WJ Automotive Photography

Back in 2015 when Jaguar revealed their concept for an SUV at the Frankfurt Motorshow, I was sceptical. Jaguar had always been a manufacturer of high performance, high luxury sports cars- and while I didn't doubt for a second that the F-Pace would be sporty, I had concerns about what purpose the SUV would really serve with there being so many strong competitors already established in the Sports Utility Vehicle market. To compete with the likes of Audi, BMW and Mercedes, Jaguar's creation had to be pretty special.

Recently I had the opportunity to experience the F-pace, and I was relieved to discover that despite its newer, large stature, the Jaguar hadn't lost its iconic 'high performance twinned with luxury' feel. This became apparent to me almost instantly, as I entered the oh-so familiar leather bound interior and glanced upon a small button with a chequered flag on it- dynamic mode! (or sport mode as we know it!) Looking back, I don't know why I ever thought that Jaguar would omit such a vital feature on the SUV- I was foolishly envisaging a much more sedated, suppressed experience. In normal mode, The car is very comfortable- as expected- although the ride is noticeably firm even here. If you press the little button with the chequered flag on it though, the suspension stiffens up even more to give a stabler ride at speed- and the throttle response sharpens slightly, granting the driver access to a more aggressive approach to acceleration. In addition, the computers will select longer gear ratios to allow the car to reach higher speeds. Also, to my excitement, the dials turn red- making the driving experience that little bit more invigorating!

Step out of the car and the sporty theme continues with design features not too dissimilar to those found on other Jaguar models- the headlights and taillights following the same style as the rest of Jaguar's current range. The presence of black alloy wheels, an optional extra that had been chosen on this particular model, further enhances the car's sporty appearance.

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To get some photos of the F-Pace, we found a nice open tarmac'd area beside some fields- perfectly representing the SUV's ability to perform both on and off the beaten track. Initially I was thrown by its size as I looked through the lens, being used to shooting much lower cars like sleek Lamborghinis and Ferraris- but I soon became accustomed to and was able to capture the Jaguar's very own clean cut sporty look.