Now, before you ask, the Jag’s superlative handling does not
mean that the F-Type will not oblige should you choose to have fun with this car.
In fact, one look at the technical specifications and it is hard to imagine
anything but ‘great fun to drive’ when it comes to describing this Jaguar. With
its rear-wheel-drive configuration and oodles of torque on tap being sent to
super-fat low-profile tyres, it could hardly be
otherwise. But a word of caution to the enthusiast.
This is one tail-happy car. Should you be careless with your throttle input,
the F-Type will snap quite viciously. While the experienced driver with
superior skills will come back with a wide grin plastered on his face for a
week, the faint-hearted among us will scare themselves
silly.
Click the unlock
button on the fat rectangular key fob and the door handles pop out. Otherwise
they remain integrated with the door to aid aero performance
Ferocity being the apt extension of the ‘F’ in the car’s
moniker, the theme is carried through to the way it brakes
as well. The massive 380-mm discs up front do a fine job of ensuring that there
is more than enough hauling power for any surprise that the road can throw your
way. Brake feel is also very positive and progressive. These will
come in handy for those of you who might just visit the racetrack where you
will need to shed speed quickly as you barrel down straights en route to
corners.
Rear spoiler
deploys at high speeds to generate up to 120 kg of down force to help the Jag
stay grounded. It can also be deployed manually and has two settings for the
driver to choose from
The F-Type comes with an eight-speed automatic transmission
that can be actuated manually as well using either the steering-mounted paddle
shifters (which are finished in a funky shade of burnt orange and are quite
distinctive) or the centre stack mounted drive mode
selector. Gear shifts are quick and there is no detectable lag between
selecting gears manually and the gear actually engaging. A loud blip announces
successful downshifts. With the Jag’s active Sports Exhaust emitting an aural
delight any way, you might even be tempted to shift down just to hear the
throttle blip.
For all its ferocity, however, this beast of a Jag is
surprisingly easy to drive in the city as well. Not that we would want to drive
a car like this around town, but in order to get to the open stretches of road
or the track we still need to cross the city. The Quick Response steering,
while being direct, is not so heavy that you will need Hercules’ shoulders. The
ride quality is something one can quite easily live with and visibility and
ground clearance aren’t too big issues either.
Spare
tyre or your luggage? Which is it going
to be? You certainly can’t fit in both. Boot is tiny on account of space being
used to house the Jag’s soft top
So, overall this should be the sports car to buy if you’re
an enthusiast with a lot of money to spare. But then at more than $265,500 this
Jag is worth a small apartment. If you have that kind of money to spare on a
ridiculously fast car that you won’t be using every day on your way to work,
then there are a host of options available, ranging from the Audi R8 to the
Porsche 911. So unless you’re a die-hard fan of this Indian-owned British
marque and the legacy it represents, you’d be well within your rights to look
through the other options that exist.
