Last week Jaguar hosted a star studded event filled with music, fashion and unrivalled cinematic styled stunts. With a clear focus on style, luxury and entertainment, we attended to see if the British manufacturer could mirror the same booming successes of Britain’s current luxury fashion and entertainment industries.

The event was all in celebration of Jaguar’s brand new compact performance SUV, the E-PACE. On first glances, it’s clear that Jaguar has combined their legacy of artistic and unique design prowess with the comfort and practicality of a five-seater body.

The E-Pace exterior design is sleek, tasteful and above-all-else one of the most fashionable designs you’ll find on a five-seater SUV on the market. The interior boasts modern amenities from its five USB connections, four 12-volt charging points and 4G Wi-Fi hotspot for up to eight devices; so despite the practicality of vehicle, owners will also benefit from the innovative amenities seen in sports car ranges.

We got to witness the aforementioned high-performance qualities of the E-PACE put to the test with famed stunt driver Terry Grant performing a 15.3 metre-long jump complete with a 270-degree ‘barrel roll’ across London’s EcXel which landed the car safely into the official Guinness World Records book.

Coming in at an affordable £28,500, Jaguar has opened their arms to both a younger and more practically minded consumer base commendably without compromising on the great design we’ve come to expect the manufacturer.

Director of Design, Ian Callum has this to say “Established Jaguar design principles ensure the
E-PACE is immediately recognisable as the sports car of its class. Our new compact SUV combines the interior space, connectivity and security that families expect with the kind of proportions, purity of design and performance not usually associated with such a practical vehicle.”

But the night was not only for lovers of fast cars and stunts as the presentation was rounded off by a whirlwind set performed by Pete Tong, The Heritage Orchestra and special guest Raye, the latter of whom we spoke to only a few weeks ago. Discussing the set after the show, Raye jubilantly told FAULT:

“It was such an incredible experience to perform with Pete Tong and The Heritage Orchestra! I’ve always been a fan of fast cars and have fallen in love with the new E-PACE – it’s beautiful!”

Fashion model and (true) philanthropist David Gandy was also in attendance on the evening. David Gandy has long-been associated with Jaguar, and we asked what from the lineup he was most excited for

“I’m always excited Jaguar’s new launches; there’s no one thing I can tell you I am most excited for tonight because there’s no one thing I love about cars and the brand”.

In all honesty, these events aren’t something we cover too often as they can be rather boring in the eyes of our affluent younger readership. Many times unveilings can miss the mark of what younger audiences are interested in, so we must commend Jaguar for engaging and understanding that their contemporary fan base is harbouring an appreciation of luxury, design and technology without any less of the excitement afforded to them elsewhere.

The evening even boasted a spectacular VR demonstration of the E-PACE which allowed us to get a close-up, 360 inspection of the internal components which allows for such a practical car to perform so well. Blending the innovative and exciting technological advances of Jaguar with the equally compelling format of VR technology was a genius move on their part.

All in all the event was a success, and from what we’ve heard from the automotive journalists in attendance, Jaguar is set to see a winner with the E-PACE. Our take away from the event is Jaguar’s clear and successful push from Jaguar to be an industry leader for the often forgotten consumer base of the young and affluent. The musical performances, showcases and incorporation of new technology are a clear signal that despite over eighty years in the business, Jaguar is still very much on trend.