Exterior Tweaks, Big Interior Update for 2021 Jaguar F-Pace
It doesn’t hurt that the new pics show it in gorgeous red, but the interior of the 2021 Jaguar F-Pace looks fantastic.
Jaguar has just dropped the first pics of the 2021 F-Pace, and which showcases a slightly massaged exterior, and a killer new interior. Up front, there are slender new LED lights, which got a treatment similar to what we just saw with the 2021 F-Type. Out back, the sheet metal has been slightly tweaked, and while the exterior housing stays the same, the guts of the taillights have been updated.
Since the F-Pace was already great looking, it didn’t really need much help exterior-wise. So most of the mid-cycle updates were focused on the cabin.
It doesn’t hurt that press pictures show it rendered in Jaguar’s delicious Pimento red, but the interior looks fantastic. At the center of the console is a 11.4-inch touchscreen, which features curved glass and a streamlined infotainment system. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, along with active noise cancelling, is standard, as is a 360-degree camera, which was previously optional. The only thing I’m not sold on here is that the rotary gear selector has been replaced by a standard shifter — I just loved how it would rise up when you started the engine.
Every F-Pace comes standard with all-wheel drive and an eight-speed automatic, but buyers will have the choice of three engines. The range-topping F-Pace R-Dynamics S 400 will feature a turbocharged I6 paired with a mild-hybrid system. With 395 horsepower on tap, the big cat will be able to make the sprint to 60 mph in a brisk five seconds flat, and top out at 155 mph.
The F-Pace S 340 will get a slightly detuned version of that power unit, which will produce 335 horsepower, while entry-level 250 and S250 models will feature a turbocharged four-cylinder packing 246 horsepower.
Now, all of that seems fine, and I’ll be waiting to see what the forthcoming SVR has under the hood. But as a Jaguar fan, I have to say I don’t like these model names.
First, what’s with rounding up by four or five horsepower? Is it really that hard to just tweak the ECU and squeeze a few extra ponies out of the mill? Because you know the engineers left a few on the table before they locked the design. Seems like it would be cooler to call something an S 400 if it made 406 horsepower, as opposed to five short of the mark.
Also, while I’m sure it’s cool rig, the name is R-Dynamics S 400 is getting a little awkward. Maybe the Jaguar product folks should apply some of the elegance and simplicity we see in the interior to the nomenclature? Because if they keep going down this path, they’re eventually going to wind up a vehicle as unfortunately named as Land Rover’s Range Rover Velar SVAutobiography Dynamic.
I feel like I lost ten IQ points typing that character string, which is almost as dumb as the secure-password word-salad syntax the folks over at BMW favor — and that’s saying something.
Right now, the membership has just started discussing the updates to the F-Pace, but the initial reactions have been mostly positive. While Wolfy said it was a “step up,” he also felt it was “still minimalist and not as luxurious as a Mercedes or a Range Rover,” though he does appreciate the “modern and sophisticated” look. JacksonvilleJag was more on board with the new cabin, saying:
I believe Jaguar is focusing on Sport-Lux, not Lux-Tech, and will leave the latter to LR. It’s a driver’s brand for those that love to drive, not to be driven. Based on that, I think they do a great job and this is exactly why I prefer it to the others.
SinF also seemed to like the look of the “simple and clean,” interior, and noted that “it is very difficult to get ulta-lux right and not make it look cheap bling-bling,” which I totally agree with. This thread is just getting started, and there’s sure to be more discussion as more folks get a look at latest F-Type. So do you prefer old-school cool or slick and modern? Head over and let us know!
Photos: Jaguar