--- title: "JLR Ice Academy: Time to make the donuts" url: "https://pickuptrucktalk.com/2023/02/jlr-ice-academy-time-to-make-the-donuts/" publisher: "Pickup Truck + SUV Talk" content_signal: "search=yes, ai-input=yes, ai-train=no" author: "Jill Ciminillo" published: "2023-02-22T17:26:48+00:00" modified: "2025-07-23T15:12:24+00:00" image: "https://pickuptrucktalk.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/JLC-Ice-Academy-20.jpg" --- # JLR Ice Academy: Time to make the donuts By Jill Ciminillo Published: 2023-02-22T17:26:48+00:00 Updated: 2025-07-23T15:12:24+00:00 ![Featured image]() I was sitting in the passenger seat when the Jaguar F-Pace SVR careened out of control and [landed in a snowbank]() nose first. The driver said: “Oh, my God. Holy shit.” Me? I laughed. And that, right there, is the beauty of the Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) Ice Academy. You can lose control of a vehicle, end up in snow so deep you must get winched out, and *it’s funny* because JLR has created a safe space for you to fail. In fact, our instructors essentially encouraged us to fail so that we could better learn the limits of the vehicles we were driving and how to correct the inevitable skids. The best thing about the JLR Ice Academy, however: It’s open to the public. > [@jillciminillo]() When ice driving goes wrong. Yeah. So, I think we’re going to need a recovery. 😂 Note: I wasn’t the driver. Closed course, in a right-hand drive @jaguar [#fpacesvr]() … [#cardujour]() [#jaguar]() [#jaguarfpace]() [♬ original sound – Jill Ciminillo]() ## **About the JLR Ice Academy** Located in [Arjeplog, Sweden]() – about an hour south of the Arctic Circle – the JLR Ice Academy offers five different handling circuits on top of Lake Kakel, including a drive circle, slalom course and ice track. And during a 3- or 4-day experience, you have access to all of them. While I was able to experience both Land Rover and Jaguar vehicles as a member of the media, the general public will have to choose [Land Rover]() or [Jaguar](). The experience typically starts with basics like how to control a skid and progresses to intermediate skills like controlled drifting. Since our time at the program was abbreviated, I can’t say I mastered the intermediate skills, but I definitely feel more comfortable with slipping and sliding on ice, and I better understand vehicle weight transfer and the idea of turning a vehicle with throttle pressure rather than turning the wheel – skills I hope will help me during my next run at the [Rebelle Rally](). My favorite exercise at the academy: The drift circle. We were driving Jaguar F-Type AWD models and pushed our speeds up to about 60 MPH while sliding sideways around the curves. I’m not going to lie: I did not do this perfectly, and there might have been some donuts to be had – in the middle of making a big donut. But spinning around and applying enough throttle to end up pointing in the right direction at the end of the spin was a thrill. ![JLR Ice Academy]() A map of the general layout of the JLR Ice Academy in Arjeplog, Sweden. ## **Lessons learned** The biggest thing you learn about driving on ice is that your actions are often counter intuitive. But the repetition of the exercises creates a muscle memory you bring home with you – and makes you a better all-around driver in your own vehicle. The JLC Ice Academy was a big playground, as well as an opportunity to pit a Land Rover Velar against an Evoque or a Jaguar F-Pace against an I-Pace to see how vastly different these vehicles behave on the ice. This brings an understanding that your own vehicle will also be different, and it’s worth finding an empty parking lot at home to test its capabilities and reactions. But perhaps the biggest lesson learned is how to be calm under pressure. The more you drive in life, the more likely you are to experience a skid in ice or rain, and the panicked reaction is to slam on the brakes. But that – along with some oversteering – is exactly what threw our car into a snowbank. Knowing when to steer, when to brake and when to apply the gas is invaluable. And doing it with a sense of calm adds grace and finesse to your maneuver. ## **JLR Ice Academy nuts & bolts** This experience is amazing. Where else can you learn invaluable driving skills in a safe environment under expert instruction while also doing something super cool. This is adventure travel at its best. What’s more, you can tack on extra experiences like driving up to the Arctic Circle or dogsledding. The base of operations for the JLR Ice Academy is the Silverhatten Hotel, which is an hour and 15 minutes from the airport at Arvidsjaur, Sweden. Prices will vary based on whether you opt for the 3- or 4-day experience, ranging from $6,527 to $7,895. Then there will be additional costs if you book any excursion on top of that. However, the