2020’s Perfect Me-Gift

It was a mid-afternoon on a sunny fall day, and I was headed to Autobahn Fort Worth. (I like to refer to this little corner of Fort Worth as the “The Boulevard of Car Dreams.”) Every time I go to Autobahn, I get giddy with the anticipation of what’s to come.

My experiences with the last four of Autobahn’s cars I’ve had the privilege of driving have been nothing short of incredible! And so much fun! While the cars themselves have been unique in their varied personalities, Autobahn’s customer service is uniformly amazing, setting a new standard of how a dealership should treat its customers. The whole Autobahn Fort Worth family has made each of these test-drives memorable and I always look forward to returning.

This time, I got to drive the sporty-yet-elegant, refined-yet-spicy Jaguar F-PACE S. As I entered the Jaguar showroom to pick up my car for the weekend, I was greeted by sales executive Damon Gaines who immediately made me feel right at home. After grabbing the key fob, he led me over to a Firenze Red F-PACE Sport, which is a jaw-droppingly gorgeous, mid-size SUV. Damon took the time to sit in the front seat with me to go over all of the amazing features this road candy had to offer. Within 10 minutes, he pulled the car off of the showroom floor and handed me the key. It was time to take this baby for a spin!

My husband and I enjoy watching Top Gear and its newer cousin The Grand Tour. These shows feature three British guys driving a variety of cars all over the planet. One of my favorite parts of the shows is listening to them talk and laugh about their shared experiences. That said, every time I sit in the driver’s seat of a car from Autobahn, I dream about find a racetrack somewhere while I talk (in a British accent!) about speed, precision, and power. British accents don’t translate very well into writing, though.

I am NOT a professional driver, but this girl knows what feels right and everything about driving this car just felt soooo RIGHT! From the moment I pressed the gas pedal, I had complete respect and admiration for Jaguar. They have created a family car that encompasses all the modern details and luxuries you would want in an SUV, while adding a heavy dose of sports car experience.

The exterior is absolutely stunning, giving the F-PACE a unique road presence. This SUV is a beautiful marriage of luxury, sport, practicality, and strength. Beautifully fitted, heated, and cooled, front performance seats help keep you feeling sporty and SPICY! The large moonroof connects you to the skies, trees, and allows for a gentle Texas breeze to pass from driver to backseat passenger as you cruise from city to countryside.

The F-PACE’s cargo space is perfect for family trips, carpools, sports activities, or your biggest grocery shop for the week! The multiple dashboard features and views were bit overwhelming at first, but I could DEFINITELY see myself getting used to it quickly, thanks to its extremely logical, user-friendly design. The Jaguar F-PACE has a fantastic turning radius, and the power behind your acceleration is exactly what you would want to have around a city that moves quickly and is coming at you from all sides. (Please note: acceleration is for responsible, safe driving only, such as getting out of the way of crazy drivers. This driver is an extremely responsible, safe driver who would never ever accelerate just to hear the engine roar. Never. Ever.)

Having a rough 2020? Not sure what to get yourself for Christmas? Head down the “Boulevard of Car Dreams” for a test-drive! You won’t be disappointed, I promise!

(I must thank my wonderful friends at Autobahn Fort Worth for allowing me to take this thrilling ride! You guys made 2020 a lot sweeter for me!)

Jennifer Kieta is a native Texan, born and raised in Houston. She graduated from Texas Tech University and has lived in Fort Worth since 1996. After marrying her husband, Brian in 1998, Jennifer worked as a Child Life Specialist at Cook Children’s Medical Center for 9 years before becoming a full-time mom to her two daughters. Her passion for helping people in healthcare transitioned into the fitness world in 2014. She now teaches spin and HIIT classes at Zyn22 and Pilates at Restore and Revive Wellness Center. December of 2017, Jennifer was diagnosed with breast cancer. Her journey through a double-mastectomy and being able to call herself a Survivor and Overcomer has allowed her to have an even greater passion for helping people embrace every day and take care of themselves one day at a time.