Jaguar's first SUV teased on video

Jaguar has released the first official teaser video of its first SUV, the all-new F-PACE, ahead of its world debut at the Frankfurt motor show in September.

Due on sale by mid-2016 in Australia — where it's likely to replace the all-new XE medium sedan due here in September as the British brand's top-selling model — the production F-PACE appears almost identical to the CX-17 concept that previewed it.

However, a number of key design details have been confirmed by this teaser image for the first time, since until now they were concealed by camouflage on the development vehicles seen previously in a spy video and a series of spy photos, including these latest shots taken at a wet Nurburgring.

As seen in these stills from the video, they include LED headlight and tail-light graphics that echo those on the XE sedan and F-TYPE sports car, curved yellow LED repeater lights in the wing mirrors, black honeycomb inserts in the grille and lower bumper openings, chunky twin/five-spoke alloy wheels, Jaguar-branded front quarter vents and leaping cat emblems on the grille and wheel hubs.

Jaguar has released no fresh information about the F-PACE, but continues to call it a 'performance crossover' rather than an SUV, and – just as the XE is claimed to be the driver's car in its segment -- says "the family sports car" will be the performance pick among its peers.

"F-PACE is coming," said Jaguar on YouTube. "The latest in our dynamic and seductive bloodline, F-PACE is a blend of exhilarating performance, intuitive technology and class-leading practicality.

"Underpinned by our Aluminium Intensive Architecture and based on the C-X17 concept, F-PACE is set to redefine the crossover segment. Offering a unique combination of sporting design fused with spacious luxury, the Jaguar F-PACE is the first of its kind.

"F-PACE represents the perfect balance of style, performance and practicality," said Jaguar alongside the video, which features the company's chief designer Ian Callum and is expected to be followed by a series of pre-Frankfurt teaser videos.

As we've reported, the F-PACE will be around the same size and price as the BMW X5, which is Australia's top-selling large luxury SUV and priced from about $85,000.

Just as the XE sedan is expected to spawn wagon, coupe and perhaps even convertible derivatives, there's speculation the F-PACE will be joined by smaller and perhaps larger models in an entire Jaguar crossover family.

When it arrives here in 12 months, the F-PACE will be powered by a similar four- and six-cylinder petrol and diesel engine line-up to the, with which it shares its new lightweight aluminium-rich platform.