FLIPPING MAD
New Jaguar E-Pace breaks Guinness world record in daredevil barrel roll at London’s ExCeL as SUV makes world debut
Riskiest car launch ever heralds the arrival of the new Jaguar E-Pace at star-studded event
THE new Jaguar E-Pace has set a daring Guinness World Record as it made its world debut at a star-studded bash.
The risky barrel roll, which takes inspiration from Roger Moore's famous twist in James Bond classic The Man with the Golden Gun, was shown as part of the premiere at London's ExCeL.
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And it was stunt driver Terry Grant at the wheel for the record attempt with Guinness World Records adjudicators on hand to present the certificate for the "Furthest Barrel Roll in a Production Vehicle".
Hundreds of guests watched on as the E-Pace launched itself 15.3-metres complete with a 270-degree corkscrew.
The £28,500 SUV went one better than its big brother - the Jaguar F-Pace that set a loop-the-loop world record when it launched in 2015.
And it even out-did the Land Rover Discovery reveal which featured Bear Grylls abseiling down a LEGO Tower Bridge.
ExCeL was one of the few venues in the UK big enough to accommodate the 160-metre run up required for the daring attempt.
And the entire stunt was fraught with danger - several rehearsals ended badly and put question marks over the whole effort.
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But Terry Grant - who has 21 Guinness World Records to his name - said it was a dream come true to finally nail the leap.
He said: "As far as I am aware, no production car has ever cleanly completed a bona fide barrel roll and therefore it has always been an ambition of mine to perform one ever since I was a boy.
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"After driving the Jaguar F-Pace in the record-breaking loop-the-loop, it has been amazing to help launch the next chapter of the Pace family in an even more dramatic dynamic feat.”
It was the final test for the E-Pace after two years of gruelling development across four continents in extreme cold and heat.
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Pravin Patel, Guinness World Records adjudicator, said: “This amazing feat really was a sight to behold.
"While I’ve seen the barrel roll stunt in film, witnessing this incredible feat in real life was something pretty special."
TOP TEN SCREEN JUMPS
1. The Man With The Golden Gun
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4. Blues Brothers
5. Thelma & Louise
6. The Dukes Of Hazzard
7. Smokey And The Bandit
8. Bullitt
9. Ferris Bueller’s Day Off
10. Transporter 3
The star-studded event at London's ExCeL also featured an exclusive performance by Pete Tong & The Heritage Orchestra.
As a celebration of the new Jaguar E-Pace, Pete also collaborated with singer-songwriter Raye to perform “You Don’t Know Me” by Jax Jones.
The smash hit features Raye and has over 230 million plays on Spotify and over 130 million You Tube views.
The Jaguar E-Pace is on sale now and priced at £28,500 to take on the likes of the Range Rover Evoque, BMW X3 and Audi Q3.
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