- Tunnel Magic.

#JaguarElectrifies

The first taste of all Electric Motorsport, as the Paris E-Prix Takes the city by storm. We join Jaguar UK in London for an epic Road Trip to France.

4y ago
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It's not raining - which is a novelty for May. Parking up in London's Opulent Sofitel Hotel, I scan the car park and discover the remaining Jaguar F-Type SVR Coupe. It's pretty; Very pretty. Amongst all of the luxury marques strewn throughout the hotel's underground, it looks the newest, sharpest and most aggressive. Jaguar have done a superb job with crafting the F-Type, and it's aged like a fine vintage through it's current lifecycle. This SVR is the MY18, and it is near perfect.

Outside London's Sofitel Hotel.

Outside London's Sofitel Hotel.

Closely resembling a re-enactment of a battlefield scene, the theatrical overture of it's 5.0-litre Supercharged V8 firing up is a sound to behold! The titanium and Inconel exhausts barking and roaring in the confined space of the underground parking lot. Deciding that I should get going and join the rest a day ahead of us, I slide the pistol shaped gear-lever into place and move on out. Sam Sheehan - of Autocar fame is my co-pilot for the journey out, and we head over to Le Shuttle both in agreement that the SVR is a special place to be. Snacks and supplies taken care of en route, we find ourselves on time for the next train under the Channel. Being waved aside on arrival, we end up on a supercar specific carriage inside the Euro Tunnel. Wider, more accessible and nowhere near as alloy-threatening as the multi-deck carriages towards the back. In this company, it was hard to mistake how new the SVR looks vs former rivals, now considered old-timers. A V8 Vantage and Lamborghini Gallardo - once the ultimate in design and technology were our company, yet a crowd of French locals had appeared from other carriages to snap selfies and ask questions about our Caldera red SVR.

Taking in the Tunnels was an experience to behold!

Taking in the Tunnels was an experience to behold!

A short while later and we are in France. Easy to forget just how accessible the Channel Tunnel has made arriving onto the continent. We disembark the train and head on the straight route towards Le Cinq Codet, our hotel and final destination. We had word from the Jaguar Team a day ahead that the route was on the damp side, and not the natural surface to take a 575PS Supercar. Thankfully, with only a couple of minor downpours all was good, yet even on the river like surfaces of the Autoroute, the SVR was solid. Hours had elapsed and we were still comfortable with Paris drawing ever closer. Only getting close to the Centre did we find the impact building a street circuit had on the traffic flow. As the Formula-e route was around the City Centre, any road nearby had been closed off or diverted and for those that haven't driven in Paris before, it is terrifying! - Particularly in something as low slung and gorgeous as the F-Type SVR in right hand drive form. Still, we were swathed in padded, quilted leather, acres of alcantara, and a top-end Meridien Sound system to keep us entertained as we crept the final 10km into Paris.

Panasonic Jaguar Racing on arrival at Le Cinq Codet.

Panasonic Jaguar Racing on arrival at Le Cinq Codet.

A few laps around Paris' maze of backstreets brought us to Le Cinq Codet. A Chic 5* hotel situated 30 seconds from the action of Formula-e. Pulling up to our final destination, we high-five and nod in appreciation at how smooth the journey was, and how capable the SVR felt. Inside, and welcomed with open arms by Jaguar UK's ridiculously cool Jess, Adam and Tom we check in to our stunning two storey duplex rooms and head down for the first of our evening's entertainment. With the mesmerising sunset taking hold of the Parisian skyline, we are introduced to the other guests joining Jaguar UK, and head over to the Musée Rodin and the Jaguar Racing RE:Charge event.

James Barclay speaking about the teams progress.

James Barclay speaking about the teams progress.

The sheer scale of the Rodin museum is vast, and an sharp suited F-Type Sport 400 flanks the doorway into the pre-race soiree. Here brings a chance to speak with the drivers - Mitch Evans, Adam Carroll, Ho Pin Tung and Race Director Craig Wilson, to ascertain exactly how they feel driving fully electric single seaters, vs their background in a range of petrol driven motorsport series.

Sport 400 flanking the Musee Rodin.

Sport 400 flanking the Musee Rodin.

