2023 Jaguar F-Pace SVR Performance

There are a few engines we'll always fondly remember once electricity takes over, and this is one of them. Jag's supercharged 5.0-liter V8 is one of the all-time greats, and in this application, it develops 550 hp and 516 lb-ft of torque. With the new launch control system, the V8 gets this hefty SUV from 0 to 60 mph in 3.8 seconds and on to a top speed of 178 mph. It's practical as well, as it comes with a maximum tow rating of 5,291 lbs.

Thanks to an intelligent rear-biased all-wheel-drive system, the SVR is also perfectly happy in low-grip situations. It's meant to be a monster SUV, but the low-down torque does give it a dual personality. The SVR will leave most sports cars behind, but it's arguably better just idling along at speeds where the vague growl of the supercharged V8 serves as a warning to would-be challengers. While on the topic of noise, it's worth noting that this SUV's soundtrack dominates everything. The quad exhausts emit a beautiful, thunderous, roaring noise. It scares people and would make a Hellcat blush. You don't just hear the supercharger overpowering the V8, they work together in concert to create a harmonic bellow. And if you want even more noise, Jaguar includes a loud exhaust button right on the console. The best part is that everyone will perk up from their A-to-B-mobiles looking for a sports car when they hear you coming. They'll never suspect that glorious racket is coming from an SUV.

The F-Pace SVR is motivated by a supercharged 5.0-liter V8 that delivers 550 hp from 6,250 rpm and 516 lb-ft of torque between 3,500 and 5,000 rpm. This is the same amount of power as last year's model, but torque is up by 14 lb-ft. The power is sent to a rear-biased AWD system via an eight-speed ZF transmission. This transmission shifts smoothly under normal circumstances but can rattle off quick shifts when put into its S setting. Driving the car in its manual mode gives even more control, though we noticed the transmission has a tendency to bog down unless you time the shifts perfectly. Get it wrong, and the engine feels like it gets briefly stuck at redline.

Unlike 90 percent of AWD vehicles, the Jag's default is rear-wheel drive. And unlike many other rear-biased systems, it will stay that way until intervention is essential. When this happens, the intelligent AWD system can send 50 percent (or less depending on the situation) of the torque to the front axle in 165 milliseconds. When pushed hard, the F-Pace SVR feels miraculously lighter than its curb weight. You can kick out the rear end just enough to have fun before the AWD system reels it back in.

The SVR returns EPA-estimated figures of 15/22/18 mpg. Okay, so perhaps that's not exactly the best showcase for environmental friendliness, or is it? Since the world is waging a battle against fossil fuel, we want it destroyed as quickly as possible, no? The SVR is very effective at turning evil gas into glorious noise. With the ever-present temptation to floor it from every stop, we only managed 13 mpg during our week-long test drive.

Thankfully, the tank is a reasonable 21.7 gallons. That gives the SVR an estimated driving range of around 390 miles on a single tank.