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?

  • W Conrad I'm not afraid of them, but they aren't needed for everyone or everywhere. Long haul and highway driving sure, but in the city, nope.
  • Jalop1991 In a manner similar to PHEV being the correct answer, I declare RPVs to be the correct answer here.We're doing it with certain aircraft; why not with cars on the ground, using hardware and tools like Telsa's "FSD" or GM's "SuperCruise" as the base?Take the local Uber driver out of the car, and put him in a professional centralized environment from where he drives me around. The system and the individual car can have awareness as well as gates, but he's responsible for the driving.Put the tech into my car, and let me buy it as needed. I need someone else to drive me home; hit the button and voila, I've hired a driver for the moment. I don't want to drive 11 hours to my vacation spot; hire the remote pilot for that. When I get there, I have my car and he's still at his normal location, piloting cars for other people.The system would allow for driver rest period, like what's required for truckers, so I might end up with multiple people driving me to the coast. I don't care. And they don't have to be physically with me, therefore they can be way cheaper.Charge taxi-type per-mile rates. For long drives, offer per-trip rates. Offer subscriptions, including miles/hours. Whatever.(And for grins, dress the remote pilots all as Johnnie.)Start this out with big rigs. Take the trucker away from the long haul driving, and let him be there for emergencies and the short haul parts of the trip.And in a manner similar to PHEVs being discredited, I fully expect to be razzed for this brilliant idea (not unlike how Alan Kay wasn't recognized until many many years later for his Dynabook vision).
  • B-BodyBuick84 Not afraid of AV's as I highly doubt they will ever be %100 viable for our roads. Stop-and-go downtown city or rush hour highway traffic? I can see that, but otherwise there's simply too many variables. Bad weather conditions, faded road lines or markings, reflective surfaces with glare, etc. There's also the issue of cultural norms. About a decade ago there was actually an online test called 'The Morality Machine' one could do online where you were in control of an AV and choose what action to take when a crash was inevitable. I think something like 2.5 million people across the world participated? For example, do you hit and most likely kill the elderly couple strolling across the crosswalk or crash the vehicle into a cement barrier and almost certainly cause the death of the vehicle occupants? What if it's a parent and child? In N. America 98% of people choose to hit the elderly couple and save themselves while in Asia, the exact opposite happened where 98% choose to hit the parent and child. Why? Cultural differences. Asia puts a lot of emphasis on respecting their elderly while N. America has a culture of 'save/ protect the children'. Are these AV's going to respect that culture? Is a VW Jetta or Buick Envision AV going to have different programming depending on whether it's sold in Canada or Taiwan? how's that going to effect legislation and legal battles when a crash inevitibly does happen? These are the true barriers to mass AV adoption, and in the 10 years since that test came out, there has been zero answers or progress on this matter. So no, I'm not afraid of AV's simply because with the exception of a few specific situations, most avenues are going to prove to be a dead-end for automakers.
  • Mike Bradley Autonomous cars were developed in Silicon Valley. For new products there, the standard business plan is to put a barely-functioning product on the market right away and wait for the early-adopter customers to find the flaws. That's exactly what's happened. Detroit's plan is pretty much the opposite, but Detroit isn't developing this product. That's why dealers, for instance, haven't been trained in the cars.
  • Dartman https://apnews.com/article/artificial-intelligence-fighter-jets-air-force-6a1100c96a73ca9b7f41cbd6a2753fdaAutonomous/Ai is here now. The question is implementation and acceptance.
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