered you could make a living selling ad space at Four Wheeler magazine, before I moved on to selling TV for the National Hot Rod Association. After that, I started Roadhouse, a marketing, advertising and PR firm dedicated to the automotive, outdoor/apparel, and entertainment industries. Through the years, I continued writing, shooting, and editing. It keep things interesting.

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  • Lorenzo Lorenzo on Dec 02, 2020

    For cryin' out loud - give the model a name! What is a F-PACE SVR? Who the frack cares! Call it Whippet, or Quicksilver, or even Speederino, but spare us the stupid letters.

  • Inside Looking Out Inside Looking Out on Dec 02, 2020

    Is there option of buying seats without the rest of the car?

  • Tassos Under incompetent, affirmative action hire Mary Barra, GM has been shooting itself in the foot on a daily basis.Whether the Malibu cancellation has been one of these shootings is NOT obvious at all.GM should be run as a PROFITABLE BUSINESS and NOT as an outfit that satisfies everybody and his mother in law's pet preferences.IF the Malibu was UNPROFITABLE, it SHOULD be canceled.More generally, if its SEGMENT is Unprofitable, and HALF the makers cancel their midsize sedans, not only will it lead to the SURVIVAL OF THE FITTEST ones, but the survivors will obviously be more profitable if the LOSERS were kept being produced and the SMALL PIE of midsize sedans would yield slim pickings for every participant.SO NO, I APPROVE of the demise of the unprofitable Malibu, and hope Nissan does the same to the Altima, Hyundai with the SOnata, Mazda with the Mazda 6, and as many others as it takes to make the REMAINING players, like the Excellent, sporty Accord and the Bulletproof Reliable, cheap to maintain CAMRY, more profitable and affordable.
  • GregLocock Car companies can only really sell cars that people who are new car buyers will pay a profitable price for. As it turns out fewer and fewer new car buyers want sedans. Large sedans can be nice to drive, certainly, but the number of new car buyers (the only ones that matter in this discussion) are prepared to sacrifice steering and handling for more obvious things like passenger and cargo space, or even some attempt at off roading. We know US new car buyers don't really care about handling because they fell for FWD in large cars.
  • Slavuta Why is everybody sweating? Like sedans? - go buy one. Better - 2. Let CRV/RAV rust on the dealer lot. I have 3 sedans on the driveway. My neighbor - 2. Neighbors on each of our other side - 8 SUVs.
  • Theflyersfan With sedans, especially, I wonder how many of those sales are to rental fleets. With the exception of the Civic and Accord, there are still rows of sedans mixed in with the RAV4s at every airport rental lot. I doubt the breakdown in sales is publicly published, so who knows... GM isn't out of the sedan business - Cadillac exists and I can't believe I'm typing this but they are actually decent - and I think they are making a huge mistake, especially if there's an extended oil price hike (cough...Iran...cough) and people want smaller and hybrids. But if one is only tied to the quarterly shareholder reports and not trends and the big picture, bad decisions like this get made.
  • Wjtinfwb Not proud of what Stellantis is rolling out?
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