[Bönz]

I test drove a Jaguar F-Type R yesterday. It’s one of the cars on my “next car” list. Bottom line, it’s a sports car, clearly targeting Corvettes and Carreras rather than the 6 series coupe which is more of a GT, IMO. Even so, it does exude a bit more luxury in terms of materials and amenities then some of the competition. Then again it all depends on how any of these cars are optioned-out.

Aesthetically, the car is gorgeous - especially the exterior. Of course beauty is subjective, so this is my opinion. The car I drove was black on black on black on black (you get the idea); optioned with the black pack it had black wheels and trim – kind of the Darth Vader look. Not the colors I would choose, but the shape of the body is seductive in any hue. During my drive one guy chased me down just to get a closer look. After a few seconds I got tired of him pacing alongside me, so I nailed it. Never saw him again.

The interior, while not as luxurious or striking as the 6er, is at once purposeful and pleasing. I felt right at home, although it’s certainly a tighter fit with a much narrower cabin and a bulkhead behind the front seats. The windshield header and seating position are such that the sun visor is only about three inches high, and it doesn’t pivot to the door. The car is a true two seater so there’s no place to “throw” anything when you jump in the car, other than the passenger seat. Speaking of space, there isn’t much under the hatch either. There’s a removable hard cargo cover that lifts with the hatch, but in or out you’re not making a Costco run in this baby. I do believe you could get a bag of clubs in there, but not if it’s the size of Al Czervik’s. A powered hatch is available, but the one I drove was not so equipped.

Dynamically the car is amazing – it is a rocket. The instant response of a supercharged V8 is hard to beat. This thing has gobs of instantaneous torque at any RPM and pulls hard to redline. The exhaust note is pure music in normal mode turning into an AC/DC concert when you open it up with either the console switch or by putting the car in sport mode. It’s actually too loud for long drives in the open mode as the sound resonates throughout the cabin.

The F-Type is equipped with the same basic ZF 8 speed slush box used by BMW, which I am sure is tuned to Jag’s specifications. The tranny can be manually controlled via the stick (which is a lot like BMW’s) or machined aluminum paddles on the steering wheel. Like the 6, the F-Type has multiple driving modes accessed with a toggle switch on the console which adjusts throttle, steering, suspension, shifting, etc. Each function in Sport mode is independently programmable. The steering has better feel and is more direct than the 6, the ride is relatively comfortable in the normal setting and the brakes feel firm with great pedal modulation. It’s got big fat Pirellis that stick like glue to the pavement, although it’s easy to hang the tail out whenever you want. This is especially true on wet pavement which I learned during the second half of my test drive when it started pouring.

I have zero qualms about the car’s performance in any category, but somehow it is less livable as a daily driver than the 6 series – both in terms of practicality and comfort. I draw this conclusion in comparison to my 650i; I cannot comment on the M6 (which is also on my list). I can say that you are getting Jaguar’s top performer for non-M money. The ‘R’ starts at $100k and even with most options is still around $110k. So it’s a lot of bang for the buck when compared to an M6, but then again so is the Corvette.

While I haven’t removed the F-Type R from my list, it has lost a few points. I am a one car guy (not including my wife’s) and I’m not sure I could make it work year round.