Can Jaguar’s most desirable model in
years live up to its billing?
Exactly a year ago, we tested the V8 S
version of the F-type roadster. We called that car a bona fide automotive
landmark, and we liked it very much. But there was no mistaking the
compromises.
Despite being blessed with the soundtrack
and soul of a sports car, Jaguar had its rag-top ride and handle more like a
scaled-down GT. At the time, it was felt that the dynamic identity had been
specifically chosen to broaden the new model’s appeal across the pond – which
was true. But 12 months on, it’s equally apparent that the manufacturer was
keeping its powder dry for the permanently covered coupé, a car it confidently
describes as the most capable production Jaguar ever.
The
coupé swaps a compliant ride for great body control
Big words. But the initial response has
backed them up. In R form, the new F-type stands as one of the best
pound-for-pound performance cars of 2014. The V6 S tested here has the
potential to be even more significant, given that it undercuts the entry-level
Porsche 911 Carrera by nearly $25,425 and is noticeably more powerful. Has
Gaydon done the unthinkable and upstaged Zuffenhausen? In eight pages, you’ll
know.
Design And Engineering
The key to understanding this new coupé is
its roof. It is the reason why Jaguar can claim unparalleled torsional rigidity
for the F-type and, perhaps just as importantly, also why the car’s appearance
has shifted from divertingly pretty to utterly arresting. The swept-back
ceiling forms the third of what Jaguar terms ‘heartlines’ – the defining
elements of its design, in other words. The first two – essentially the
curvaceous shoulder line and the gently swollen rear arches – are shared with
the convertible, but the unbroken silhouette of that tapered cabin is exclusive
to the coupé – and quite sublime in the metal.
Headlights
are auto-levelling bi-xenons as standard. They sport LED running light strips
around their outer edges
By bridging the span between the front and
rear pillars with aluminium alloy beams, Jaguar has reconciled the formerly
open-top platform as a genuine monocoque and apparently improved stiffness to
the tune of 80 per cent in the process. The entire structure is bonded and
riveted rather than welded, and the side panels are single-piece aluminium
pressings. Jaguar’s expertise in such matters is unquestionable, but – as with
the convertible – the implication of low mass is relative. Our test car tipped
MIRA’s scales at 1,755kg, predictably lighter than the V8 S roadster examined
last year, yet some 375kg heavier than the last 911 Carrera we weighed.
Forward-hinged
bonnet is awkward, but buyers won’t find themselves opening it much. Screen
wash bottle is in the back for better weight distribution
The roadster we tested made up for this
with 488bhp drawn from its 5.0-litre V8. The V6-engined coupés are a good way
back from that, with 375bhp from the V6 S as tested and 335bhp from the
entry-level V6 (the same outputs as the convertible V6). A supercharger ensures
both develop decent torque – 339 and 332lb ft respectively – delivered via the
same eight-speed ZF Quickshift automatic transmission. As before, the starter
model gets an open differential, while the V6 S uses a mechanical LSD to manage
slip between the rear wheels. It was partly this feature – distinct from the
e-diff used on the V8 – which made the mid-spec car our choice from the
open-top range.
Interior
The distinguishing feature of the F-type
coupé’s cabin is, of course, its fixed roof. Traditionally, that would mean
casting the interior in shadow, but because the F-type’s structure needs no
assistance from overhead panelling, the optional sunroof fitted to our test car
is as panoramic as it gets. The natural light is particularly welcome given
Jaguar’s preference for greyscale trim materials and the cocooning effect of
the tapered rear screen, and it makes the car fantastically well lit compared
to the roof-up murk of the rag-top. The glass comes at a $2,120 premium, but
we’d recommend it among your first ticks.
