I didn't actually know how much my F-PACE SVR stickered at until I finished testing it for a week — and I didn't look it up! My assumption was something like $100,000.
I was a bit off: the base F-PACE SVR was around $80,000, but my tester came with $10,000 in extras. Still, that's a cool ten grand less than expected. Perhaps the surprise could be chalked up to my not having enjoyed the Jag 5.0-liter V8 in the F-PACE context — this is a darn fine motor, memorable in fact. I guessed it would represent a big bump up from the V6, but I wasn't fully prepared for how big a bump, in the sensory realms.
Mind you, I checked out the F-PACE SVR a short time after experiencing my personal favorite SUV in human history, the Porsche Cayenne, outfitted with a 541-horsepower, twin-turbo V8. OK, that's less than 10 fewer ponies than the F-PACE SVR's supercharged V8 mill — but I kid you not, the Jag felt to me as if it had better than 600hp under the hood.
It was an auditory illusion, of course. The F-PACE SVR delivers the goods with oomph and growl, while the Cayenne Turbo does it with wail and whine. It was the roar versus the shriek. And the shriek does clock the 0-60mph run a tad quicker, in just under 4 seconds versus a hair over for the Jag. But the Jag puts you in the mind of a savage beast, while the Porsche merely gives you a tamed one.
Meanwhile, my Cayenne Turbo tester came in at $136,000. So, well, there you go. I think you might be able to understand why I thought the F-PACE SVR should be priced more richly.
Honestly, it was weird to jump into the SVR right after the Cayenne Turbo. I began to question my priorities. Sure, I'd still choose the Porsche. But yeesh, for $50,000 less, I could select the Jag and be pretty doggone blissed out and, you know, HAVE 50,000 EXTRA CLAMS!!!
Also worth noting: the Cayenne has never been what you'd call attractive, while the F-PACE has always been beautiful.
OK, enough comparisons (I'll do a full-blown comparo later). The F-PACE with the V6 was already a compelling machine, but the SVO treatment does take it to a new level, all without sacrificing any versatility or luxury. I subjected the F-PACE SVR to a wide range of tests, ranging including a freeway jaunt of moderate distance to a few shorter runs, along with some twisty-curvy driving and the usual kid-transport-and-grocery-shopping duty.
The F-PACE SVR can do it all — and when you fire up Dynamic mode and make the instrument cluster glare red like the eyes of an angry panther, the Jag can do it all, PLUS. The fun is basically on tap, but when you aren't funning around, you can dial the F-PACE SVR all the way back to Eco mode and poke around in peaceful, relatively quiet, fuel-sipping mode. (That said, the MPGs aren't exactly stunning: 16 city, 21 highway, 18 combined.)
I'd almost go so far to say that the F-PACE SVR is now my favorite SUV that isn't the Cayenne. The gap between the Porsche and the Jag was once bigger, and the Jag was getting by on appearances to a degree. But the SVR has narrowed the gap, big time.
And I'm sorry, but the price is just unbelievable. I still don't believe it. When you're dealing with a reaction like that, maybe it's time to buy.
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