Driver interviews over, a chance to speak with Jaguar Racing Team Director, James Barclay and his view on the newly developed Jaguar Racing team. He grew up with motorsport, and relishes the chance to take motorsport into the future. "This is what kids will grow up with now. This is the future of motorsport," and it's only become more apparent with the likes of Mitch Evans bringing his fan base across to the platform of Formula-e.

Adam Calland, Mitch Evans and Craig Wilson talk all things electric.

Adam Calland, Mitch Evans and Craig Wilson talk all things electric.

A short walk back under the Formula-e village, takes us to our dinner reservation at Pasco, before retiring to the opulence of Le Cinq Codet's bar. Day one over, and it's already electric!

Waking up to the spectacular two-storey room, lends a chance to study Saturday's itinerary. Race Day. Unlike other race series, the practice, qualifying and race are all done on the same day. Exiting the hotel shows us just how close we are to the action as the chattering of the electric single seaters hits immediately, bearing more than a close resemblance to a Supercharger whine. Practice is in full swing and we walk the short distance to the Hospitality and Emotion Club back at the Musee Rodin, and being up close and personal with the cars on track signifies just how fast they are going and how tight the streets of Paris are!

Emotion.

Emotion.

In good company inside the Emotion Club, former Formula One drivers Damon Hill, and David Coulthard join the Team Principals in mingling with VIP's - and thanks to Jaguar UK we too enjoy the superb lunch and champagne laid on to guests of Formula-e's most chic entry to date. For the race, we exit the hospitality and walk over to the 'Emotion Stand' - set on possibly the best corner of the track at the end of the start finish straight.

Panasonic Jaguar Racing's i-Type

Panasonic Jaguar Racing's i-Type

Lights out! - and the inevitable happens. The grid full of cars entering the same corner at high speed only lends itself to danger - and one of the cars has a pricey carbon-fiber accident. The atmosphere around the circuit is literally electric with it being so accessible to the fans. It's hard to convey the sounds and speed through the TV, but in person it's right up there with LMP-1 cars for attitude. An eventful race over, Panasonic Jaguar Racing made it a hat-trick of points-scoring races with Mitch Evans and Adam Carroll finishing in P9 and P15 respectively, scoring two championship points in the process. These valuable points mean the British team leap to P8 in the team standings at the halfway point of their debut season, with six Formula-e races remaining.

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Corner, Corner, Corner!

Race over, it's back to the hotel for a shower and change, before a fleet of World Car of the Year Jaguar F-Pace' turn up to chauffeur us over to Avenue Gustave Eiffel's in-house restaurant - Le Jules Verne. What came next was a masterclass from the Chef in a seven course set menu whilst the sunset rained down on the French Capital. Capping off each course with a palette complementing wine, it was midnight before we took the glass elevator back down to the base of the Eiffel Tower, and onto the Official Formula-e After Party.

Le Jules Verne.

Le Jules Verne.

Sunset over the Qatar Airways FIA Formula E Paris stage.

Sunset over the Qatar Airways FIA Formula E Paris stage.

What came next topped even the Formula-e. Seven Jaguar F-Type SVR's roaring into the narrow street outside Le Cinq Codet. Three gorgeous Ultra Blue Coupes, a Caldera Red Coupe (Which we brought into Paris) and two Caldera Red SVR Convertibles, all led by the Indus Silver Jaguar UK F-Type SVR. Mesmerising. What occurred next was a Sunday morning blast around Paris with master of the lens, Nick Dimbleby hanging out of his 5.0 Range Rover Sport clinging onto his DSLR and Jaguar's Lady Racer Jess Jay at the wheel. Arc de Triomphe, Champs-Élysées, and other attractions ticked off, it was back towards Calais in an epic line up of Britain's finest export.

Le Cinq Codet keeping the cars company.

Le Cinq Codet keeping the cars company.

Paired with the legendary Adam Calland of Jaguar UK in a LHD Convertible, we hammer down the Autoroute with Nick randomly hanging out to capture these shots you see here. With millions upon millions of miles above our heads and the French sun burning strong, we recount several memories of a truly magnificent trip. Thank you whole heartedly to Jess Jay for a ridiculously well planned itinerary and after party access, Tom O'Connell for the style tips, and the herculean Adam Calland for the invite! Big love to you guys! For now however, I'm speccing my MY18 Jaguar F-Type SVR in Ultra Blue with a Panoramic Roof and Carbon everything!

Headturner.

Headturner.

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