Jaguar hinted it would enter the luxury SUV segment with its C-X17 concept shown at the 2013 Frankfurt Motor Show. Now it’s confirmed the Jaguar F-Pace will hit the road in 2016.

ON THE EVE of the Detroit Motor Show, Jaguar has said it will build its C-X17-inspired five-door SUV, that it will be called the F-Pace, that it will hit the market in 2016, but that it won’t compete with product from its sister company, Land Rover.

In a statement, design boss at Jaguar, Ian Callum, said the “overwhelmingly positive response to the C-X17 concept” prompted the company to approve production: “The Jaguar F-Pace, inspired by the F-Type, represents a perfectly judged balance of style, performance and practicality.”

Andy Goss, Jaguar Land Rover Global Sales Director added: “In 2015 we will celebrate Jaguar’s 80th year. We have started it by announcing our first performance crossover which we consider to be the ultimate practical sports car – a car that builds on the marque’s founding ideals of Grace, Pace and Space to become one of the most innovative Jaguars we’ve ever developed. The F-PACE has now begun its engineering and development testing programme ahead of the new model going on sale in 2016.”

The vehicle will be built in the UK, will share its platform with the recently launched Jaguar XE, and has already been spied testing, but Jaguar hasn’t confirmed when it will reveal the production spec vehicle.