The new Jaguar i-PACE EV (pictured) will be built in Austria by Magna Steyr
[nggallery id=2408 template=customlinks]
The new Jaguar i-PACE – revealed this week as a concept at the Los Angeles Motor Show – will be built in Austria by Magna Steyr starting in 2018.
In fact, JLR are happy to admit the i-PACE is very close to a production vehicle and that it will arrive as a production model in Jaguar showrooms in the first half of 2018. But where will Jaguar build the i-PACE?
It’s a good question as, at the moment, the i-PACE has little in common with any of JLR’s other cars – platform and powertrain in particular – but the answer to the question is partly answered by a story we ran in July last year,
In July 2015 it was confirmed that Jaguar Land Rover had come to an agreement with Magna Steyr in Austria to build two vehicles for them, although no models were mentioned at the time.
Magna Steyr has built a number of more niche cars for major car makers over the years – including VW, BMW, Mercedes, Audi, Jeep, Aston Martin and MINI – and are currently busy building a new extension to add JLR’s new models to their production. And now we know that one of the models will be the i-PACE.
Industry analysts reckon the anticipated production levels for the i-PACE will be 13,000 a year at Magna Steyr as the i-Pace takes on cars like the Tesla Model X and Audi Q6, both likely to arrive in the UK in 2018.
With its 395bhp from its motors fed by a 90kWh battery pack, the i-PACE is a bit behind the performance of the Model X, but seems likely to be quicker than the Audi Q6. And it should be a much better drive than either car.
Which makes us wonder if a projected production level of 13,000 is enough, especially when the Model X looks set to be selling more than twice that?
Rtfa Zeberdee says
Looks like another vehicle i wouldn’t buy because its built abroad. not that i could afford it…