Re: Autumn 2016 | Page 99

seeing the Sussex countryside glide by the privacy glass windows without much effort. My internal surroundings didn’t disappoint either, enhanced by the panoramic glass roof along the full length of the F-PACE offering a feeling of increased space and allows the interior to be flooded with light. Then there are the very comfortable heated leather seats bathed in black and cream, as well as the chrome Centre Console featured an array of buttons including the All Surface Progress Control button which enables low speed cruise control on low traction surfaces such as grass, snow and the wet – essentially this allows you to confidently steer whilst maintaining grip at a low speed. Then there is the enormous 10.2 inch display screen for the (obligatory for me!) touch screen Sat Nav as well as a host of other multimedia platforms. Add in the Digital DAB Radio, for which Kisstory was the order of the weekend, supplement this with a key less stop start system and you have a very simple, yet refined car to drive! I was reliably informed that this particular model also included a lane departure warning system though I confess I wasn’t particularly thrilled at the prospect of scaring ‘er indoors to find out whether this was true or not! Include the Electric Parking Brake and the Hill Launch assist and this means the name for a new album by The Cars (a band from the 70’s/80’s!) album should be called ‘No Handbrake Required’. Step outside and you can do nothing but simply admire the sporty, yet classy design, supplemented by the magnificent 20 inch (aptly named) Venom 5 twin-spoke alloy wheels. From the front, the F-PACE looks like a smug ‘Desperate Dan’ without the stubble; from the rear it looks sharp and assertive with a mean streak, while from the side…simply gorgeous with the curves in all the right places. In essence, sexy AND serious both at the same time! This F-PACE also has front and rear parking sensors (an absolute must for me!) and with a speed of 0-60 mph in 8.2 seconds, overtaking was graceful and powerful in equal measure. Include a very economic 53 miles per gallon and a top speed of 129 miles per hour, and this F-PACE comes out a mere £45,000. There are other models to look at and this is only one of five. So with prices from £35k for the ‘Prestige’ at one end, described as “a performance SUV with the luxury of a beautifully crafted interior”, to the F-PACE first edition offering “exclusive design details and high specification features available with the 3.0 litre V6 Turbocharged Diesel” from £65,000, you have to admit this is a pretty good star t for Jaguar’s first attempt in the SUV market; in my opinion, one that’s here to stay. 2 seater F- Type in the window of the show room, I swear she was staring and winking at me. If I get to drive her…you’ll be the first to know (behind Mrs E of course!) Finally I feel I have to admit something, that for some time now, I have had a bit of a crush on somebody else’s car, a sexy silver Jaguar S Type, immaculately presented, you know the sort that’s quite obviously been well looked after by its owner. Well i know where she works AND where she lives. I’ve often thought about leaving a note on her, but shhhh!, don’t tell my Audi! By Laurence Elphick When it came to returning my weekend fling, I didn’t want to hand the F-PACE back, but whilst reluctantly walking away, my eye caught a glimpse of a BEAUTIFUL 97