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Marton Pettendy12 Jan 2015
NEWS

DETROIT MOTOR SHOW: Jag's first SUV to be F-PACE

Oddly named British luxury SUV confirmed for global release next year

Jaguar's first SUV will go by the name F-PACE.

The strange new nameplate and this teaser image was revealed overnight in Detroit, on the eve of the North American International Auto Show – despite the fact the F-PACE won't be shown there.

In fact, the sleek new mid-size crossover wagon won't go on sale globally until next year, Jaguar has confirmed, following the production version's world debut later this year – most likely at the Geneva show in March.

Jaguar has previewed the F-PACE with several versions of the C-X17 concept since 2013, and another was wheeled out in Detroit this week. The production version, which has been spied in testing, is expected to look almost identical.

Before it goes on sale, Jaguar Land Rover will release a host of other new models, as part of its July 2014 promise to deliver 50 new products within the next five years, including 12 "significant new product actions" this year.

Just as significant as the F-PACE will be this year's all-new mid-size XE sedan, a direct rival for the BMW 3 Series that rides on the same IQ Al aluminium platform as the F-PACE.

The XE arrives in Australia in July but before then in May Jaguar will release manual and all-wheel drive versions of its F-TYPE sports car, followed in August by a midlife makeover for its XJ limousine and, in November, the redesigned XF large sedan.

After the F-PACE launches in 2016, Jaguar will release coupe and estate versions of the XE sedan, which is a belated replacement for the unsuccessful X-Type and will be Jaguar's new entry-level model, priced from around $60,000.

The XE and Land Rover's new Discovery Sport, which will be launched globally this week and hits Australia in May, will be the two key prongs in JLR's plan to sell more than 500,000 vehicles this year for the first time, with up to 50,000 F-PACE vehicles to follow annually from 2016.

Last year JLR delivered 462,678 vehicles – up nine per cent on 2013 – and contributed 81 per cent of parent company Tata Motors revenue in the third quarter.

Jaguar's global sales rose by six per cent last year to 81,570 vehicles and sales are expected to top 112,000 in 2015. US analysts expect the XE and F-PACE to drive Jaguar's annual volume past 200,000 by 2018.

JLR's 2014 sales were helped by a 28 per cent increase in China to 122,010 vehicles. Jaguar hopes the F-PACE – its first direct rival to the BMW X3 and Audi Q5 -- will gain a 10 per cent share of the luxury SUV segment in the world's largest car market, where JLR opened its first factory outside Britain in October.

"The F-Pace is our family sports car," said Jaguar Design Director Ian Callum. “We just had to make it a reality."

“The Jaguar F-PACE, inspired by the F-TYPE, represents a perfectly judged balance of style, performance and practicality. It offers a unique combination of Jaguar sports car inspired exterior design, fused beautifully with a thoroughly practical and spacious luxury interior.”

Jaguar said the five-seat SUV will deliver "class-leading interior space and exceptional on-road dynamics", but revealed no new technical details.

Along with its platform, the F-PACE is expected to borrow its new four- and six-cylinder Ingenium petrol and diesel engines from the XE, alongside which it's expected to be built at Solihull in central England.

Initially, the 4.7-metre crossover will be built only in all-wheel drive configuration featuring Jaguar's new All-Surface Progress Control technology.

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