A high-ranking Jaguar engineer says there was a “clear focus” on the Porsche Macan during the development of the new F-Pace SVR, adding that the hottest version of the British SUV “quickly surpassed the performance” of its German foe.
Speaking to Autocar, David Pook, the dynamics manager at Jaguar Land Rover Special Vehicle Operations, said that he expected buyers of the new F-Pace SVR to poach buyers from the Macan and high-performance estates wearing the Mercedes-AMG and Audi Sport badges.
“There was a clear focus on Macan and, to be honest, we quickly surpassed the performance of that with the powertrain we have, so we spent the time focusing on the way it drove,” Pook told the British publication.
The F-Pace SVR is powered by a supercharged 5,0-litre V8 producing 405 kW and 680 N.m. That’s enough, says Jaguar, for a 4,3-second sprint to 100 km/h and a top speed of 283 km/h. The Porsche Macan Turbo Performance, meanwhile, makes 324 kW and 600 N.m from its turbocharged 3,6-litre V6, resulting in a claimed sprint time of 4,4 seconds and a top speed of 272 km/h.
Pook said that it “makes complete sense to do a performance version of an SUV” rather than a sedan, adding that the F-Pace SVR offers “the best of both worlds”.
The new F-Pace SVR is scheduled to arrive in South Africa in the second half of 2018.
