It was only a matter of time before Jaguar joined the luxury SUV brigade with the Jaguar F-PACE launching this year.

Already, Jag is overwhelmed by demand with bulging order books and long waiting lists, justifying its ambition with this exciting new direction for the brand.

Launched this year at the Geneva Motor Show and since then, it has been unleashed on the Goodwood Festival of Speed and photographed in spectacular style against the stunning landscapes of Montenegro, including Kotor Bay and Lovcen National Park.

Described by Jaguar as the brand’s first “performance crossover” as it is an all-wheel drive rather than a four-wheel-drive, it will be interesting to see how many of these end up going on off-road adventures. Like the Maserati Levante, the F-PACE looks more interesting and more true to the badge’s design cues around the front with an inflated version of current Jaguar saloon and coupe grilles.

A limited edition model, the Jaguar F-PACE First Edition, has been unveiled and this will be limited to just 2,000 vehicles globally. With its design inspired by the C-X17 concept, it is being marketed as a pure representation of the original idea. The First Edition models get a unique colour, Caesium Blue, the same shade as the concept. Other design touches include double helix alloy wheels with a grey finish and contrast inserts, leather sports seats with houndstooth embossing, special mats and gloss black trim, again with the houndstooth pattern.

Under the bonnet, the First Edition and S are both powered by V6 petrol engines, the Portfolio has a V6 diesel, and the R-Sport has an inline four-cylinder diesel.