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AVO GREEN GLOSS: A luxury SUV with greater performance, agility and dynamism, but at a price
By Ali Mphaki
Let’s be clear from the onset. Jaguars are all about style and design, but the 2023 Jaguar F-Pace SVR stands out as one of the more attractive vehicles in its class and no wonder its become the highest-selling Jaguar SUV product ever.
In its latest incarnation (as the pinnacle of the Jaguar perfomance SUV range), the new version no doubts builds on this success and offers the unsuspecting consumer a cluster of numerous detailed improvements.
From whichever angle, the 2023 SVR now looks more focused and even more captivating than ever before.
Large and bigger nostrils for cooling, new front and rear lights, gills in the bonnet for breathing purposes and a rear/rear spoiler, what in township parlance is called’ ikeps lamabhujwa, conspire to give it a motorsport-inspired exterior design.
Jaguar would like you to know the new front bodywork reduces lift by 35 per cent, lowers drag and amplifies F-Pace’s assertive stance.
Quad tailpipes feature in the lower bumper, giving a visual reminder of the performance potential on offer – four pipes Baba!
To show its street cred further the new SVR stands on new 22-inch forged alloy wheels, the five-spoke design finished in Gloss Black with Satin Grey inserts with the new SVR logo printed on the wheel.
Available exclusively with Jaguar’s 550PS 5.0-litre V8 Supercharged petrol engine, now with 700Nm torque – an increase of 20Nm, its an all-wheel drive, not 4×4 please…
This uplift in torque will see the SVR capable of 0-100km/h in 4.0 seconds, three-tenths of a second faster than before.
Jaguar says it stops at 286km/h, but that would be poking a finger at Bheki Cele and his over-eager boys with blue lights.
CO2 emissions are also reduced from 281g/km to 275g/km with fuel economy now up to 12.2l/100km even though i clocked around 19.1/100km.
The interior is well crafted with a selection of exclusive performance-focused materials for a luxurious and sporting cabin environment.
The leather sports seats with heritage logo-inspired diamond embroidery across the front shoulder section, feature a unique perforation across the backrest, while the same pattern is used on the leather on the seatbacks. An embossed SVR logo on the headrests adds a final flourish.
Technologies include Jaguar’s latest Pivi Pro dual-sim infotainment accessed through an all-new 11.4-inch HD curved glass touchscreen.
Kick-start the engine and experience Jaguar’s All-Wheel Drive with Intelligent Driveline Dynamics fitted as standard.
The technology has a rear-wheel drive bias that can distribute torque to the front and rear axles independently to provide greater control and stability in low traction conditions.
Configurable Dynamics allows you to setup the likes of the damping, engine response, steering feel, gear change and even exhaust note on F-Pace SVR to suit your mood.
In Dynamic mode, the SVR hits the right notes, the sound emanating from its quad exhaust pipes aptly described as “eargasmic”.
And boom.. my broad smile was turned into a frown when suddenly a “brake pads worn out” warning light appeared on the screen, just two days into my seven days test schedule.
The SVR boast an improved braking feel delivered by a new Integrated Power Booster (when you need your mood to return to calm in a hurry), but I did not want to risk driving the vehicle in such a condition.
The Avo Green Gloss test unit we had had just clocked around 18 000 km. It was a sweet sorrow when i handed back the keys, but the memory lingers.
And in case you wondering what SVR stands for, it is Special Vehicle Operations, an acronym ala “Special Military Operations” as per Russia’s Vladimir Putin’s adventures in Ukraine.
Recommended retail price for the Jaguar F-Pace SVR is R 2 176 000.00
motoring:
Briefs
CHROME PLATING TO BE BANNED
Chrome plating is set to be banned, potentially forcing car makers to rethink one of the most exploited materials for giving cars a premium look.
The ban has been proposed as a result of health issues associated with the creation of hexavalent chromium, which is a known carcinogen.
In particular, it is a source of chronic lung cancer, with the airborne emissions given off during the plating process said to be 500 times more toxic than diesel.
As well as giving a silvery finish to car parts, chrome has been widely used in everyday homelife including kitchen sinks, light fittings and on components that are required to be rust resistant, such as landing gear on aeroplanes and fishing tackle.
The EU has proposed a ban from 2024, with other parts of the world – most notably California – following suit.
As both are high volume car markets, it is expected to impact substantially on car design unless an alternative material with the same qualities is identified.
TESLA AUTOPILOT DRIVER AVOIDS JAIL TIME
The driver of a Tesla which killed two motorists after running a red light – while being operated in its so-called ‘Autopilot’ mode – has been sentenced to house arrest and community service but has avoided jail time.
The landmark legal case demonstrates drivers of semi-autonomous cars are still responsible for their vehicles even when in semi-autonomous driving modes that utilise systems such as radar cruise control and lane-keeping assistance.
In December 2019, Kevin George Aziz Riad was sitting behind the steering wheel of a Tesla Model S sedan operating the electric-car’s advanced driving system – marketed by Tesla as ‘Autopilot’ even though it is only semi-autonomous – when it exited a freeway and ran a red light in south-east Los Angeles and crashed into a stationary Honda Civic at 119km/h, killing the two occupants of the Honda – Gilberto Lopez and Maria Guadalupe Nieves-Lopez – while Mr Riad and his passenger were hospitalised with non-life threatening injuries.
BYD RULES IN CHINA, OK!
According to data released by the China Passenger Car Association (CPCA), the Chinese auto market experienced the sale of 9.533 million new cars from January to June 2023.
This represents a 2.8% increase compared to the same period in 2022. Among these sales, 2,093,000 vehicles were electric (EVs), while 996,000 were plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), collectively known as new energy vehicles (NEVs). NEVs accounted for 32.4% of the total sales.
Regarding market share, BYD emerged as the top-selling auto brand in China, selling 1,098,409 vehicles and capturing an 11.52% market share. Volkswagen secured the second position, selling 982,290 cars and holding a market share of 10.30%.
Toyota claimed the third spot with 797,605 cars sold, accounting for an 8.37% market share.
DOGS IN THE FRONT SEAT
Is it illegal to have my dog in the front seat of my car while driving? It is not illegal to drive with your dog in the front passenger seat of your car.
However, you could still be at risk or a fine, or worse, if certain rules aren’t followed
Just like humans, pets should wear a harness or seatbelt when the car is in motion, or you could risk huge fines and invalidation of your car and pet insurance.
Alternatively, pets can be housed in a pet carrier or kept away from the driver by a dog guard. If an animal, such as a dog, moves about during a journey it could trigger an accident, according to the Highway Code.
Therefore, it is advised that drivers not to put their pets in the front seat – though it is not illegal to do so.- The Sun UK
