Our cars Delight in the detail
One thing everyone can agree on is that the I-Pace still looks and feels special. Here we try to explain why…
Guy Bird
‘Making an entrance’ is hard to do as a person and even harder to do with a series production car – which by definition is not unique, unlike a human’s face or body. However, Jaguar’s designers have achieved the feat globally with the I-Pace, a notion backed up by winning the UK, European and World Car of the Year awards in its first full year on sale in 2019 – as well as World Car Design of the Year. And that’s not only because of its early-to-market tech and EV-optimised package and excellent proportions, but also because of some superb details that elevate it above the average. Those details start to reveal themselves from the first plip of the keyfob as the flush door handles move gently away from the smooth bodywork and towards the driver to invite you to pull and open. Repeat the plip at night and the circular puddle light beams down from the wing mirror to illuminate the floor with the Jaguar ‘word- mark’ enclosed within the light. As the solid door closes with a reassuring clunk, supportive and well-upholstered seats cosset their occupants and subtly shiny elements define the premium parts that sit
behind the surfaces – from the well-defined hexagon-lattice metal grille protecting the upmarket Meridian stereo speaker – to the encircled and three-dimensional Jaguar ‘leaper’ logo in the middle of the steering wheel hub. Look up, and a front-to-back large fixed one-piece panoramic roof floods the cabin with natural light. If you need a quick burst of cool air, the knurled edges of the wide centre console aircon controls visually indicate that they are well-made and robust, and then turn with a preciseness that adds further confirmation.
Back to the view of the car from the outside, certain elements convey sportiness and power within. This is particularly so in the case of the downward bonnet scoop whose bodywork dives dramatically from the bottom of the windscreen cowl to a partially-hidden vent in the middle of the bonnet in order to channel air flow from the front of the car over the windscreen to the back. The smooth way the surface changes are executed marks it out as a design detail
Why we’re running it
To see if Jaguar’s EV trailblazer can still cut it among a host of new rivals
Jaguar I-Pace R-Dynamic
HSE Black EV400 (90kWh) P11D price £77,440 As tested £83,775 (OTR) Official range 255 miles Our average consumption 2.3m/kWh Mileage 2,913
more associated with high-end racing or supercars, rather than a premium crossover – no basic bonnet slats these.
That aerodynamic element is backed up at the rear of the I-Pace with an angled spoiler attached to the top of the tailgate which allows air to flow between it and the car’s roof. Down to the rear of the car the Jaguar badge and logo are now gloss black, just like the striking 22in alloy wheels, all of which add to the stealth-mode glamour of the model, especially when set against grey metallic paint. The I-Pace does not ‘shout’ so much as ‘purr’ its brand affiliation. Those familiar with modern car options will know that some of these elements feature on
other cars too of course, but not all of them and not all at this price point. In the five months we’ve run the car so far, the I-Pace still gets noticed as something well beyond the ordinary by all who see it. Even by my 91-year-old aunty Marjorie – clocking the car from a fair distance and parked up perpendicular to her house with no Jaguar badges visible – quickly senses that it is something sporty and special. In other words, the excellence of the I-Pace’s design is something she feels and knows as she sees it, even if she doesn’t fully understand why. Which is why the Jaguar I-Pace remains – five years after its launch – a car that still stands out from the crowd and is so much more than the sum of its parts.
www.businesscar.co.uk | March 2024 | 45
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