2018 Jaguar E-Pace Will be the Official Name for the Compact Crossover SUV

The 2018 Jaguar E-Pace SUV now has an official name along with the specifications, features and possibly a release date as well.

The new baby SUV has been named to match the existing lineup, as it will be known as the E-Pace from now on.

There had been a couple of leaked spy photographs in the past but the ones released now are the first official look at the car. The compact crossover has many design aspects inspired and borrowed from the highly successful F-Pace, especially the rear end. It is the second off-road edition from the house of Jaguar and will be competing against the BMW X1 and the Audi Q3. An official launch date has been scheduled. It will be revealed on July 13th and the car is a sports model which also has an all-wheel drive technology offering the highest level of performance on the road.

While the company is yet to talk in-depth about the type of powertrain they plan to use in the E-Pace, it has been unofficially confirmed that the entire range of petrol and diesel engines being used in the existing Jaguar models will be carried forward to the new car. The compact design is expected to make a lot of buyers happy. It is built on top of the LR-MS steel platform, the one on which the Range Rover Evoque has been built upon. The model will be available in dealership stores in 2018 and is expected to come with a price tag of £28,000.

The overall body, construction and design of the 2018 Jaguar E-Pace is  a reduced version of the F-Pace including the raked rear windscreen, shorter overhangs and other design elements. The powertrain will also be modified accordingly so that it fits within the limited space available in the compact SUV. Ian Callum, chief designer at Jaguar commented that the only way to use existing engines on a smaller model is to go with a transverse engined layout for maximum efficiency.

“We just can’t compromise on the looks and layout of the car. But, if we are to make the engine fit in, the only way to do so is to turn it sideways so that it fits within the body. The task is never easy as we have already faced similar issues in the past. But, maintaining the proportions and the performance is what we are here to do,” says a confident Callum. Besides, they also have to incorporate an all-wheel drive in the 2018 Jaguar E-Pace as a front wheel drive wouldn’t do it justice.