Jaguar is moving in a very questionable direction lately. Recently it was announced that it will be ceasing production of its entire model lineup except for the F-Pace. Rumour has it that the next swathe of products bearing the growler badge will be electric-only and priced into Bentley/ Rolls-Royce territory.
A questionable sell, especially when you consider the inherent goodness and desirability of this car we’re testing here; the 2024 Jaguar F-Pace SVR.
Powered by a 5.0-litre supercharged V8 generating 405kW and a monumental 700Nm of torque, it could well be the antithesis of an electric vehicle and a testament to all that is wrong with JLR’s future product plans. Exuding the kind of understated muscle a top-tier Jaguar is renowned for with its Eiger grey paint and delicious, 22-inch alloy wheels, the SVR possesses the kind of gravitas only a petrol-powered performance SUV can.
It seems the punters agree with 219 units of F-Pace shifted for the first six months of 2024 – an 88.8 per cent increase on 2023 (VFACTS). So where does the F-Pace SVR sit against potential competition? Is it worth buying over the competition?
2024 Jaguar F-Pace SVR: Specifications
Engine: 5.0-litre supercharged V8
Output: 405kW@6250-6500rpm / 700Nm@3500-5000rpm
Gearbox: Eight-speed auto
Drive type: Four-wheel drive
Wheels: F: 21×9.0, 265/45 R: 21×10, 295/40
ANCAP: Not tested
Tare weight: 2058kg
Power-to-weight: 5.08:1 (kg:kW)
Official consumption: 11.7L/100km
Our consumption: 13.1L/100km
Fuel tank/Fuel type: 82L/95 RONPower efficiency: 34.61kW:L/100km
0-60km/h: 2.35 seconds*
0-100km/h: 4.19 seconds*
60-110km/h: 2.60 seconds*
1/4 mile: 12.45 seconds at 187.1km/h*
Max acceleration: 1.074g*
100-0km/h braking: 37.50m in 2.98 seconds*
Max deceleration: -1.272g*
Decibel at idle: 54*
Peak decibel at 60-100km/h: 90*
Starting price: $152,485
*Figures as tested by Driving Enthusiast on the day. Manufacturers’ claims may be different
2024 Jaguar F-Pace SVR: How much does it cost?
The 2024 Jaguar F-Pace SVR comes with a premium price tag that reflects its high-performance capabilities and luxurious features. In Australia, it starts from $144,500 before on-road costs. This pricing positions it competitively against other high-performance SUVs like the BMW X5 M and Mercedes-AMG GLE 63 S.
At the time of writing, the price of 95 RON unleaded petrol is $2.22/L, which means filling the F-Pace SVR’s 82-litre tank would cost $182.04. Jaguar does not list the capped-price service plan for the F-Pace SVR on its website, but the F-Pace P400 is listed at $3750 for 130,000km, which could be used as an indicative measure for potential maintenance costs.
2024 Jaguar F-Pace SVR: Interior & packaging
The SVR’s interior is a sumptuous blend of Windsor leather and Alcantara, with premium surfaces throughout. There is not one surface in here which does not exude quality and craftsmanship and, in our opinion, it is befitting of the pricetag.
The adjustable seats feature a racing-style headrest, with a lovely diamond stitching pattern, which is repeated in the outboard seats of the second row. While there is seat heating, it is somewhat buried in the infotainment menu.
Speaking of which, the F-Pace SVR features a 12.3-inch HD screen, with Range Rover Velar-style circular dials for the climate controls. Pull for fan, push for temperature. It is nicely presented and minimalist in appearance. Registering your smartphone with the car creates a more personalised experience, with friendly greetings as you come and go.
There is also Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and a native navigation program. A recent facelift did away with the rotary dial gear selector, replacing it with a more ergonomic item, plus tactile zinc-alloy paddle shifters. There are quite a few colour configurations to enjoy in the cabin, but this one works beautifully, in our opinion. Have a play around with Jaguar’s online configurator if you want to see just how many combos are possible.
Dimension-wise, the F-PACE SVR measures 4731mm in length, 2070mm in width (including mirrors), and 1667mm in height, with a wheelbase of 2874 mm. This yields a fairly spacious interior without compromising the Jag’s sleek design. The boot space is more than adequate, rated between 793L and a capacious 1842L with the seats folded down.
