This one has had us scratching our heads for a long time. It's a test prototype that looks like a regular Range Rover Evoque, yet it is actually a Jaguar. It's been spotted both in Scandinavia and, more recently, at the Nurburgring.
Folks are already calling it the E-Pace, even though that name was rumored to be given to the EV derived from the F-Pace. Looks like F-Pace E will have to suffice!
The front and rear lights on the mule are from the Evoque facelift and bear the distinctive mark of the Land Rover design team. The 5-door body is also unmistakably that of the Evoque. But the grille is a good indication that something odd is going on. Given the fact that the wheels measure at least 20 inches, the brakes are also much bigger, hinting at the performance of a Leaper.
Jaguar is using this Evoque-based test mule to develop different suspension, cooling and breaking solutions. Since this is a smaller car than the F-Pace, we suspect that most of the engines will be 2-liter turbocharged ones. However, an SVR model cannot be ruled out at the moment.
While the Evoque uses a Ford-derived Freelander platform, the E-Pace is going to be all-new and built from aluminum and Discovery Sport witchcraft. By sharing components with LR, Jaguar can lower its development costs and add complexity to the project.
Will it rival the BMW X1 and Audi Q3? We don't know that yet, nor can we confirm the name. The British company has filed several trademarks recently, including I-Pace, I-Type and EV-Type. Does the I stand for identity and does that mean they are planning a rival for the A3 as well? We honestly have no idea and this discussion has gone on long enough for a 37-second video.
Mihnea's favorite cars have already been built, the so-called modern classics from the '80s and '90s. He also loves local car culture from all over the world, so don't be surprised to see him getting excited about weird Japanese imports, low-rider VWs out of Germany, replicas from Russia or LS swaps down in Florida. Full profile
Would you like AUTOEVOLUTION to send you notifications?
Google News