In Mid-Engine Age Jaguar F-Type Still Shines On

The enthusiast writers who review the Jaguar F-Type typically miss the point, as they so often do. Slaves to the numbers and especially the “performance numbers,” they routinely undervalue the Jaguar sports coupe and convertible tandem because, in many iterations, the Jag at its limits doesn’t perform quite as well as the Porsche 911 or Chevrolet Corvette. Believing a car with better numbers is a better car, they give the F-Type only lukewarm ratings while slobbering over models that are marginally faster, quicker or “stickier.” What the reviewers are missing is that F-Type owners love their Jaguars even if the cars don’t put up the test numbers that some of their competitors do. Why? They value owning a vehicle that is to many educated sets of eyes the most beautiful and timeless in a segment packed with hey-look-at-me models that lack its sophisticated presence.

The fact of the matter is if you want a Jaguar F-Type, no Porsche 911, Chevrolet Corvette or Mercedes-Benz AMG-GT will satisfy you. Similarly, the Corvette, Porsche or AMG-GT buyer likely won’t find the F-Type exactly his or (less likely) her cup of tea. Like “Best Actor” nominees in the Academy Awards, the various sports cars play different roles, so it is a fool’s errand to judge them as if they were playing the same part.

If you’re a performance-oriented driver — or just want to look like one — we can guarantee you that the F-Type will match or exceed your expectations. It offers a responsive, engaging demeanor no matter what powertrain you choose. And if you look at the spec sheet you’ll find plenty of variants to whet your driving whistle.

We’ve driven several F-Types over the past few years dating back to the vehicle’s global debut in Spain, and they have always been a joy. Certainly, anyone with an ounce of gasoline flowing through their veins will appreciate the top-of-the-line SVR all-wheel-drive model complete with its supercharged 575-horsepower 5.0-liter V-8. To those who want more horsepower and quicker acceleration than that, we have to ask why?

But much as we love the SVR, we also find a great deal to like about the other F-Type variants. For instance, the P300 trim powered by a turbocharged 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engine could well be regarded as the best value of the bunch. It has excellent road manners, incredible balance and it offers all the looks of its brethren that can cost up to twice as much.

Our most recent test car was an R-Dynamic all-wheel-drive coupe, essentially the dictionary definition of “sweet car.” Talk about curb appeal. The R-Dynamic F-Type had the normally blasé neighbors in the upscale neighborhood that I somehow was grandfathered into positively raving. To enhance the F-Type’s already alluring shape, the R-Dynamic adds standard 20-inch “diamond-turned” alloy wheels and gloss black front air intake bezels. You’ll also find gloss black finish on the front splitter, hood vents, rear valance, and side sills. So the variant certainly checks off the first box on the list — i.e., looks great.

We discovered with no surprise that in the context of an “everyday driver” with performance credentials it ticks off all the other boxes as well.

Horsepower? 380 from the 3.0-liter supercharged V-6 engine.

Sophisticated transmission? 8-speed automatic transmission with manual gear selection.

Superior road-holding? Sophisticated independent suspension front and rear.

Topnotch traction? Electronically assisted “smart” all-wheel-drive system available.

Driver assistance? Forward-facing stereo camera system helps arm an array of driver helpers.

In short, the F-Type gets all the performance items right to make its claim as a true sports coupe (or sports car, in the case of the convertible.) Then there are the lovely intangibles of its well-appointed interior. We have been lucky enough to sample most of the world’s best sports car interiors during our years of doing this job, and we consistently find the F-Type’s cabin to be one of our favorites. Admittedly cozy, it is designed strictly for two passengers with little peripheral interior space.

The comprehensive instrumentation, much-improved infotainment interface, and terrific seats combine to make the interior a very fine “office” in which to do a long day of driving. The slimline seats on magnesium frames are as supportive as they need to be without making you feel that you’ll never emerge from them. If you like beautifully crafted high-quality leather, you have come to the right place.

We will admit that earlier F-Types had an infotainment system that was, at best, an acquired taste. These days no apology for the infotainment is necessary. The current F-Type offers InControl Touch Pro that will do your bidding via a 10-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility. Two audio systems have been developed specifically for the car by British audio firm Meridian, and they are top-shelf. The standard system has 10 speakers, while the optional Surround Sound system features 12 speakers and delivers sound individually optimized for both driver and passenger.

As tempting as it is to simply feast in the interior and beckon the InControl Touch Pro system to “play more like this,” driving is where the F-Type shows its real virtuosity. We found the R-Dynamic version to be one of the sweetest-handling all-around driver’s cars we’ve experienced in years, a joy in virtually every driving situation up to and including bumper-to-bumper traffic. (See Meridian sound system above) As one would expect of a car with its pedigree (catigree?) the Jaguar F-Type is immediately responsive to the throttle, to steering inputs and to brake application. The car does as you tell it — tail out or a demure ride to the grocery store. While mid-engined cars are getting a lot of pixels the days, there is something charming about a very fast front-mid-engine car with classic looks and classic rear-drive-biased handling characteristics.

You’re here because you know how to handle your money, and in that context, the F-Type is a special bargain. At the extreme, the F-Type is “only” incredibly fast, quick and sophisticated, and at price points that fall somewhere on the sane side of wretched excess, the F-Type delivers the performance the purist street driver will fall back in love with every day.

The lowest-priced, 4-cylinder equipped P300 has an MSRP of $61,600 plus destination charge, which means you can have all the curb appeal of a Jaguar sports car plus impressive performance for less than $65K. The brutish but still lovable all-wheel-drive Jaguar F-Type SVR convertible has an MSRP of $126,700 plus destination charge. Our test R-Dynamic AWD Coupe, a 2019 model essentially identical to the 2020 version, had an as-tested MSRP of $96,471.

The F-Type prices compare well to the competing models from Porsche and Mercedes-Benz. The Chevrolet Corvette with a mid-engine next-gen model looming for 2020 is in a different place. See Product Manager Calls 2020 Corvette New Kind of Sports Car.

If your heart longs to experience the classic performance of a true Jaguar sports car in the idiom of the legendary Jaguar E-Type, you have your chance with the current F-Type. There is no real alternative.