Jaguar has released a new set of images of its all-new F-PACE undergoing extreme weather testing stages ahead of its official public debut.
Due to make an appearance at this year’s Frankfurt Motor Show in September, Jaguar has been busy trialling its first-ever crossover in the Dubai desert and icy tundra of Northern Sweden.
Taking the F-PACE to its limits in what it calls some of the most inhospitable environments on earth, Jaguar says that the performance crossover offers unrivalled “performance, design and practicality”.
Andrew Whyman, vehicle programme director for the F-PACE, said: “We developed the F-PACE to offer the ride, handling and refinement demanded from a Jaguar, together with exceptional levels of ability and composure on all surfaces and in all weathers.
“Just as we paid obsessive attention to detail over the engineering of every single component, we’ve exhaustively tested the F-PACE in the most challenging conditions to ensure that it will exceed the expectations of our customers around the world.”
Jaguar has tested the new model in climes as challenging as winter mountain climbs in -40c temperatures in Sweden to the searing 70c heat of Dubai in order to assess its durability in all environments.
Based on Jaguar’s C-X17 concept unveiled in Frankfurt back in 2013, the five-seater F-PACE marks a radical new direction for the British manufacturer, traditionally known for its luxury saloons and sports cars.
Marrying the versatility of a family crossover with a high-performance attitude plucked straight from cars like the F-TYPE, Jaguar claims it offers class-leading interior space with “exceptional on-road dynamics”.
Ian Callum, Jaguar’s director of design, said: “The Jaguar F-PACE, inspired by the F-TYPE, represents a perfectly judged balance of performance, style and practicality.
“It offers a unique combination of Jaguar sports car inspired exterior design, fused beautifully with a thoroughly practical and spacious luxury interior. The F-PACE is our family sports car.”
Specifications have yet to be revealed, but the new Jaguar F-PACE will make its official public debut in Frankfurt, and is expected to go on sale early in 2016.
