2014 Jaguar F-Type: Fierce and Fantastic

It has taken a half-century to create a worthy successor to the sublime Jaguar E-Type, first unveiled at the 1961 Geneva Auto Show and produced until 1974. It was once called the most beautiful car ever made by Enzo Ferrari, whose workshops at the time produced the 250 GTO, an absolute classic in the automobile world.

The E-Type was superbly streamlined, efficient and agile, not to mention offered at a surprisingly reasonable price. With its lines, architecture and performances, it stayed true to the the tradition of exceptional purebred heritage established by the C-Type and D-Type (whose combined titles include five wins at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, including the C-Type’s 1953 triumph, marking the first time a car with disc brakes won the event).

• Also: Jaguar F-Type: Limited Seating, Unlimited Fun
• Also: Jaguar F-type will have a V8 option

A modern sports car

Thus, the new F-Type is the first true sports car to bear the noble Jaguar emblem since the they stopped producing the E-Type. It’s true that the British brand, which became property of the Indian giant Tata five years ago, has made several powerful, high-performance cars over the years – including the flamboyant 550-hp XK-RS – but they were all grand tourers on steroids that had neither the agility nor the svelte physique of a true sports car.

Not the F-Type though, not by a long shot. Unlike the XK 180 prototype (shown at the 1998 Paris Auto Show) and the F-Type design study (which caused a stir at the 2000 Detroit Auto Show), the production F-Type (unveiled at the Paris Auto Show in September 2012) really doesn’t look like its glorious ancestors. The differences are obvious when you compare it side-by-side to the C-Type, D-Type and E-Type, as we did at the worldwide launch in Pamplona, Spain in mid-April.

Other than its hips (i.e. its rear fenders), the F-Type isn’t endowed with the exquisite curves of its forbearers. Yet, it’s a true Jaguar whose style advances the transformation initiated by the current XF and XJ sedans. Ian Callum, Jaguar’s head stylist, revealed that his team considered an oval front grille like that on the E-Type but they decided to be bold and go with something different.

Instead, they gave the F-Type a large inverse trapezoid grille with rounded corners. The only nod to its beautiful predecessor are the thin, elongated taillights reminiscent of the first E-Type’s minimalist bumpers with a round bulge over a third of their width. That’s it.

A solid aluminum body shell

The F-Type is simple, classic and modern all at once. Its shape was also dictated by safety standards and aerodynamic efficiency, allowing the most high-performance trim to reach 300 km/h despite being limited electronically. On the trunk, a spoiler deploys at 100 km/hr and reduces lift by 120 kg at high speed to flatten out the tail end.

With the exception of the composite trunk lid, the F-Type’s shell and body panels are made of aluminum. Its moulded, cast and shaped parts have been glued or riveted, resulting in a structure that is 30% more rigid than any other Jaguar in places, which enhances the vehicle’s ride and handling.

Jaguar chose a softtop that’s 12 kg lighter than a hardtop for its F. It folds down in a dozen seconds, and in almost complete silence, up to 50 km/hr. The two thin roll bars also helped reduce the weight by 7 kg and lowered the centre of gravity at the same time. To get perfect weight distribution on the two axles with two people on board, the engineers mounted both the battery and the washer fluid tank in the small 200-litre trunk.

At 1,597 to 1,665 kg depending on the version, the F-Type, in spite of the aluminum, is no featherweight. It is a Jaguar, after all, with all the luxury and a litany of accessories and safety systems to prove it.

Two engines, one transmission

The F-Type comes in three trims, all of which feature a twin-vortex supercharger mounted to the engine . The most muscular trim is the V8 S, which can be recognized by its two pairs of chrome exhaust tips attached on either side of the air extractor under the rear bumper. The F-Type and F-Type S come with only one pair of trumpet-shaped exhausts located dead centre, like on the first E-Types.

The 5.0-litre V8 produces 488 horses at 6,500 rpm and 460 lbs-ft of torque at only 2,500 rpm. The two other trims share a 3.0-litre V6. In the F-Type it generates 335 horsepower at 6,500 rpm and 332 lbs-ft of torque at 3,500 rpm. In the F-Type S, the same engine produces 375 horsepower and 339 lbs-ft of torque thanks to a modified electronic management system. The V8 and V6 both feature direct fuel injection and variable valve timing as well as an efficient start-stop intended to reduce fuel consumption by 5%.

What’s more, the two S versions come with adjustable dampers and 380 mm front brakes (instead of 354 mm). The rear brakes on the V8 S measure 376 mm in diameter instead of 325 mm. The S versions are also equipped with a rowdy and brilliant active exhaust system (available on option on the F-Type). Hey, why not?

