Jaguar has a complicated presence in the U.S., where its stately sedans never quite measured up to the German luxury brands due to reliability problems. Its recent past has further clouded Jaguar’s place in the American market. The British heritage brand was once controlled by Ford then sold in 2008 to India’s Tata Motors mega corporation, who finished what Ford started by merging Jaguar with its countryman Land Rover, maker of luxury off-roading SUVs.
Then in 2013 Jaguar launched the stunning F-Type supercharged sports convertible. The aspirational car was both a deliberate return to Jaguar’s racing roots and a bold move forward to appeal to the hearts and guts of a new generation of car enthusiasts.
The 550-horsepower F-Type coupe has done a fine job of redefining the Jaguar brand.
The body design is a gorgeous blend of flowing curves and athletic proportions. The long wheelbase and low center means the two-seater is wider than it is tall, and the air vents stud the hood like menacing snake eyes.
The striking silverstreak color Jaguar calls Ammonite Grey somehow seems fast, if only because it’s so reflective. Twenty-inch alloy wheels house the yellow calipers on the carbon ceramic matrix braking system (a $12,000 upgrade).
The wide grille is flanked by double vertical air vents, and the fascia has a lower lip or splitter that sticks way out to create downforce to keep the front end low at high speeds. Door handles retract into the body once locked and a rear spoiler juts out at speed. The airflow tapers beautifully into the broad haunches of the rear, which has no frills except for the chrome quad exhaust pipes.
Hear the supercharged 5.0-liter V-8 engine gurgle and pop and people stare, even wave as the F-Type fires past.
It is similar in design to the breathtaking 2016 Mercedes-AMG GT S sports coupe, which we drove a few weeks prior to the F-Type R and will serve as a convenient comparison.
The $129,000 twin-turbo AMG GT S is a beast best let wild on the track.
The $106,600 F-Type R is a civilized brute of a sports coupe. It also comes as a convertible.
Jaguar has addressed the misperception of quality by supplementing its top-rated J.D. Power customer service rankings with a 5-year 60,000 mile warranty and complimentary scheduled maintenance package that is tops for luxury sport cars, and new for 2016.
Also new for 2016 is all-wheel drive, which comes standard on the F-Type R we tested.
If you expect wilder power from a sports coupe of this kind, don’t worry: the all-wheel drive is conditional more than Subaru-an. Front wheels get torque only when the rear wheels are rearing up or sliding out and making drivers question their confidence. It’s a nice correction, along with stability control, but purists might clamor for the control to come from them, not the other way around. The rear-wheel GT S might be more their speed.
Most drivers will appreciate the AWD assurance of the F-Type, and still be able to wag the tail enough to be thrilling if not dangerous. And the braking may impress more than the acceleration.
The need for all-wheel drive comes from the 502 pound-feet of torque churned out by the 5.0-liter supercharged V-8. The “twin vortex” supercharger enables the engine to reach peak torque at just 3,500 rpm, so you quickly get to full engine power.
The GT S is faster and more powerful, though the specs don’t necessarily show it. The direct injection 4.0-liter V-8 engine features a twin-turbo generating 503 horsepower and 479 pound-feet of torque. The bi turbo helps hit max torque much quicker at 1,750 RPM. The GT S is 200 pounds lighter, despite being longer, and its 3.7 second 0-60 mpg time edges out the F-Type R’s 3.9 seconds. Top speed is 193 mph for the GT S to 186 mph for the Jaguar.
While the GT S outperforms the F-Type R, it also demands to be taken on the track to be fully exploited. I doubt F-Type R owners would feel as compelled to get their money’s worth, but then why not just get the F-Type S for $20,000 less?
Also new for 2016 is optional manual transmission, though you’d have to sacrifice some power as it’s exclusive to the rear-wheel drive V-6 model. The R comes with 8-speed quick shift auto transmission with paddle shifters, that I didn’t use much because the automatic was faster than me. The gear stick features a push-button park reminiscent of BMW. Meh.
Another new feature for 2016 is the switch to electric power steering, which provides assistance by electric sensor instead of by hydraulic fluid. The trend to EPS is based on saving about 1 mpg. I don’t know if I would be able to tell the difference even I drove a 2015 and 2016 back to back. The steering feedback is plentiful on the 2016 R, and the driver never feels removed from the road. I love the meaty feel of the flat-bottomed performance steering wheel.
While the GT S feels rawer and more performance oriented, the F-Type R gains an advantage on the interior.
I love the inside of the Jaguar. The soft, velvety headliner and door material, the wide moon roof, the dual vents that emerge from the dashboard when climate is on, the perfectly sized rear-view mirror that is the same exact shape as the rear glass, are all small reminders of excellent execution.
It’s not as long or wide as the AMG GT S but it has an extra inch of height that, coupled with the moon roof, seemed slightly roomier. The 14-way seat controls are on the door panel near the handle, which is way easier to use than the GT S controls crammed on the outside seat bottom by the door sill.
The center console is a bit more streamlined and narrower than the distinctive V-8 design of the GT S center console. Again, it adds a sense of roominess.
A toggle switch near the gear stick lets you switch to dynamic driving modes, and buttons under the stick let you activate stiffer suspension and open up the baffles to let out more of the lovely brute engine noise.
Dual climate control gets solid round knobs and in a totally unnecessary but very cool feature: When you turn on the climate, dual vents emerge from the dash, above the carbon fiber center stack. Turn it off and they slide back down, leaving the sleek dash unbroken.
Jaguar’s small screen and infotainment system are outdated but almost irrelevant in a car like this. Voice commands are poor, especially for navigation.
Behind the wheel the instrument display is reversed, which is kind of like saying the Brits drive on the wrong side of the road. The speedometer should be on the right, tachometer on left.
If you must be bothered by a stoplight in the F-Type R, the start/stop system will save some fuel. One commute returned exceptional fuel economy of 26 mpg at an average speed of 42 mph, far better than the EPA-estimated 23 mpg highway. That drive wasn’t much fun, though.
The F-Type R comes better equipped for 2016, with a better warranty and all-wheel drive that makes the wonderful sports coupe — and the brand — a bit more accessible to more than just performance nuts.
Twitter: @DufferRobert
2016 Jaguar F-Type R Coupe at a glance
Vehicle type: Sports coupe
Base price: $106,600
As tested: $127,700 (add $995 for destination and delivery)
EPA MPG: 15 city, 23 highway
Engine: 5.0-liter supercharged V-8
Transmission: 8-speed auto with paddle shifters in all-wheel drive
Parting shot: More refined than raw, the F-Type R is a civilized [sic] brute
