As Jaguar's->ke39 first SUV,->ke145 the F-Pace->ke5038 is a big deal for both the British company and car enthusiasts. Most purists hate it, but SUV enthusiasts not so interested in brand heritage have high hopes for a sporty and luxurious crossover.->ke288 That said, it's not surprising the F-Pace is getting a lot of attention ahead of its official debut later in 2015, and that our car paparazzi are following it around each time Jaguar takes it out for a spin. First spotted testing in cold Scandinavia back in February and later photographed while stretching its legs on the Nurburgring track, the F-Pace was spotted in the wild again, this time around parked alongside other Jaguar Land Rover vehicles.

But while the other cars surrounding the F-Pace are free of camouflage, the F-Pace is just like we saw it at the 'Ring:->ke999 wrapped in a thick layer of black-and-white camo. It's not all bad news though, as our paparazzi managed to snap a few shots of the interior. Yup, that's a first, and it brings rather unexpected news. And it's not the XF dashboard or the large 10.2-inch touchscreen of the infotainment system, but a gear shifter. Yes, it seems the F-Pace is getting a manual gearbox right from the start, which is surprising given it took Jaguar almost two years to offer one on the F-Type->ke1224 sports car.->ke506

This could mean Jaguar is pretty serious about the F-Pace's sporty intentions, but I guess we will find out more about that as the crossover breaks cover at the Frankfurt Motor Show->ke235 in September.

Continue reading to learn more about Jaguar's future F-Pace.

Why it matters

What matters here is that this test car seems to confirm that the F-Pace will be available with a manual gearbox. With demand for performance cars with three pedals slowly dwindling, I wasn't really expecting Jaguar to consider it, let alone offer it anytime soon. It seems I was wrong, and even though the F-Pace isn't the type of vehicle to tickle my fancy, it's one more performance vehicle to feature a clutch pedal and a stick. And that's great news!

2016 Jaguar F-Type - Spy Shots

Read our full review here.