The Jaguar E-Pace has just been launched in Malaysia and at a selling price that would tickle some Malaysians to take a test drive to experience it on the road. Fitted with a strong body shell and high safety equipment as we can see from this nasty rollover accident in Europe, it should be the SUV of choice for safety conscious Malaysians looking for a premium and stylish SUV.
Pictures have been circulating on the internet regarding a Jaguar E-Pace that has appeared to suffer a multiple rollover accident.
Judging from the French plates and the Arc de Triomphe dealer decal on the rear of this top-spec P250 AWD compact Jag SUV, this accident may very well happen somewhere in France.
The result of this rollover incident is not pretty. Initial observations easily conclude that there is not a straight panel in sight on this black Jag. All airbags, including the side curtain airbags, have gone off. The windows and panoramic glass roof has shattered, showering glass everywhere. Even the section of roof above where the driver’s head should be has been buckled due to the force of the roll.
On closer inspection though, things aren’t nearly as bad as they seem. For starters, the passenger shell remains mostly intact and all four doors still retain (most of) their original shape. The roof may have been misshapen but judging by the intact passenger cell, there is a high likelihood that the occupants managed to walk away from this horrific incident, and possibly with only minor injuries. Partly the reason as to why the E-Pace has 5 star Euro NCAP safety rating.
Thus far, no official report on this accident has been made public at time of writing. That being said, with no crash damage to the front and rear, it rules out the possibility of this compact Jag being hit from the front or the back. A greater amount of damage on the left side of the vehicle leads to the educated hypothesis that this Jag SUV could be T-boned from the left side, thus causing the rollover. However, this is still purely an educated guess.
This incident raises an interesting point regarding the increased rollover risk of SUVs though. An inherent higher centre of gravity in these SUVs due to buyers demanding that raised driving position will inevitably make these vehicles more prone to these sorts of tumbles.
Sure, technology has improved immensely since the days of the earliest on-road off-roaders which handled like a boat on rough seas, with new anti-roll technology and car-like handling prevalent in most of these tall SUVs. That being said, physics can’t be fooled that easily.
One good example of this is how SUVs are still more likely to fail the infamous Elk test, an emergency evasion manoeuvre that imitates a driver swerving to avoid an obstacle at driving speeds. High-riding cars usually fare much worse in this test, a trade-off for a more commanding view of the road I suppose.
As for the fate of this Jag, it is safe to say that it will be deemed as a total loss. Used only to be picked apart for spares before being mercilessly turned into a cube by the jaws of the crusher.
PRESS RELEASE: The Jaguar E-Pace is a five-seat compact SUV that packs the design and performance of a Jaguar sports car into a spacious, practical and connected all-wheel-drive vehicle. The Jaguar E-PACE is now on sale in the Malaysian market.
Available in Yulong White and Firenze Red, the compact SUV features a 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbocharged Ingenium petrol engine that makes 200 PS. 0-100 km/h sprint is done in 8.2 seconds with the help of an all-wheel-drive system.
The E-Pace is the newest member of Jaguar’s SUV family following Jaguar’s first all-electric SUV, the I-Pace Concept and the World Car of the Year-winning F-Pace performance SUV.
The exterior design is inspired by the F-Type sports car and is characterised by the distinctive Jaguar grille, muscular proportions, short overhangs and powerful haunches. Optional 21-inch alloy wheels give the E-Pace a bold and purposeful stance, instantly communicating dynamic agility. Jaguar sports car DNA is also evident in the fast sweep of the roofline and the distinctive side window graphic.
The E-Pace will be one of the most connected and intelligent vehicles in its class. The next-generation touchscreen infotainment system connects customers to their favourite apps, such as Spotify through Jaguar Land Rover’s InControl apps.
Digital connectivity can be found throughout the cabin, ready for every need of the modern family. There are up to four 12-volt charging points and five USB connections as well as a 4G Wi-Fi hotspot for up to eight devices.
The Jaguar E-Pace has exceptional interior space for a vehicle in this class. The compact SUV is 4,395mm long with short front and rear overhangs of 882mm and 832mm respectively. Its 2,681mm wheelbase seats five in absolute comfort and yields a generous rear legroom of 892mm while the large luggage capacity of 577 litres is made possible by the vehicle’s sophisticated Integral Link rear suspension architecture.
The Jaguar E-PACE is priced at RM403,216.67 after the sales tax exemption.
Opinion and Text by Joshua Chin
