Top Gear Talks Jaguar I-PACE, Potential Tesla Showdown
Jaguar’s most significant vehicle since the E-Type isn’t just another new entry in the EV fold. It’s a real car.
It’s been mere months since the Jaguar I-PACE was introduced to the world, and yet our enthusiasm hasn’t yet wavered. There’s a lot of excitement surrounding Jag’s first-ever all-electric vehicle, and for good reason. It’s packed with loads of high-tech wizardry, sports car-like performance, and the practicality of a 5-seat SUV. And we aren’t the only ones stoked about the I-PACE – so are the blokes at Top Gear, obviously.
In fact, Jack Rix calls the Jaguar I-PACE “quite possibly the most significant car that Jaguar has produced since the E-Type.” Which is a pretty bold statement when you think about it. But they also note that it’s the “world’s first proper rival to the Tesla Model X,” which is perhaps even more significant. To date, Tesla has mostly stood alone in the EV world as major automotive manufacturers scramble to catch up.
But the most interesting comparison that comes from the video is between the Jaguar I-PACE and Audi RS4 wagon. Both have similar asking prices, 0-60 times, and interior space. But while one is a wagon, the other is a crossover. Therein lies the magic of electric power, of course. There’s no need for an elongated hood to hide that internal-combustion engine. Thus, more usable space in a more compact body.
But what happens when you hit the road and “give it the beans,” as Rix says? Well, it “properly takes off, grips, and goes unlike anything else.” And unlike the Tesla, it doesn’t have some incredibly distracting, non-conformist interior. Just real buttons and multiple screens. And, more importantly, the Jaguar I-PACE operates like a real car. As Rix so eloquently puts it, “It still needs to be fast, it needs to handle, it needs to be desirable, and it needs to work. And it does.”
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