The 5 things you need to know about the 2018 Jaguar E-Pace

The 2018 Jaguar E-Pace will arrive in Australia from early next year with prices ranging from $48,000-$85,000+ORC. THE JAGUAR E-PACE was revealed in the UK last week with the compact SUV setting a new Guinness World Record on debut… not a very practical one, mind, but it’ll still see it go down in history as the first car to jump into the air and perform a barrel roll before landing on its wheels. You can read about that HERE. According to Jaguar, the E-Pace is designed to emulate its F-Type sportscar rather than other SUVs in the wider Jaguar Land Rover family. “Established Jaguar design principles ensure the E-PACE is immediately recognisable as the sports car of its class. Our new compact SUV combines the interior space, connectivity and security that families expect with the kind of proportions, purity of design and performance not usually associated with such a practical vehicle,” said Ian Callum, Director of Design at Jaguar. There will be a First Edition E-Pace based on the top-spec R-Dynamic SE variant The E-Pace First Edition hasn’t been priced for Australia yet but Jaguar says it will be on-sale during the vehicle’s first year only. It will be offered with either a 132kW or 183kW Ingenium engine and mated exclusively to a nine-speed transmission. The colour Caldera Red will be exclusive to the First Edition for the first 12 months, becoming available to the rest of the range after that. The First Edition will also get Gloss Black accetns and 20-inch Satin Grey wheels. It will also get its own soft grain Windsor leather interior in Ebony with red contrast stitching and an Ebony suede-cloth headlining. There will be configurable ambient mood lighting and plenty of natural light from the panoramic roof. The E-Pace will run Jaguar’s next-generation TFT Head-Up Display, additional charging points and load-space rails. Additional highlights, says Jaguar, include Configurable Dynamics, a gesture-controlled tailgate and Jaguar Activity Key. The E-Pace will offer three diesels and two petrol engines The E-Pace and E-Pace R-Dynamic (cosmetic tweaks only) variant are available with S, SE and HSE specification packs and a choice of five powertrains, with three diesels and two petrol engines. The 2.0-litre four-cylinder Ingenium diesel engine is available in 110kW, 132kW and 177kW outputs, while the pair of 2.0-litre four-cylinder Ingenium turbocharged petrol units deliver 183kW or 221kW. Standard features include Touch Pro infotainment, LED headlights and a rear-view camera system are joined by advanced driver assistance systems including Driver Condition Monitor and Emergency Braking. So, you know, the R-Dynamic variant offers sports seats with contrast stitching, brushed stainless steel tread-plates and pedals combine to create a sports-focused interior while soft-grained leather on the R-Dynamic-branded steering wheel and the addition of gearshift paddles provide more focussed benefits. On the outside, the R-Dynamic features styling details designed to enhance the E-PACE’s stealth, power and refinement. Front fog lights and the grille, rear valance and tailpipe finishers are all gloss black. Body-coloured wheel-arch surrounds and satin chrome highlights on the side vents and grille surrounds also distinguish R-Dynamic derivatives. The E-Pace is big on storage and connectivity Jaguar says its E-Pace offers “ingenious stowage solutions” and these include 8.42-litre centre console compartment can house four large water bottles, as well as configurable cupholders and trays; the lockable 10.07-litre glovebox offers secure storage, while 10.56-litre front and 8.26-litre rear door bins. The E-Pace measures 4395mm long with short front and rear overhangs of 882mm and 832mm, respectively. Its 2681mm wheelbase seats five and offers rear legroom of 892mm while the boot space measures 484 litres, gorwing to 1141L with the rear seats folded down. There are up to four 12-volt charging points and five USB connections as well as a 4G Wi-Fi hotspot for up to eight devices. The standard infotainment touch screen is 10-inches wide with separate controls, thank goodness, for the climate control. A 12.3in unit is a cost option. Rear-biased all-wheel drive and clever suspension The E-Pace offers all-wheel drive as standard on the 110kW, 132kW (diesels) and 183kW (petrol) engines. However all-wheel drive with Active Driveline is only available on the 221kW petrol and 177kW diesel variants. According to Jaguar, “In normal conditions, the system intelligently distributes torque between the front and rear to maximise stability and handling, or fuel economy, where appropriate. On slippery surfaces the system can send almost all the engine’s power to the rear if the front axle loses traction”. Mike Cross, Chief Engineer of Vehicle Integrity at Jaguar said: “With the E-PACE, our aim was to develop a Jaguar SUV that feels and responds with the character of any of our rear-wheel drive vehicles. It was fundamental to us that E-PACE delivers exceptional drive dynamics, yet is refined and comfortable, and this was achieved with intelligent solutions, such as the compact Integral Link rear suspension and the semi-solid mounted front subframe. Here is an all-wheel-drive compact performance SUV that has the precision and body control to make the E- PACE as rewarding for the driver as it is comfortable for the passengers.” The E-Pace also offers a configurable dynamics package with continuous variable dampers that monitor the vehicle’s movements every two milliseconds and calculate the required damping force every 10 milliseconds. Drivers can select both Normal and Dynamic settings for the Adaptive Dampers through a Configurable Dynamics system, as part of the JaguarDrive Control system. The modes are: Normal – an optimum balance of performance, control and comfort for regular journeys Dynamic – a more engaging driving experience, with dedicated Dynamic settings for a wide range of vehicle systems. Depending on the vehicle specification, these can include the steering, throttle response, Adaptive Dynamics, AWD/Active Driveline, transmission shift strategy, Dynamic Stability Control and Torque Vectoring by Braking ECO – modifies settings to optimise fuel economy and encourage a more efficient driving style, with revised settings for throttle response, automatic transmission, climate control and other interior comfort features Rain, Ice and Snow – enhances stability in low-grip conditions with revised settings for Dynamic Stability Control, throttle response and automatic transmission What about safety features? The Jaguar E-Pace hasn’t been tested yet by Euro NCAP or ANCAP, but offers a raft of active safety features, including: Blind Spot Assist: The technology combines the capabilities of Blind Spot Monitor with the Lane Keep Assist functionality to prevent drivers sideswiping another vehicle. If another vehicle is detected in the E-Pace’s blind spot and the driver attempts to steer into its path, Blind Spot Assist applies corrective steering torque to prevent the lane change. The driver is simultaneously alerted by a flashing LED in the corresponding side mirror. If necessary, the driver is able to override the corrective steering torque. Forward Traffic Monitor: The E-Pace’s 360-degree Surround Camera includes the new Forward Traffic Monitor. When Junction View is selected, the grille-mounted camera displays a feed of traffic approaching from either side, while Forward Traffic Monitor displays a warning if an oncoming vehicle is detected. Adaptive Driving Beam: Jaguar’s advanced Adaptive Driving Beam is available as part of the advanced Matrix LED headlights system. The vehicle’s forward-facing camera detects the presence of oncoming vehicles and adjusts the pattern of the light beams to prevent them from dazzling other drivers without compromising visibility. Park Assist: The Park Assist function can steer the vehicle into parallel and bay parking spaces. The ultrasonic sensors measure the space to ensure suitability and then steers the vehicle itself – the driver simply controls the accelerator and brakes. Beyond this, the Jaguar E-Pace obviously features all-wheel drive, ISOFIX mounts, traction and stability controls, trailer stability assist, hill start assist, corner brake control, roll stability assist, a full suite of airbags and a pedestrian airbag. In the event of an impact with a pedestrian at speeds between 25-50km/h (16-31mph), the Active Bonnet lifts and the pedestrian airbag deploys from beneath its trailing edge. The airbag inflates to cover the base of the windscreen within 50-60 milliseconds of a collision.