You may have thought that the Jaguar I-Pace would
spell the end of high-performance crossovers and SUVs from the automaker. Not
so fast, Jaguar Land Rover executive director of corporate and strategy, Hanno
Kirner, has revealed.
Speaking with Autocar at the ongoing New York Auto
Show, Kirner said that Jaguar has started to evaluate an I-Pace SVR. In
standard guise, the Jaguar I-Pace is fitted with two electric motors delivering
a combined 395 hp and 513 lb-ft of torque. Powering the motors is a 90 kWh
battery pack. All told, the I-Pace can hit 96 km/h in just 4.5 seconds
and a 200 km/h top speed.
If Jaguar were to make an I-Pace SVR, it would
conceivably need to have in excess of 500 hp to be fitting of the badge. With
that much grunt, and a substantial new torque figure, a 0-60 mph time in the
mid-three second range would be achievable. The vehicle’s top speed could also
increase, potentially up to the 250 km/h commonly expected among
high-end vehicles.