The rear seats offer ample head, shoulder, and foot room, though the middle seat is less comfortable due to the high centre tunnel. The absence of rear climate controls might be a downside for some, though the overall comfort level remains high.
2024 Jaguar F-Pace SVR: Powertrain & handling
Starting with the most intoxicating element of the F-Pace SVR, the engine, it is the final chapter of a lineage of supercharged Jaguars which began with the X308 XJR in 1997. There is just something special and visceral about a supercharged V8 which elevates it above twin-turbo equipped rivals, in our opinion.
405kW and 700Nm, with the more instantaneous demand that comes from a proper blower. ZF’s eight-speed automatic proves itself a wonderful companion yet again; smooth and relaxed one minute and rifle-fast when you want to play.
There are no superlatives which can do justice to the noise this thing makes, both in terms of volume and nuance. Your ears are filled with the roar of a quad-cammed 5.0-litre V8, the massive supercharger and the crackle between shifts. On top of that, you’re being hurtled towards the horizon at a rate of knots. That combination makes it nearly impossible not to grin from ear-to-ear when driving it.
While we’re not against electric cars – in fact, we enjoy them in the right circumstances – the sheer ferocity of acceleration combined with the sensory assault just cannot come near a loud and proud, supercharged V8. It takes us back to the era when Australian-made cars offered the same kind of aural stimulation.
There are three driving modes; Comfort, Eco and Dynamic, each adjusting the dampers, steering, throttle and shift mapping. For those times when you want a civilised pussy cat rather than a bloodthirsty apex predator, you can turn off the bimodal exhaust via a button near the shifter.
The SVR handles city crawling and cross-country touring with comfort, ease and isolation from the elements. It takes a Herculean level of restraint not to bury your right foot, because the sensory reward is just so rich. Speaking of which, that saw fuel consumption during our test pegged at 13.1L/100km against the official ADR82/01 rating of 11.7L/100km. It did climb into the 14s a few times, but it’s a worthwhile trade-off as far as we’re concerned.
Around corners, the all-wheel drive system does a fine job of apportioning grip to the right wheels, with the ESC safety net allowing for some (controllable) tail-out action. With the dampers firmed up in dynamic mode, the car turns eagerly into corners, belying its 2058kg heft. The staggered (265/40 front and 295/35 rear) Pirelli PZero’s bite into the asphalt and offer immense grip, but with 405kW on tap, things happen very quickly and this thing demands respect.
How safe is the 2024 Jaguar F-Pace SVR? Although the ANCAP test expired last December, it scored five stars and features a range of ADAS features, which are superbly calibrated and unobtrusive. You can read that test here.
Towing capacity is 2400kg (braked), which means you can pull a big boat or camping trailer, but this isn’t really an off-road vehicle.
What we love about this vehicle is that it doesn’t try to be quiet, eloquent and posh. The contrast between the deliciously sumptuous interior and the crackles, whines and growl of the motor gives the SVR a personality we doubt any future electric Jaguar will come close to matching. This is still a very capable and rewarding platform – even the inline-six equipped F-Pace 400 Sport we recently reviewed is such a lovely SUV.
If you’re in the market for a high performance SUV, this has so much going for it and you’d be doing yourself a mischief to overlook this one while it’s still available.
In the meantime, we can only hope the spirit of Sir William Lyons pays a visit to the product planners, so they may have a similar epiphany to Mercedes-Benz and Volkswagen about putting all its eggs in the EV basket.
2024 Jaguar F-Pace SVR: Key attractions/reasons to buy
- Exhilarating performance: The 5.0-litre V8 supercharged engine delivers brutal acceleration and a top speed of 286km/h.
- Luxurious interior: The combination of Alcantara and Windsor leather upholstery, along wth quality infotainment and audio, creates a special and opulent cabin atmosphere.
- Dynamic handling: Adaptive dynamics suspension and improved steering response provide a balanced and engaging driving experience for such a heavy beast.
2024 Jaguar F-Pace SVR: Key considerations before you buy
- Fuel consumption: Real-world driving often results in higher fuel consumption than the official figures, impacting running costs. Even so, we were impressed with the 13.1L/100km average we returned.
- Limited rear climate controls: The absence of rear climate controls as standard is odd for a vehicle of this price range.
- Complex climate controls: The minimalist design of the climate control interface can be distracting and difficult to operate while driving.
2024 Jaguar F-Pace SVR: Video
