Jaguar is entering the C-segment with the new E-Pace, which will go on sale later this year. Marketed as the ‘sports car of its class’, the E-Pace is the second SUV in the Jaguar range following the F-Pace launched last year. And if the driving characteristics of its larger sibling are anything to go by, Jaguar will certainly give the Porsche Macan a run for its money.
The exterior design of the new E-Pace was inspired by the F-Type, with revised headlamps, strong rear haunches and horizontal taillamps paying homage to the Jaguar sports car. Callum states that the objective was to create an SUV that communicated the brand’s sporting heritage but also exuded a ‘sense of fun’, which is visible through the E-Pace’s proportions and the Jaguar cub graphic in the bottom corner of the windshield.
The compact SUV’s bodyside is characterized by a sweeping fenderline that plunges towards the rear wheel before rising to define the rear haunch. It’s a similar gesture to the lines found on the F-Type. Large 21-inch wheels (available as an option) and short overhangs add a dynamic quality to the design, while the fast roofline, steeply raked backlight and distinctive DLO graphic emphasize the design’s sense of speed.
Callum says the car has a “perfect Jaguar balance” between performance, luxury and playfulness, bringing an uncommon sense of expressiveness to the compact SUV market. “[It’s] not too genteel and certainly sensuous, muscular and curvaceous at the same time.”
Inside, the E-Pace also pulls in the company’s sporting pedigree, with a driver centric layout that is equally luxurious in its appointments. The upper half of the IP was inspired by the chicane lines of a race course but it’s covered in leather and stitched in bright, contrasting colors. The grab handle on the passenger side of the console also serves to separate the driver and passenger areas of the cabin, heightening the ‘cockpit’ feel for the driver.
“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,” says Callum. “Its proportions, stance and lines express this as a driver’s car, while the interior offers true Jaguar levels of luxury and sportiness.”
Watch the video above to hear Callum talk about the E-Pace design as well as the I-Pace concept and the future of the Jaguar brand.
