The first performance crossover from Jaguar, the F-Pace, is being subjected to what the OEM describes as “one of the most demanding test programs the company has ever devised”. Extreme conditions range from the heat and dust of Dubai, United Arab Emirates, to the ice and snow of northern Sweden.
“Just as we paid obsessive attention to detail over the engineering of every single component, we’ve exhaustively tested the F-Pace in the most challenging conditions to ensure that it will exceed the expectations of our customers around the world,” said Andrew Whyman, vehicle program director, Jaguar F-Pace.
At Jaguar Land Rover’s test facility in Arjeplog, northern Sweden, average winter temperatures rarely exceed 5°F (-15°C) and often drop to -40°F (-40°C). The 37.3 miles (60km) of purpose-built handling tracks, mountain climbs, inclines, split-friction straights and off-road areas have been utilized to optimize the calibration of the all-wheel drive system, Dynamic Stability Control, and technologies such as the Jaguar All-Surface Progress Control.
In Dubai, where vehicle cabin temperatures can reach 158°F (70°C) when left out in direct sunlight, the F-Pace’s systems, from climate control systems to infotainment touchscreens, function perfectly in such extremes of heat and humidity.
And in addition to hot weather highway driving, the cooling system of the F-Pace has been further tested under very high load by driving the vehicle in city traffic where the vehicle experienced a combination of high ambient temperatures and low airflow.
Also, for the first time in a Jaguar development program, the F-Pace has been driven over graveled mountain passes as part of its validation tests. Following this testing and development, the F-Pace will debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show in Germany in September, 2015.
To watch a video of the F-Pace being put through its paces, click here.
August 7, 2015
