Six defining design details on the new Jaguar E-Pace

New Jaguar E-Pace

Ian Callum, director of design, Jaguar, says: “We designed the E-Pace to be a Jaguar for active people who need space and practicality but see no reason to compromise on performance. Its proportions, stance and lines express the excitement of driving a car of this calibre. Compact SUVs need to provide intelligent answers to the challenges of everyday life and I believe that Jaguar’s combination of design purity and functional integrity provides the perfect solution.”

According to the car manufacturer, these six design elements are what sets it apart:

1. Dynamic body language

Every Jaguar has sports-car DNA, and the E-Pace is no different. It boasts the proportions, muscular haunches, and assertive visual attitude that are unmistakably Jaguar, while retaining the space, safety, and practicality typically associated with a compact SUV.

2. Sharp, signature eyes

Up front, the E-Pace features Jaguar’s signature J-blade LED daytime running lights, alongside optional LED matrix headlights that provide the ultimate in nighttime visibility. These instantly recognisable eyes are complemented by slim, blade-like rear lamps that also feature full LED technology.

3. Customise with colour

The E-Pace is finished in one of 11 paints, including Caldera Red on the E-Pace First Edition model, which will only be on sale for one year. Other hues include Fuji White, Santorini Black, Borasco Grey, and Caesium Blue.

Interior finish options include eight-way adjustable sports leather seats in either Ebony, Light Oyster, or Mars Red, as well as contrast stitching.

4. Looks like a sports car, drives like one too

The interior focal point of the car is its wraparound cockpit, with the passenger grab handle forming the boundary of the driver console – a design concept directly inspired by the Jaguar F-Type.

This geometry provides a powerful visual connection with the doors, while the elevated seating position gives the driver a ‘sports command’ driving position, offering excellent visibility while retaining a cockpit-like feel.

Primary controls, such as the sports gear shifter and drive mode selector, have also been carefully designed to promote driver engagement.

5. Best in British craftsmanship

It features premium leathers for its sports seats and key touch points, such as the steering wheel, gear shifter and centre console grab handle. Refinement also extends to other elements of the cabin, including soft-trimmed door casings that have a cool touch, satin chrome door handles, beautifully crafted leather-clad facia and seat upholstery with twin-needle stitching.

6. Stowage and practicality

The driver-focused design is balanced with practicality. Drivers and passengers will have access to interior room for five people and generous luggage space, along with ingenious stowage solutions for small items. The 8.42-litre centre console compartment can house four large water bottles, as well as configurable cupholders and trays; the lockable 10.07-litre glovebox offers secure storage, while 10.56-litre front and 8.26-litre rear door bins offer plenty of space for passengers. And in the boot, 577 litres of luggage space can be fully utilised thanks to a wide load area.

As the cub of the Jaguar lineup, E-Pace also boasts playful mother-and-cub graphics featuring on its windscreen and in the projected puddle lamps.

The Jaguar E-Pace goes on sale from 9 March 2018, with prices starting at R598,500. All new Jaguar cars come with the five-year Jaguar Care Plan: a five-year/100,000km service plan, a five-year/100,000km maintenance plan and a five-year/100,000km warranty, as standard.