Afternoon tea with the Brits

Jaguar Philippines invited the local motoring media last week to its All British Cars showroom in BGC to explore and discover, not just its latest models, but to experience the rich British heritage with an afternoon tea—in exquisitely English style.

We learned traditional tea etiquette with a crash course on English Tea 101. Three things I learned about English tea were to gently stir back and forth, not in a counterclockwise or clockwise motion. If you need to stand up, never leave and place the napkin on the table; always leave it on your seat. And always put the pinkie finger down when drinking tea.

Feeling a lot more cultured after learning about and sampling some of the most breathtakingly expensive teas, we then proceeded to the unveiling of two of Jaguar’s equally exquisite models, the 2021-model F-Pace SUV and the XF sedan. 

The F-Pace (P5,590,000)

With an assertive new exterior, beautifully crafted all-new interior, latest-generation Pivi Pro infotainment system and the 4-cylinder engine with mild hybrid electric vehicle (MHEV) technology, the new F-Pace is more luxurious, connected and efficient. 

The new exterior design gives the award-winning F-Pace a cleaner, more assured presence, featuring a new sculpted hoodt with a wider power bulge and smoother, more precisely defined surfaces. The new hood also contributes to a more striking finish by reducing the number of shutlines on the front of the car.

An enlarged grille features Jaguar’s heritage logo-inspired ‘diamond’ detailing, while the side fender vents now feature the iconic Leaper emblem. A new front bumper with redesigned air intakes and dark mesh details combine with new super-slim all-LED quad headlights with ‘Double J’ Daytime Running Light (DRL) signatures to visually widen the new F-Pace for a more dynamic presence. 

At the rear, new slimline lights feature Jaguar’s double chicane graphic – first previewed on the all-electric I-Pace – to accentuate the width of the vehicle. The new bumper design and sculpted new tailgate also add visual drama and deliver a more confident appearance.

The F-Pace has an all-new interior with heightened luxury, enhanced connectivity and greater serenity and refinement. The new cockpit is bolder, more dynamic and with greater focus on the driver. A sporty new center console sweeps up to the instrument panel and incorporates a wireless charger and greater console stowage.

At the heart of the new interior is a seamlessly integrated centrally-mounted 11.4-inch curved-glass HD touchscreen, which controls the new Pivi Pro infotainment system. Authentic finishes, including wood veneers and aluminum, feature in beautifully formed shapes such as the upper door insert and full width ‘Piano lid’ that is formed across the width of the instrument panel. Laser-etched mid-line speaker frets and the metallic rotary dial of the JaguarDrive Control epitomize the attention-to-detail.

The new Drive Selector – just one of the many beautiful details – features an upper section finished with ‘cricket-ball’ stitching, the lower part being made of precision-engineered metal for enhanced tactility.

New door casings, featuring a new 360-degree grab handle, provide easier access and increased storage for drinks bottles and other items, while the electric window switches are moved down from the top of the door roll, putting them within easier reach of occupants. 

The new F-Pace is available with Jaguar’s latest 4-cylinder diesel MHEV technology Ingenium engine with 199ps. All F-Pace models feature intelligent all-wheel drive and 8-speed automatic transmissions. This engine uses a Belt-integrated Starter Generator (BiSG) to harvest energy usually lost when slowing and braking. This energy is then stored in a separate 48V lithium-ion battery before being intelligently redeployed to assist the engine when accelerating, as well as delivering a more refined stop/start system. 

The latest Pivi Pro infotainment technology is accessed through the all-new 11.4-inch curved glass HD touchscreen. Key benefits include enhanced clarity, the screen is three times brighter and 48% larger than the previous 10-inch screen, and the simplified menu structures allow drivers to access or view up to 90 percent of common tasks from the homescreen in two taps or less. 

The intuitive new infotainment system features Apple CarPlay as standard.

Segment-first Active Road Noise Cancellation technology constantly monitors vibrations from the road surface and calculates the opposite phase sound wave needed to remove the noise heard by the occupants. This means quieter levels within the cabin and improved refinement that helps to reduce fatigue, commonly associated with prolonged exposure to low-frequency noise. Engine Noise Cancellation isolates the cabin from unwanted engine noise to further enhance the sense of tranquillity.

Jaguar’s latest 3D Surround Camera technology delivers advanced 3D functionality using the latest camera technology to deliver more detail and a choice of real-time viewing when maneuvering the vehicle. 

Jaguar’s commitment to creating strong and lightweight vehicles, continues with the new F-Pace. The aluminum-intensive architecture uses recycled aluminum from closed-loop manufacturing for greater sustainability and is an important contribution towards Jaguar’s journey to Destination Zero, a world of zero emissions, zero accidents and zero congestion.   

The XF (P4,590,000)

The dynamic new 2021 Jaguar XF 2.0 S features enhanced exteriors, an all-new interior incorporating luxurious new materials, and seamlessly integrated, connected and future-proof technologies. 

A next-generation, 2.0-liter 4-cylinder Ingenium turbocharged diesel engine and the latest 2.0-liter 4-cylinder Ingenium petrol engine power the new XF.

The exterior features a new front bumper with larger and lower air intakes for increased visual width. This visual width is enhanced by a wider front grille featuring a mesh design detail inspired by Jaguar’s heritage logo. The side fender vents now feature the Leaper emblem. Like the F-Pace, the XF boasts new super-slim all-LED quad headlights with ‘Double J’ DRLs. 

Design enhancements at the rear include a wider bumper and body-colored rear upper valance, which visually lower the car. Darkened rear light surrounds now also feature on the XF.

Like the F-Pace, the XF has an all-new interior with pretty much everything you’ll find in its SUV sibling right down to the metallic rotary dial of the JaguarDrive Control with ‘cricket-ball’ stitching and the 11.4-inch Pivi Pro infotainment system.

To help drivers access vital information quickly, the XF features a new 12.3-inch HD Interactive Driver Display with enhanced graphics and a configurable layout which can show full screen navigation mapping with turn-by-turn instructions, digital dials, media, contact list or infotainment details. The intuitive new infotainment system features Apple CarPlay and Android Auto as standard. 

The XF also has the F-Pace’s Active Road Noise Cancellation technology as well as its full 3D Surround camera system. The audiophile Meridian sound system has now been updated with 2 new additional center channel speakers giving the system a total of 12 speakers + 1 subwoofer delivering 400W of power with exceptional definition, crystal-clear highs, and full, deep bass.

The new 2021 Jaguar F-Pace and Jaguar XF 2.0 S are available to order now at www.jaguar.ph/jaguar-range-xf.