Life with Jaguar Land Rover
- Colin Cumming
- Nov 1, 2021
- 5 min read
Where better to test the latest line-up from Jaguar Land Rover, than the sweeping hills and undulating roads of the Perthshire countryside. From the new Land Rover Defender to the refreshed Jaguar F-Pace SVR and everything in between, getting behind the wheel of some of the British marquee's latest models was never going to be dull.
Having driven the original Jaguar F-Pace SVR a few years ago, I was keen to see what the differences were. When it originally came out, Jaguar were up against stiff competition from their German rivals, however, the SVR delivered and quickly made its mark. Since then, it's fair to say, there's been some marked up improvements.
The refreshed, muscley, supercharged 5.0-litre V8 petrol model, now comes with more torque, more power and more speed, quite a feat for a large SUV. The SVR feels light and responsive behind the wheel, thanks in part to its 'lightweight aluminium architecture'. The 550ps is noticeable as soon as you accelerate, with the smooth, powertrain pulling away effortlessly, allowing for a serene drive, not to mention the 0-60mph in 3.8 seconds. New tweaked chassis electronics and improved suspension help deliver a well tuned ride.
It's a big car, but a very easy one to drive and control on the open road. Precise steering and braking make for a nice driving experience, with body roll almost non-existent. Whether driving through town, country roads or motorway, the SVR is a delight.
Design changes for the refreshed F-Pace SVR include a remodelled bonnet, now with bigger air intakes and vents behind the wheels. There's new light clusters front and rear, and a new tweaked spoiler on the spoiler.
The power comes into its own once you activate the 'Sport' button. Traction controls loosen, an influx of power is unleashed and the car livens up. The roar of the engine isn't too intrusive nor is tyre noise, thanks to an active cancellation system. Officially you'll get 23.1mpg but put your foot down and you're looking closer at 16-17mpg. CO2 is 275g/km and top speed is 178mph.
Surprisingly there's no hybrid or electric model, as yet.
The cabin has been subtly reshaped and enhanced compared to the older model. It's more refined and defined. The new 11.4-inch central screen is well organised and easy to use, more responsive and sharper. There's also a new instrument screen, which is high-definition, with a mix of buttons and touchscreen.
In addition to the standard F-Pace, the refreshed SVR, at £77,595 provides plenty bang for your buck. Including; a switchable active sports exhaust, 21-inch 5-split spoke alloys, 14-way electric heated and cooled front seats with memory performance, interactive driver display, clear exit monitor, Meridian sound system, SV exterior pack and red brake calipers front and rear.
Options include a fantastic panoramic glass roof and wireless device charging with phone signal booster.
The refreshed F-Pace SVR is definitely a bit of a beast.
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Available as a two-door short-wheelbase '90' or as a four-door long wheelbase '110' edition, along with a mild hybrid model, the new Defender which launched earlier in the year, has been met with great praise and acclaim.
The combustion engine as we know it will soon be a thing of the past (apparently), with many manufacturers going full-electric or hybrid - including Jaguar Land Rover, meaning gas-guzzling machines will all but be redundant, or will they?
Suffice to say, when I got behind the wheel of the 90 edition, the already capable Defender came with a 5.0-litre Supercharged petrol V8.
Upon acceleration, you feel how fast it moves off, the levels of comfortable and how quiet it is - given the noise emitted from the old Defender. The 532ps, AWD is a joy to drive. 19.2mpg, 0-60mph in 5.1.seconds and a top speed of 140mph, with CO2 327g/km, the V8 90, is a fast piece of kit. The Defender's chassis and suspension have been beefed up to cope with the added power and torque, with larger anti-roll bars helping minimise body roll.
I was genuinely surprised how good the V8 90 was, both on and off road.
Given the nature of the car, it's actually soft and gentle in its reactions, providing plenty comfort all round, so much so, it drives and feels more like a luxury car. It'll navigate and conquer - ascents, descents, slopes, snow, sand, wading and any other terrain thrown at it - effortlessly. Along with 'Electronic Active Rear Differential' and new 'Dynamic' mode - the Terrain Progress Control provides stiffer suspension and dampers to help bring out the character of the new Defender.
With quad outboard mounted exhausts, shadow atlas exterior accents, 22-inch black gloss alloys, Xenon blue front brake calipers and V8 badges, aesthetically the new V8 stands out in the crowd.
The cabin is a hybrid mix of old-school meets new-school, with technology interspersed with durable materials. There's fancy leather upholstery suede cloth/Robustec accents and an Alcantara steering wheel with satin black trim. The strong and robust centre console and controls are fit for purpose.
There's nice touches including; illuminated metal treadplates with V8 branding, front centre console refrigerator compartment, cabin air Ionisation with filters and satin chrome gearshift paddles.
There's a standard 10-inch 'Pivi Pro' infotainment system with the option of a 11.4-inch touchscreen, and a 700Watt, 14-speaker, subwoofer Meridian sound system. The sharp heads up display accompanies multiple state-of-the-art driver assists.
Despite only being a two-door, there's plenty leg and headroom front and rear, with an excellent commanding view of the road.
The 90 will set you back £98, 575, with the 110 edition coming in at £101,150.
Very few owners will make full use of the Defender's capabilities, but rest assured, this is a very capable car, and then some.
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The luxury car sector is more competitive than ever, and the often overlooked and underrated Jaguar XF saloon, is flying the flag for the British manufacturer. With the demise of the XJ model, the XF is the largest luxury car in the Jaguar range (along with the XF Sportbake estate).
To ensure the XF, now in its second generation, still stands out, Jaguar treated it to a number of updates over the years - including refined and streamlined engine choices with aesthetic tweaks across the range, and updates to its interior trim and on-board tech, thus ensuring it was ready to battle with the best in the executive saloon market.
I got behind the wheel of the refreshed range topping XF 2.0-litre P300 petrol R-Dynamic HSE.
Thanks to its aluminium underpinnings, the sleek and stylish XF is relatively light compared to its rivals, which helps the way it rides and handles. The all-wheel drive set up, along with the suspension, keep the body tied down nicely during cornering, offering plenty composure and grace.
There’s lots of comfort on offer too, as the XF boasts that typically plush ride quality big Jags are renowned for. Front and rear space is plentiful with 459 litres of boot space on offer.
Show the XF a twisty road, and the precise steering and brakes take you eagerly around bends. AWD strikes a good balance, adding excellent handling and grip for poorer conditions. This car is meant to be driven. Getting behind the wheel feels comfortable, spacious and quiet.
With 300ps, 0-60mph in 6.1 seconds and a top speed of 155 mph, the XF is a powerful saloon. You get 32.9mpg and emissions of 193g/km CO2. The eight-speed automatic gearbox is smooth, allowing for a comfortable and engaging drive.
In addition to the high specification and plethora of safety assists on the standard XF model, the R-Dynamic HSE adds; 20-inch 5 split-spoke with silver finish and black gloss inserts alloys, Windsor leather 16-way heated electric front memory sports seats, 11.4-inch touchscreen with 'Pivi Pro' infotainment system, R-Dynamic exterior pack, interactive drivers display, 30-colour premium cabin lighting, adaptive cruise control with steering assist and a 400watt Meridian sound system.
There's optional 20-inch 5 split-spoke satin black alloys, black exterior pack, privacy glass and a wonderful sliding panoramic roof.
Prices for the Jaguar XF 2.0-litre R-Dynamic HSE come in at £44,760, with options additional.
The Jaguar XF is no copy cat nor does it pussyfoot around - it's great to drive, comfortable, well equipped and stands its ground, in the competitive executive saloon market.
The Jaguar Land Rover feature as seen in the nation press.
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