It was back in June this year when Jaguar introduced the refreshed F-Pace in India. Now, we’ve got another variant – the F-Pace SVR. The carmaker started accepting bookings for it back in June as well. Priced at Rs 1.51 crore, it costs more than twice the variants launched earlier. Why? For two very valid reasons. One, it arrives in India as a direct import. That means the F-Pace SVR attracts the maximum duties. And two, it is the most powerful version in the range.

Under the bonnet is a 5.0-litre supercharged V8 that produces 543bhp and 700Nm of peak torque. The oomph goes to all four wheels via an 8-speed automatic transmission. As a result, the F-Pace SVR can hit 100kmph from a standstill in 4 seconds and clock 286kmph flat out. Those figures are impressive for something that weighs well north of two tonnes.

As you’d expect, the looks, albeit much sportier, are in line with the refreshed F-Pace. In SVR spec, the SUV features a new front bumper that incorporates more prominent air intakes. In addition, the bonnet features functional vents, while the different fenders house side vents. Similarly, there is a new bumper at the back and four tailpipes for that added zing. The interior ambience has been upgraded with new features and styling tweaks.

In the features department, the F-Pace SVR is as handsome as they come. The list includes a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, 14-way powered seats with heating and cooling functions, Meridian sound system and the latest dual-sim infotainment system with an 11.4-inch display and connected-car tech.

The F-Pace SVR is a direct rival for the Porsche Cayenne Turbo, BMW X5 M Competition and the Mercedes-AMG GLE. All of them are performance-oriented, high-riding SUVs. The question is – if you had the money, which one would you land in your garage? Or, would you instead spend that kind of money on something sportier, like a BMW 8 Series or a Jaguar F-Type?