Jaguar confirms F-Pace name for upcoming SUV

British brand’s first SUV will wear ‘F-Pace’ badge.

Jaguar has today confirmed that its upcoming BMW X5-rivalling premium SUV will wear 'F-Pace’ badging when it hits showrooms next year. 

Previewed by the CX-17 SUV concept in 2013, the new model will be Jaguar’s first production high-rider but the British brand claims the model will be clearly linked to the F-Type sports car.

Jaguar design boss Ian Callum said the F-Pace offers a unique combination of Jaguar sports car inspired exterior design, fused with a practical and spacious luxury interior.

“The F-Pace is our family sports car,” he said.

The key design link between the two F-badged models will be sleek rear light design and bold exterior surfacing to give a distinctively sporty look. The ‘F’ part of the SUV’s name could also be a reference to the car’s physical size being similar to the mid-size XF range.

The F-Pace will employ a lightweight all-alloy body structure derived from the all-wheel drive architecture which underpins the current Range Rover Sport – though the Jaguar is expected to be slightly smaller and will only have seating for five rather than the seven offered in the Range Rover. 

Engine options are expected to include the 250kW supercharged 3.0-litre V6 from the new XE S sedan and F-Type models, and 3.0-litre 202kW V6 diesel with the big 404kW 5.0-litre supercharged V8 possibly destined for an F-Pace R high performance variant.  

Jaguar’s first SUV will go on sale in 2016, and could be revealed in production form as early as this year’s Geneva motor show in March.