fees include accommodations, meals and transport to and from the hotel. At an additional cost, you will need to book your own flights from your home base to Arvidsjaur. If you’re lucky, Sweden might just throw in the Northern Lights for free. ![JLR Ice Academy]() Coming off the handling course, the Jaguar I-Pace and F-Pace vehicles are prepping to head back to the lodge. The bash plates on the front of the vehicles helped protect the front bumpers from the inevitable plunge into snowbanks. ## **The bottom line** This experience isn’t cheap, but it’s worth every penny you’ll spend. From eating traditional food like moose and reindeer (sorry, Rudolph) to learning new skills and seeing amazing vistas, it’s a once-in-a-lifetime adventure that would be hard to replicate on your own. Just be sure to pack warm. Our temperatures ranged between 15º F and 23º F. So, handwarmers, scarves, hats and base layers – in addition to a windproof-but-warm outer layer – are a must. Oh, and don’t forget your camera. You’ll want to capture it all. For more on the JLR Ice Academy information, be sure to visit either the [Land Rover experience website]() or the [Jaguar experience website](). *Editor’s note: Impressions from this Ice Driving experience are from an invitation-only automaker event that allowed special access to the vehicles. Jaguar Land Rover covered our accommodations, meals and transportation costs.* Lined up for a driver change at the ice track. The Jaguar F-Pace SVR getting ready for an exercise on the ice track. [JLR Ice Academy]() The Jaguar F-Pace in action on the circle drift track. [JLR Ice Academy]() In addition to the Land Rover Range Rover Sport, we also had the chance to take the Velar on the ice tracks. [JLR Ice Academy]() Coming off the handling course, the Jaguar I-Pace and F-Pace vehicles are prepping to head back to the lodge. The super long sunsets in Arjeplog were stunning -- and it was hard not to take a million photos. [JLR Ice Academy]() The super long sunsets in Arjeplog were stunning -- and it was hard not to take a million photos. All vehicles were equipped with tires that had studs. These tires on the F-Type were from Nokian. Even though it was getting dark, we were able to get in one more exercise on the Slalom Course using the Jaguar F-Type. This was my favorite car and exercise. Jaguar F-Types heading back to the lodge after a long day of driving. We used the Land Rover Range Rover Sport for a morning trek up to the Arctic Circle. The Land Rover Range Rover Sport exterior was coated in ice. Thank goodness for the rear camera mirror! Because of our latitude, the sun stayed fairly low in the sky all day long. this photo was taken at 11 a.m. Lined up at the literal end of the road heading up to the Arctic Circle in Sweden. [JLR Ice Academy]() We were lucky enough to see a "snow bow" while we were on the ice. Waiting my turn to make some donuts on the ice in a Jaguar F-Pace SVR. [JLR Ice Academy]() The Jaguar F-Type heading out for an expertise on the ice. Visibility often dropped very quickly, so in addition to slippery conditions and low sun, we were often only able to see about 50 feet in front of the vehicle while driving. ## Structured page information ~~~json [ { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Article", "@id": "https://pickuptrucktalk.com/2023/02/jlr-ice-academy-time-to-make-the-donuts/#article", "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://pickuptrucktalk.com/2023/02/jlr-ice-academy-time-to-make-the-donuts/" }, "author": { "name": "Jill Ciminillo", "@id": "https://pickuptrucktalk.com/#/schema/person/17a307b2bd8654a0efc57d38f2e79df8" }, "headline": "JLR Ice Academy: Time to make the donuts", "datePublished": "2023-02-22T17:26:48+00:00", "dateModified": "2025-07-23T15:12:24+00:00", "mainEntityOfPage": { "@id": "https://pickuptrucktalk.com/2023/02/jlr-ice-academy-time-to-make-the-donuts/" }, "wordCount": 1002, "commentCount": 0, "publisher": { "@id": "https://pickuptrucktalk.com/#organization" }, "image": { "@id": "https://pickuptrucktalk.com/2023/02/jlr-ice-academy-time-to-make-the-donuts/#primaryimage" }, "thumbnailUrl": "https://pickuptrucktalk.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/JLC-Ice-Academy-20.jpg", "keywords": [ "Jaguar Land Rover", "jaguar Land Rover ice driving academy", "JLR ice driving academy" ], "articleSection": [ "News" ], "inLanguage": "en-US", "potentialAction": [ { "@type": "CommentAction", "name": "Comment", "target": [ "https://pickuptrucktalk.com/2023/02/jlr-ice-academy-time-to-make-the-donuts/#respond" ] } ] }, { "@type": "WebPage", "@id": "https://pickuptrucktalk.com/2023/02/jlr-ice-academy-time-to-make-the-donuts/", "url": "https://pickuptrucktalk.com/2023/02/jlr-ice-academy-time-to-make-the-donuts/", "name": "JLR Ice Academy: Time to make the donuts", "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://pickuptrucktalk.com/#website" }, "primaryImageOfPage": { "@id": "https://pickuptrucktalk.com/2023/02/jlr-ice-academy-time-to-make-the-donuts/#primaryimage" }, "image": { "@id": "https://pickuptrucktalk.com/2023/02/jlr-ice-academy-time-to-make-the-donuts/#primaryimage" }, "thumbnailUrl": "https://pickuptrucktalk.