All three trims come with the same ZF eight-speed automatic transmission and have the exact same gear ratio. Jaguar explains that there’s no dual-clutch gearbox because these are too heavy and not smooth enough. And there’s no manual either, because of lack of demand. On the F-Type, the torque converter is just for starting – gently. It locks at a mere 1,000 rpm to eliminate slip.

Shifting is cleaner and faster in Dynamic Mode, which is activated using the switch on the left of the electronic gear selector. This selector is on the central console and happens to be shaped like the butt of a revolver. When the checkered flag icon is displayed on the dashboard, the accelerator is more responsive, and the steering and dampers are more firm. Meanwhile, shifting is tighter when you choose Manual Mode by pushing the selector to the left. You can also switch modes using the aluminum controls behind the steering wheel.

Jaguar claims that the V8 S can race from 0-100 km/h in 4.3 seconds and promises that the F-Type and F-Type S will sprint to the same speed in 5.3 and 4.9 seconds and reach electronically limited top speeds of 260 and 275 km/hr, respectively. The V6 S accelerates faster thanks to its launch mode and shorter final gear ratio, but the consequence is slightly higher fuel consumption.

Inner beauty

At Jaguar, even sports cars have to be comfortable and roomy. The F-Type is wider than the Audi R8 Spyder, Mercedes-Benz SL, Porsche 911 Cabrio and even the Jaguar XK convertible, but shorter than all the others except for the R8. The optional sport seats – the same as those in the fiery XK-RS – are very easily adjusted and offer an excellent combination of comfort and support.

The dashboard design is clear and uncluttered. To the right of the console, a separation draped in stitched leather (like most of the surfaces in the passenger compartment) comes between the driver’s side and the passenger’s side – plus it acts as a handle. The buttons, controls and switches are impeccably clear, efficient and pleasant to the touch. Three large dials control the air conditioning, and large air vents automatically rise out of the dashboard when needed.

Jaguar was the pioneer of touchscreens, and the F-Type’s is superbly clear and bright with well-designed menus. You have the choice between a leather-rimmed flat-bottom steering wheel or one with a thinner Alcantara rim. You’ll quickly find a good driving position that can be saved with buttons mounted on the door.

Purebreds

When you press the ignition button, the F-Type immediately attracts attention with the husky rumble of its double or quadruple exhaust. Both engines sound very much alike, as both are devoid of the round, smooth notes usually associated with V8 engines. These are serious engines and they know it, but you can hush the roar by pushing button on the console to deactivate the active exhaust.

The F-Type scores major points for its comfortable ride and spectacular structural solidity. All of the versions driven at the launch in Spain were equipped with 20-inch wheels (standard on the V8 S only) and fitted with Pirelli P-Zero Nero tires (255/35 in front and 295/30 in back). The F-Type and F-Type S should logically be even smoother on their factory-standard 18- and 19-inch tires.

We were given the chance to take the F-Type S for five laps at the Circuito de Navarra near Pamplona. While this was a lot of fun, the F-Type is most impressive on the road. Tight, fast, bumpy or not, these new Jaguars devour all corners with a voracious appetite. You get the sense that the front end has unlimited grip and the wheels slide ever so slightly with little or no screeching when approaching corners.

The hydraulic power steering is wonderfully lively and precise. The feel is excellent but not exceptional. The V8 S is ferocious and a delight to drive, its accelerations are more powerful and the higher speeds it reaches are accompanied by a slight roll in front and marginally heavier reactions. Its brakes are astounding, at once powerful, steady and featuring unprecedented stamina.

Deactivate Sport Mode and the exhaust, and the F-Type is transformed into a smooth and civilized roadster. Turbulence is reduced to a minimum by the wind-screen netting attached to the roll bars behind the seats. Noise is nonetheless very present on the highway if you have the top down and stowed.

Order department

If Jaguar’s first sports car in forever proves even half as successful as I suspect it will be, you can expect to see other variations on the same theme appear very soon. First up: a coupe inspired by the superb C-X16 prototype unveiled at the 2011 Frankfurt Auto Show. Rumour has it that there will also be an even more powerful RS, a four-cylinder turbo and even a manual transmission, despite official denials from Jaguar.

The F-Type V6s will be able to take on the Boxster S and those like it, but the V8 S definitely has the weapons to challenge the likes of the Corvette Stingray and the Porsche 911 Cabrio. Let’s get this party started!