Torque Is Not Cheap

I know some people are put off by the word “torque” but if you are a petrol head, it is a big deal. Torque, simply, is power, and when you press the accelerator pedal, if your engine has a lot of torque, you’re going to find yourself glued to the back of your seat

The Jaguar F Pace is a car with a decent amount of torque. So much so, that this car manages to accomplish a very rare feat: you come to enjoy getting stopped by red lights. Why? Because when the lights turn green, you get to enjoy that feeling of raw acceleration from 0 – 60 over and over again.

Setting the Pace

The car I am driving is the 2.0 Turbo Diesel Type R and arrives at that speed in 8.6 seconds. No, that’s not as quick as something like a 911, but this is a car that weighs in at 1 ¾ tons.

The power range of the F Pace isn’t limited to getting off the line or away from the lights quickly. Quite the contrary, accelerating from 80 KmH or from 100 KmH on the open road is still a thrill. And if you can find a bit of road that lets you push the accelerator pedal as you tip the nose of the car into a corner, then you find out that the handling on this vehicle is so sweet and perfectly balanced that if you could find the equivalent in another person, you’d marry it.

While the Type R is of course the performance end of the range, this is a Jaguar, and Jags are synonymous with one thing above all else: luxury. Sitting in the driving seat you’ll marvel at the level of luxury in every detail, from the beautifully artistic way in which the electronic dashboard comes to life, to the two-tone seats upholstered in the highest quality leathers, to the cabin lighting that adds a subtle additional touch of refinement everywhere from the centre console to the doors.

Also ticking the quality box is the music system. The lottery of radio (if that’s your choice, or you can Bluetooth, or you can throw a CD in the slot if you’ve still got discs) may select the music, but if you’re lucky enough to catch something like Black Dog, by Led Zeppelin, you’ll be very pleased with just how loud this thing gets. If the radio decides to treat you to Angie by the Rolling Stones, you’ll be astonished at how the different elements of this masterful track come at you from different angles relayed through the multitude of speakers around the interior.

A Thing of Beauty

And then there’s the looks. Oh my, she is a thing of beauty. From the cute little nose to the nicely rounded and pert back end, and everything in between, this car is a pleasure to look at. The model I am driving is finished off in a dark grey hue that adds a touch of class to the visuals, and then it sits on great big alloy wheels and big tyres as a reminder that this thing is a monster when needed performance wise.

If there’s fault to find it is with the onboard SatNav system. The visuals are good, and as I drive through Kyiv some of the architectural spectacles that I pass are displayed on-screen in great visual detail. The problem is it does not factor in traffic time. Leaving from one meeting and heading to another I was reliably informed that I could expect an 8-minute journey time, which turned out to be 35. Kyiv without traffic is a nice fantasy, but sadly, not a reality.

Torque is Not Cheap

Torque is not cheap, to be able to enjoy the power and prestige and luxury of the Jaguar F Pace every day you’ll need to shell out close to 2 000 000 UAH. But there is always the question of cost vs benefit, and in this case, I would suggest that, compared to other models that can be obtained for about the same kind of money, this hard-pulling cat delivers probably the best-balanced blend of cost, performance, and luxury of anything in this class.

As I return the car to the Jaguar Land Rover dealership close to Boryspil Airport there is one last opportunity to feel the effects of torque offered up by this engine, as the route involves a 180-degree turn followed by a long and open straight. Clear of any traffic, the bend is taken at a sensible speed, and the accelerator pedal is buried. I am glued to the sumptuous seat for the last thrilling time.
Until the next time.