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/JLC-Ice-Academy-20.jpg", "datePublished": "2023-02-22T17:26:48+00:00", "dateModified": "2025-07-23T15:12:24+00:00", "description": "The JLR Ice Academy creates a safe space for you to test the limits of a vehicle -- and fail -- then do it all over again.", "breadcrumb": { "@id": "https://pickuptrucktalk.com/2023/02/jlr-ice-academy-time-to-make-the-donuts/#breadcrumb" }, "inLanguage": "en-US", "potentialAction": [ { "@type": "ReadAction", "target": [ "https://pickuptrucktalk.com/2023/02/jlr-ice-academy-time-to-make-the-donuts/" ] } ] }, { "@type": "ImageObject", "inLanguage": "en-US", "@id": "https://pickuptrucktalk.com/2023/02/jlr-ice-academy-time-to-make-the-donuts/#primaryimage", "url": "https://pickuptrucktalk.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/JLC-Ice-Academy-20.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://pickuptrucktalk.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/JLC-Ice-Academy-20.jpg", "width": 1500, "height": 1125, "caption": "We were lucky enough to see a \"snow bow\" while we were on the ice." }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "@id": "https://pickuptrucktalk.com/2023/02/jlr-ice-academy-time-to-make-the-donuts/#breadcrumb", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://pickuptrucktalk.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "JLR Ice Academy: Time to make the donuts" } ] }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://pickuptrucktalk.com/#website", "url": "https://pickuptrucktalk.com/", "name": "Pickup Truck +SUV Talk", "description": "Latest News, Reviews and Stories", "publisher": { "@id": "https://pickuptrucktalk.com/#organization" }, "potentialAction": [ { "@type": "SearchAction", "target": { "@type": "EntryPoint", "urlTemplate": "https://pickuptrucktalk.com/?s={search_term_string}" }, "query-input": { "@type": "PropertyValueSpecification", "valueRequired": true, "valueName": "search_term_string" } } ], "inLanguage": "en-US" }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://pickuptrucktalk.com/#organization", "name": "Pickup Truck + SUV Talk", "url": "https://pickuptrucktalk.com/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "inLanguage": "en-US", "@id": "https://pickuptrucktalk.com/#/schema/logo/image/", "url": "https://pickuptrucktalk.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/PUTC-Only-Shield.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://pickuptrucktalk.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/PUTC-Only-Shield.jpg", "width": 613, "height": 379, "caption": "Pickup Truck + SUV Talk" }, "image": { "@id": "https://pickuptrucktalk.com/#/schema/logo/image/" }, "sameAs": [ "https://www.facebook.com/pickuptrucktalk/", "https://x.com/PickupTruckTalk", "https://instagram.com/PickupTruckTalk", "https://www.pinterest.com/PickupTruckTalk/", "https://www.youtube.com/pickuptrucktalk" ] }, { "@type": "Person", "@id": "https://pickuptrucktalk.com/#/schema/person/17a307b2bd8654a0efc57d38f2e79df8", "name": "Jill Ciminillo", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "inLanguage": "en-US", "@id": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/f87b10595f005ae52b8598b3d0f279f342bca284aef7f845272864395212c4e9?s=96&d=mm&r=g", "url": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/f87b10595f005ae52b8598b3d0f279f342bca284aef7f845272864395212c4e9?s=96&d=mm&r=g", "contentUrl": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/f87b10595f005ae52b8598b3d0f279f342bca284aef7f845272864395212c4e9?s=96&d=mm&r=g", "caption": "Jill Ciminillo" }, "description": "Jill Ciminillo is a Chicago-based automotive writer, influencer, TikTok Creator, YouTube personality and podcast host, with her articles and videos appearing in outlets throughout the U.S. Additionally, she co-hosts a weekly radio show on car stuff via Talk Zone. Previously, Jill has been the automotive editor for the Chicago Sun-Times News Group as well as Sinclair Broadcast Group. She is also a past president for the Midwest Automotive Media Association and has the distinction of being the first female president for that organization. Jill is also currently a juror for the North American Car, Utility and Truck of the Year (NACTOY) and Women's World Car of the Year (WWCOTY).", "sameAs": [ "https://www.instagram.com/jillciminillo/", "https://www.linkedin.com/in/jillciminillo/", "https://x.com/https://twitter.com/jillciminillo", "https://www.youtube.com/jillciminillo" ], "url": "https://pickuptrucktalk.com/author/jillc/" } ] } ] ~~~