Jaguar marks E-PACE launch with barrel-roll Guinnness World Record

Going for an SUV doesn’t mean you need to sacrifice the passion for driving, not anymore.

Jaguar is on a bit of a roll at the moment.

As I said, I prefer the look of the “cub” to the F-PACE. Before that, the XE showed other compact saloons how it’s done.

The five-seat crossover is the third vehicle in Jaguar’s SUV push, joining the critically acclaimed F-Pace and the upcoming all-electric I-Pace. There are no official fuel economy figures for this – or any of the other engines – although Carbon dioxide emissions will be 162g/km. Short front and rear overhangs complement a teardrop design to the side windows, another element inspired by the F-Type.

In fact, underneath the body with its F-Type style headlamps, relatively low roofline and sloping tailgate is a platform based on the Discovery Sport and Range Rover Evoque with a transverse engine layout. It has a boot capacity of 577 litres.

Instead, the E-PACE will be offered with gas engines only in the US. Jaguar has once again borrowed bits from the F-Typ, while the dashboard looks a more futuristic.

The front is distinctively similar to the F-Type and there has been a conscious effort from the company to give it that appeal.

Built at Magna Steyr factory, in Austria, a second production facility in China will also begin building the E-PACE in 2018 to help cope with, what’s hoped, to be unprecedented demand for the small E-PACE. Perhaps Brexit is part of the reason, but Jaguar Land Rover’s official line is that its United Kingdom facilities are close to capacity. Along with all-important practicality and notable capability, the first ever E-Pace may just drag its maker into the most lucrative part of the mainstream market. Perhaps also a reason the E-Pace can be specified with 21-inch wheels. The unit now gets the Jaguar’s InControl Pro suite of apps, while the company does say Apple CarPlay and Android Auto will be offered in the future.

Revealed during a recent launch in London, the new E-Pace crossover becomes the second SUV in Jaguar’s lineup to follow the F-Pace.

There’s also five USB and four 12-volt power sockets for passenger to charge their phones and tablets.

The F-Pace feels like a auto most of the time, which was an impressive feat of engineering. A First Edition models will also be offered, but will only be available with the 246bhp diesel or 296bhp petrol engines and on sale for the car’s first year of production.

Four-cylinder petrol engines will be available with 249PS or 300PS producing 365Nm and 400Nm of torque respectively.

Expect the 2018 Jaguar E-Pace to hit dealers early next year.

At the opposite end end of scale, there will be a high-performance 240PS diesel with 500Nm of torque and a 0-62mph time of seven seconds.

Jaguar Land Rover is renowned for creating SUVs that get stuff done, and that’s the case with the E-Pace too. The best fuel economy is said to be up to 60.1mpg. There are MacPherson struts at the front and an integral link for the rear suspension, with the latest active dynamics available on selected models allowing the driver to select different throttle and chassis settings depending on conditions.

Nope, that would be ridiculous.