In roaring style: Jaguar rolls out first-ever SUV in Dubai

Dubai - Thousands turn out to watch dramatic three-minute spectacle

British luxury brand Jaguar late on Monday accomplished a historic world-first for its Middle East launch of the All-New F-Pace performance SUV.
In a fitting tribute to the renowned city of firsts Dubai was a worthy choice for Jaguar to launch the F-Pace, the brand's first SUV, to the Middle East region during a show on the façade of the city's globally-renowned iconic landmark, Burj Khalifa.
Thousands of Dubai residents, tourists and a handpicked selection of VIP guests turned out to watch the dramatic three-minute spectacle that was seen across the world by viewers on Jaguar's online channels. The show started with a striking projection of the Dubai cityscape across the huge central panel of the Burj Khalifa façade, with the F-Pace outline roaring into view, scaling the length of Burj Khalifa - representing the performance prowess of Jaguar's newest addition.
A beautifully-crafted Arabic calligraphy symbol by renowned Arab artist Wissam Shawkat then took shape on the façade before bursting off screen. The spectacle culminated in the dramatic reveal of the Jaguar F-Pace, elevated almost six metres off ground-level, framed in a rainbow of fireworks to a choreographed finale. A synchronised reveal of the car also took place beside the Horse 2007 statue by Fernando Botero at The Dubai Mall promenade level in front of Burj Khalifa and was later available to guests for an up-close-and-personal experience.
Spanning a total area of 32,467 sqm, Burj Khalifa's LED façade holds the Guinness World Record as the "World's Largest LED-Illuminated Façade" and brought to life the Jaguar display using 70,000 LED bulbs synchronised across the imposing structure which stands at an impressive 828 metres.
Speaking after the event, Jaguar Land Rover Mena managing director Bruce Robertson said: "The All-New Jaguar F-Pace is the ultimate practical sports car and the most important launch in our brand history; delivering an unparalleled driving experience. What better way to welcome the F-Pace to the region than with a world-first on the world's tallest building - the iconic Burj Khalifa."
Robertson added: "Although Jaguar is no stranger to world-firsts, it is still a niche brand manufactured on a relatively small scale, and to this point I am extremely proud of the regional team for turning this into such a spectacular global milestone which no other commercial brand, international or otherwise has managed to accomplish - it will be celebrated for years to come."
The All-new Jaguar F-Pace is a dynamic five-seat performance crossover offering a combination of Jaguar sports car inspired exterior design, fused with a practical and spacious luxury interior. Designed, engineered, and manufactured in the UK, the Jaguar F-Pace has undergone thorough regional testing at Jaguar Land Rover's Engineering Test Centre in Dubai and is now available to order at exclusive Jaguar retailers across the Middle East and North Africa region.
- abdulbasit@khaleejtimes.com