Inside
The best thing about the Corvette styling is that it’s
totally irrelevant once you’re behind the wheel. Admittedly, you’re aware of it
thanks to the sweeping fenders, small mirrors and rear wing, that all obscure
visibility to an extent. In fact, both cars have small rear windows and suffer
terrible rear-quarter visibility, making it hazardous to maneuver on busy
freeways. At least the Jag has larger mirrors and our test car was fitted with
blindspot detection.
At least the Jag
has larger mirrors and our test car was fitted with blindspot detection
The cars share something else: excellent seats. Both were
figure hugging, with optional lumbar and side bolster adjustment. They allowed
you to find the perfect seating position but, more importantly, kept us fresh
and limber during our 18-hour endure, their perfect support providing exemplary
comfort. The Vette also had the best seat cooling system we’ve ever
experienced.
The Corvette is slightly noisier on the road, yet there was
no fatigue after driving. And if you did start to lose focus, hitting the loud
pedal soon remedied any maladies.
The best thing
about the Corvette styling is that it’s totally irrelevant once you’re behind
the wheel
The Chevy’s angular design themes were reflected inside, but
it’s better executed than the exterior. The company pulled out all the stops
for the Stingray and it’s a huge improvement over its predecessors. The fit and
finish is excellent but can’t quite match the double-stitched glory of the
Jag’s leather trim, or its more expensive materials. We also preferred the
Meridian sound system over the Bose in the Vette, which had too much bass for
our taste.
The only blot on the F-Type’s copybook was the central air
vents that rise and fall on demand. We’re told it’s to improve visibility when
not in use, but it’s a little gimmicky for an otherwise stellar interior.
Most importantly…
While it’s interesting to compare packaging, the purpose of
these sports cars is to entertain at high speed with stability and safety. It’s
not an easy balancing act, but both succeed to a high degree.
The F-Type is the most powerful, with 495hp, but also the
heavier at 3671 lb, despite its aluminum construction. Yet it felt lighter and
more agile. This was thanks to more responsive controls – the steering, brakes
and throttle responding to the slightest input.
The F-Type is the
most powerful, with 495hp, but also the heavier at 3671 lb, despite its
aluminum construction
The eight-speed ZF transmission is used across the industry
and recognized as world class. It delivered crisp shifts and seemed to sense
your requirements, with almost instantaneous downshifting. It can also be
manipulated by paddle shifters that offer direct input to the powerband.
However, selecting Dynamic Mode recalibrates the driveline, further sharpening
throttle response, increasing steering weight, providing quicker gear changes
at higher revs, and allowing greater slip angles before the stability control
intervenes. It also prevents automatic upshifts when the transmission is in
manual mode.
The car lets you know this is happening by opening the
exhaust valves and unleashing the gods of war. The valve is also accessible by
a button on the console that takes the aural experience to 11.
It seems hard to believe that the pops and bangs are legal,
never mind the sheer volume of the exotic exhaust note. It’s a symphonic mix of
mechanical sounds that create a glorious cacophony, making the radio redundant.
You can witness it in our video at www.europeancarweb.com
where we contrast it with the Corvette.
The supercharged V8 delivers maximum torque of 460 lb-ft
from 2500rpm, so it’s constantly on the boil, ready to light up the rear
Pirellis with little provocation. It propels the car with a force that almost
seemed to test the capability of the chassis, as the supercharger provides
linear power delivery.
At high speed, the car becomes more sensitive to all inputs.
The quick steering rack allows you to turn-in with precision, although there’s
a numbness common to most modern systems.
Both cars have
incredibly powerful brakes
The suspension remains surprisingly compliant thanks to the
Adaptive Dynamics that control body movement, roll and pitch rates via variable
damping. This keeps the car incredibly flat in the turns. However, we were
disappointed at a slightly fidgety ride quality on broken surfaces, even in the
standard setting.
Both cars have incredibly powerful brakes, with the F-Type
using six-piston calipers up front on 15" rotors. However, these were
difficult to modulate, seeming snatchy at low speed and occasionally locking up
at high speed. It adds to the Jaguar’s on/off temperament that encourages you
to get on the throttle or brakes hard, but this affects its fluidity.
And while the V6 models get a mechanical limited-slip diff,
the V8S has an e-diff that’s better able to respond to different conditions and
demands, allowing a surprising amount of slip angle and wheelspin before
unobtrusively interrupting.
As a result, the Jag is incredibly easy to drive very fast.
Its quick responses and adaptive electronics mean anybody can get this car
close to the limit and survive to tell the tale. Its performance is instantly
accessible and enormously rewarding, accompanied by a wonderful soundtrack.
