The Jaguar Art of Performance Tour is on this weekend in Toronto.
You’ve wondered to yourself whether the all-electric Jaguar I-Pace or the high-powered F-Pace SVR might be the car you’re looking for, but the sales pitch that comes along with a dealership test drive has left you procrastinating.
Does this sound like you? Do you happen to be in Toronto this weekend? If so, you might want to free up some time and head down to Sherway Gardens.
The Jaguar Art of Performance Tour and Land Rover Above and Beyond Tour are temporary pop-up experience events that offer, in a sense, next-level test drives. They’re a chance to try out Jaguar Land Rover vehicles in situations that push them a little further toward their limits than you’d go on public roads alone.
Plus, you won’t have salespeople shoving contracts in your face as soon as you get out of the car. There are people on hand to answer your questions, and they’ll take your contact information and pass it on to your local dealer for a follow-up. But the intention is to allow potential buyers to satisfy their curiosity about these cars in a low-pressure setting.
The entire process takes roughly two to two and a half hours, and the mall-side setting for the Toronto stop might be a fortuitous one. Stereotypes suggest that someone might send his girlfriend inside to go shopping while the boys play with the toys, but sending dad and the kids off with ice cream money while mom has some fun works, too. Or you could find a sitter and make it a date.
This year’s event runs through this Sunday, September 29. There are a few spots left for signing up in advance, and there’s a limited amount of space for walk-ups as well. Toronto is the only location where the I-Pace and F-Pace SVR will be available to sample on the tour this time around; the Range Rover portion will be at three different locations in and around Vancouver from October 17 to 25.
If you go, here’s what you’ll have a chance to check out.
Jaguar I-Pace on a Handling Course
The instant 512 lb-ft of torque produced by the pair of 150 kW electric motors in the all-electric Jaguar I-Pace can be put to the test on a handling course that weaves around the parking lot. Instructors are on hand to talk you through the best way to approach braking and turning so that you can focus on punching the go pedal at the most opportune times. It’s over as quickly as it starts, so be on your toes once you get behind the wheel to ensure you make the most of it.
Range Rover Sport and Evoque on Simulated Off-Road Obstacles
The folks from the Land Rover Experience in Montebello, Quebec, take over for this station to guide you through ramps, a teeter-totter, a 31-degree side slope, and a set of moguls in either a Range Rover Sport or the new Range Rover Evoque. Some of these activities can be properly unnerving, even for those who have done them before, but they’re all well within the capabilities of these utility vehicles.
If you’re attending with friends, here’s the competitive challenge for this round: see who can make the teeter-totter hang the longest. With a very gentle foot on the throttle and a very slight creep forward, it’s possible to keep this ramp suspended in mid-air for a surprisingly long time.
Jaguar F-Pace SVR on the Smart Cones
This activity never stops being fun, and it’s the main reason you should bring a friend or two along. In the Jaguar F-Pace SVR, drivers navigate the Smart Cones, which use five pairs of GPS-calibrated cones with LED lights to create a random autocross course that’s different every time. A score is generated based on the combination of fastest time, most accurate route through the gates, and least distance traveled. At the end of the day, someone gets to leave with bragging rights. A few tips: don’t forget to breathe, don’t forget to go through the green gates and not the blue ones (it’s amazing how many people go colour-blind when they start driving fast), and be sure to take a moment to appreciate the sweet exhaust notes emanating from the F-Pace SVR.
Keyword: Take the Jaguar I-Pace and F-Pace SVR for a No-Strings Spin