Jaguar F-Pace spotted testing at Nurburgring

After being snapped in the Alps earlier this month, the Jaguar F-Pace has now been spotted undergoing performance testing at the Nurburgring circuit in Germany. The heavily camouflaged test mule previews Jaguar’s first ever production SUV model, which will be unveiled at the 2015 Frankfurt Motor Show, later this year.

The test mule has been seen without all the plastic cladding at the front for the first time, giving us a glimpse of the front grille, air intakes and the bumper. The F-Pace is essentially a production version of the CX-17 concept, which was unveiled at the 2013 Guangzhou Auto Show and has been styled along the lines of Jaguar’s current design philosophy.

Based on the Jaguar XE’s new lightweight aluminium platform, the F-Pace is being developed as a sporty crossover. While its sister concern, Land Rover, will concentrate on building rugged off-road machines, Jaguar will focus on developing softer and sportier crossover vehicles. Along with a host of V6 engines, the F-Pace will also get Jaguar’s new, homegrown family of Ingenium four-cylinder powertrains.

Though the F-Pace will be unveiled in September, its production at the Solihull factory in the UK is expected to commence only in 2016. The F-Pace will rival other crossovers like the Porsche Macan, Range Rover Evoque and the BMW X4.