Every luxury vehicle manufacture is getting onto the SUV bandwagon, including Jaguar and Alfa Romeo. Baroque Ground finds out more
Let’s start with Jaguar F-Pace S that has just been launched to the mass market. There was a First Edition this past summer, but that was a limited edition, and the new iteration is lighter, faster and prettier. According to those in the know, it’s in the same class as those SUVs being created by Audi, BMC, Mercedes and Porsche. In fact, those who have driven the model say it’s one of the best.
Unlike most SUVs that look quite similar, this one resembles the low-slung roadster F-type Jag, the Jaguar CX-15 concept from the 2015 Frankfurt Motor Show to be exact. It’s a real crossover vehicle and, despite the resemblance, the two vehicles are quite different. The F-Pace is already known for its comfort, space and convenience. Jaguar first officially unveiled its SUV concept to the US market in 2015, and this past summer, it was launched. This first-ever sport utility for the US market is a beautiful car, considered by many to be the best-looking SUV on the market right now.
The question everyone asked was how would a British sedan and sports car brand create an SUV that would compare with the best. But this performance SUV has lived up to its name. Yes, it has the DNA of a sports car, but it’s an SUV, through and through.
The Jaguar F-Pace is a premium-edged mid-sized SUV that is in the same class as the Range Rover Evoque, Audi Q5 and Porsche Macan. But what sets it apart from the others is that, in essence, it’s still a Jaguar. Jag’s first luxury performance SUV to be exact. And it offers the brand’s legendary sporty handling and aesthetic good looks with everyday efficiency and practicality. It offers the performance for every type of road, and the capacity to handle every situation, including city driving and the active lifestyle.
And then there’s the new Alfa Romeo SUV, which is making a comeback in the US – and there’s no better way to do that than by launching a luxury SUV. We won’t see it in 2017, but come the following year, the 2018 Stelvio will be on the road, offering Alfa’s inimitable design and sporty dynamics in a bigger package than usual with four-wheel drive.
Of course, it’s good-looking. Of course, its interior is chic and classy. It also boasts quite impressive stats – from 0 to 60 miles per hour in just 3.9 seconds for starters. Named after the Stelvio Pass in the Italian Alps, which is one of the greatest roads to drive in the world, this bulked up Alfa, which was revealed at the latest LA Auto Show in November is up to the challenge. With a 2.0 liter turbo-charged engine for the base model and a more fancy ‘Ti’ version that offers 280 horsepower and more than 300 pound-feet of torque, the Alfa Stelvio is going to be a force to be reckoned with in the SUV market. There’s another model, too – the Quadrifoglio with a 2.9 liter V6 engine.
Alfa Romeo’s new SUV is the optimal vehicle for those demanding the highest level of performance, design and style. It’s exquisitely crafted, as one would expect from the Italians, futuristic when necessary, and a masterpiece in its own right.
Featuring unparalleled 505 horsepower, extremely light materials including carbon fiber and aluminum, 8-speed automatic transmission and an interior that is sumptuous and stylish, this sporty, seductive SUV delivers an exhilarating driving experience of a true Italian sports car despite being a high-performance SUV.