The Jaguar F Type - Welsh, Rare Bit

When the last of the fabulous E-types quit the market in 1974, Jaguar left the sports-car business to others and became the maker of wingback chairs on wheels. Now, however, the Tata-owned brand is back in the sporting trade with the new Jaguar F-type roadster and coupe. Under an X-ray, they will look like shrunken XKs, but they have the Porsche 911 Carrera in their sights. Is Jaguar too optimistic?

Well, Jaguar's head of development, Mike Cross, doesn't think so. "We bought a 911 as a reference car," he said, "and I believe that our F-type is more than competitive." Not that he would be biased or anything, but to prove his point, he invited us along on an engineering drive through Wales, where Jaguar engineers were doing the final fluffing and buffing of test prototypes on the winding two-lane roads that run through the Welsh mountains to the western coast.

"We bought a 911 as a reference car," he said, "and I believe that our F-type is more than competitive."

Wales is one of the most humid places in Europe, and the North Sea sent rain and snow to greet the roadster, which on our drive was fitted with summer tires. Nevertheless, Cross likes the rough surface texture of these roads, and eventually we did find some free of precipitation.

We met Cross and two F-types in a tiny village called Welshpool, or "Y Trallwng" in the local language that makes non-Welsh speakers swallow their tongues. The town is in the middle of nowhere, yet Cross seems familiar with every corner apex in Wales, and, more importantly, what comes after the corners.

This, Jag's only real sports car-the XK, as good as it is, is more of a businessman's express-comes in three versions and with two different engines. The base version is simply named F-type and is powered by the same supercharged 3.0-liter V-6 engine as in the Jag XF and XJ; it delivers 340 horsepower. Our two mounts, however, are the V-6 S, powered by a 380-horse version of the V-6, and the V-8 S with 495 horsepower from its supercharged 5.0 liters. Both engines are connected to a ZF eight-speed automatic transmission, though a manual will come later. The top speed comes in seventh gear, we're told; eighth gear is there for quiet, efficient highway cruising.

This, Jag's only real sports car-the XK, as good as it is, is more of a businessman's express-comes in three versions and with two different engines.

While a few parts are shared with the larger, four-seat Jaguar XK, the F-type has a new aluminum unibody, forged suspension components, a quicker steering ratio, and its own exterior identity. The two- seat F is about a foot shorter than the XK, 400 pounds lighter, and about five inches shorter at the wheelbase, though the F-type is actually more than an inch wider. The styling looks "a little Italian," as a passing policeman observed during a coffee break in a little (is there any other kind?) Welsh village. The rear end actually reminds us of the retro-themed BMW Z8.

Inside, the F-type is more functional than luxurious. The lowest seating position in a Jaguar since the early 1950s C-type is accessed by swinging your body over a comparatively high side sill and down into the (optional) performance-seat shells. What greets you is the raciest interior in Jaguar's recent history, with a conventional dial-type speedometer and rev counter sandwiching an electronic screen that displays coolant temperature, fuel level, trip info, and warning messages. A high center console under- scores the occupants' sitting-on-the-asphalt feeling, while the steeply raked windshield offers an excellent view out.

Full-throttle acceleration (launch control is available on both S models) is accompanied by a gorgeous exhaust sound-even more so if you pick either S model with the standard muffler-bypass button, or opt for said button on the V-6. Either way, the roadster pushes insistently forward, changing gears swiftly and smoothly. Up to 3400 rpm, the engine growl is moderate. Then the two exhaust valves open and the F-type roars like, well, like some sort of feline apex predator in the genus Panthera. From 5000 rpm to the limiter at 6500, the sound changes again to an even louder and harsher metallic yawp. When in dynamic mode, downshifts are accompanied by a crisp throttle blip to adapt the engine's momentum to the lower gear.

Inside, the F-type is more functional than luxurious.

Cross claims he's endowed the F-type with Jag's sharpest steering ever. We can confirm only that the V-6 S fits into a gap between the razor like Porsche Boxster S and the larger but only slightly duller 911. In fact, the Jag's road holding ability and precise suspension movements remind us of the previous-generation 911. The driver and passenger feel even minute road irregularities. Coarser surfaces make for loud tire noise.

Posing the biggest threat to the Carrera is the F-type V-8 S. Equipped with an electronic limited-slip differential and adaptive dampers, the 3700-pound V-8 S delivers impressive driving dynamics. It is the fastest recent Jaguar, and we expect it to hit 60 mph in 4.0 seconds. And the Jaguar's stated top speed of 186 mph comes very close to the 911 Carrera S coupe's 188 mph. Overall, the V-8 S might not feel quite as agile as the 911, but it offers the best engine response and maneuverability of any road going Jaguar we've experienced.

And more is coming in 2014, when Jaguar will unveil the V-8 RS with an expected 562 horsepower. It should at the very least annoy, if not overtly stalk, the new Porsche 911 Turbo cabriolet. And as with the 911 Turbo, the F-type V-8 RS will convert the engine's 516 pound-feet of torque into traction via all-wheel-drive. The F-type borrows its system from the Jag XF and XJ.

And more is coming in 2014, when Jaguar will unveil the V-8 RS with an expected 562 horsepower.

Meanwhile, the F-type significantly undercuts the 911 cabrio's base price. If sales numbers do fulfill expectations, the brand will expand the F-type range the way Porsche has with the 911, offering a dozen or more variations. By then, maybe Jaguar will be able to afford some winter tires for Mike Cross's prototypes as they set off across Wales.