07-31-2014, 10:58 AM | #1 |
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F-Type R
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. |
07-31-2014, 11:30 AM | #2 |
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Great write up. I haven't test drove the Jag F-Type R and probably won't b/c I'm way too tall for that car. However, I ran into one on the street two days ago in Northern VA. It was white with ceramic brakes and sexy as hell. It was in front of me at a light. That thing jumped off the line when the light turned green and I didn't even try to keep up with it. It is super quick. However, the driver slowed down and I pulled along side. I looked over and there's this blond superstar! I gave her a thumbs up and told her "I guess that it's good to be bad" and she said "Yes it is."
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07-31-2014, 01:05 PM | #3 |
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Nice write up!
I too test drove the Jag (coupe) the other day. It's a nice car with great handling. The traction control has a very fast response time and according to the video (the first one) the ECU perform 500 calculations per second to correct the traction (6:25). As far as transmission the ZF8 is a very fast automatic transmission with no doubt but comparing to BMW M-DCT, it's slower and does not give that feeling if you care. Overal it's a nice car but not comparable to 6 er, then in comparison with 911 you need to take more time
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07-31-2014, 03:27 PM | #4 |
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I drove an F-type not to long ago and really liked many aspects of the car (especially the exhaust ). One thing I could not get over was the transmission which was horrible in my honest opinion. I have to say it is beautiful to look at though.
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08-03-2014, 12:57 PM | #5 | |
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08-06-2014, 09:36 AM | #6 |
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I would buy 2. 1 for the driveway and 1 for the shop. I haven't met anyone who own the F-Type long enough to comment on the reliability, but I have many friends who owned recent Jags. They really live up to reputation of how much time they spend in the shop. Let's hope the F-Type drivetrain are built by a different set of people with different appreciation for quality.
On the flip side. I drove the Corvette StingRay 3LT with Z51 Performance Package. It is a beast, responsive and great around the corners. The new interior is luxurious and driver focused, unlike the older models. Dollar for dollar, I would add the StingRay to your list if a 2 seater is practical for you. I bet you can get the Z06 coming out for the same price as a fully loaded V6 F-Type. The only bad thing about a Vette is, everyone and their mom has one. You would have to add a few major things to make your Vette stands out. |
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08-06-2014, 12:25 PM | #7 |
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09-28-2014, 02:55 AM | #8 |
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For the price for the performance you gain can you blame the new Stingray owners? I too almost pulled that trigger too but wanted something a bit more special so I got a Cayman S. But would I kick one (Vette or F1 Type R) out of my driveway? NOPE! LOL
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09-28-2014, 07:02 AM | #9 |
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Thank you Bönz for a very well done write up.
Did you happen to notice the tires ( or tyres in Jag speak)? Not RFTs are they? So they can cram a spare somewhere in that lovely machine? |
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04-23-2015, 09:41 PM | #11 | |
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Looking for my next lease. Test drove the M4 and came away unexcited. It is a great car but need a V8 with some noise for my taste. I had a deposit down on the new Merc C63s but decided to try the Ftype R and it blew me away. It is just a ton of fun to drive. Bonz pretty much summed it up but I have a pretty good deal in place on a lease for a 2015 F type R so I will probably finalize this weekend. |
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04-23-2015, 10:00 PM | #12 | |
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04-23-2015, 11:14 PM | #14 | |
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04-24-2015, 12:48 AM | #15 |
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Just picked up an F-Type R Coupe yesterday, and let me tell you: this car is absolutely nuts. White on red.
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04-24-2015, 01:24 AM | #16 |
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Umm... you didn't pass a Silverstone M6GC on I-5 over Siskiyou Summit near the OR border today, did you? It was the first F-type I have seen in the wild, and it was white. It was a beautiful car.
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04-24-2015, 01:25 AM | #17 |
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Nope, wasn't me, I'm in Cali!
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04-24-2015, 09:00 AM | #18 |
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04-24-2015, 12:15 PM | #20 |
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04-24-2015, 01:13 PM | #21 |
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Thats not bad.. I was just wondering what the monthly payment is with how much down. I know the regular F is going for around $700 with a couple grand down so I figure the R is probably around $1100 with the same amount down.
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04-24-2015, 09:21 PM | #22 | |
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Just finalized my deal for 12k miles a year for a 2015. After some back and forth and walking out I got 39 months at $1202 per month. With 3k up front (including 1202 for the first payment) Had about 7k in options so the MSRP was 106k. They ended up bringing the cap cost down to about 90k to make my numbers work. Mine looks just like the white one above but I went with the beige interior. You won't get nearly as much of on an all wheel drive 2016 model right now. If your dealer has a few sitting on the lot you should be able to get 12-15k off in my opinion. |
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