The British compact performance sport utility vehicle leapt into the record books with a 15.3m-long jump with a 270-degree corkscrew-like ‘barrel roll’ as a final durability test after 25 months of work across four continents.
The E-PACE completed its world record jump at ExCeL in London – one of only a handful of venues in the UK big enough to accommodate the 160-metre run-up and run-off vital for the 15-metre leap.
Helming the controls was stunt driver Terry Grant, who personally holds 21 Guinness World Records: “As far as I am aware no production car has ever cleanly completed a bona-fide barrel roll and therefore it has always been an ambition of mine to perform one ever since I was a boy. After driving the Jaguar F-PACE in the record-breaking loop-the-loop, it has been amazing to help launch the next chapter of the PACE family in an even more dramatic dynamic feat.”
Unsurprisingly, the barrel roll is not one to be tried at home; months of testing and analysis were completed to fine-tune the stunt, including achieving precisely the correct speed of run-up. The ramps were modelled extensively using CAD before any jumps took place. Terry experienced a G-Force of 5.5 (5.5 times his bodyweight) during the 270-degree twist, and required a 160-metre run up to hit the air at the correct speed.
“This amazing feat really was a sight to behold. While I’ve seen the barrel roll stunt in film, witnessing this incredible feat in real life was something pretty special. Congratulations to Terry and Jaguar for setting another epic Guinness World Records title,” said Guinness World Records adjudicator Pravin Patel.
The E-Pace is a five-seat compact SUV that is the newest Jaguar SUV family member to join the all-electric I-PACE Concept and the 2017 World Car of the Year, the Jaguar F-PACE, which has its own Guinness World Record for setting a loop-the-loop in 2015.
The E-Pace packs the design and performance of a Jaguar sports car into a spacious, practical and connected all-wheel-drive vehicle.
Externally, the E-Pace takes after the F-Type sports car and is characterised by the distinctive Jaguar grille, muscular proportions, short overhangs and powerful haunches that enhances its stance.
“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,” said Jaguar director of design Ian Callum.
