F also stands for Fresh, and the F-Type
gets up to the minute underpinnings, designed for optimum rigidity and
dynamics, minimum weight, supposedly. Cue an all-alloy body, except for the
boot lid which is a composite design. There's so little conventional metal on
the exterior that we had to attach the magnetic GPS antenna to the windscreen
wiper blade!
The superstructure is of bonded aluminium,
and suspension too uses forged aluminium double wishbones. All of which
translates to the most torsionally rigid offering from Jaguar yet. The model
you see here has a claimed kerb weight "starting from 1,665kg". Our
vehicle tipped the scales at 1,794kg. With that thumping V8 in the nose, the
weight split came in at 53/47 front to rear. Both of these have an impact on
performance and handling.
The
cabin is snug, but offers the premium feel befitting the premium price tag
While the physical presence is clearly
important for the modern incarnation of an icon, it's just as critical that the
F-Type can strut its stuff, like any big cat. Two factors are key, the first
being the engine. The 5.0-litre unit incorporates direct fuel injection and the
company continues to invest in supercharging as the forced induction method of
choice. For a top-line sports offering it's important that throttle response is
instantaneous and invigorating. Helping beef up the output at moderate revs is
dual variable cam phasing. The ultimate F-Type (for the moment) conjures up
364kW (nearly 500hp) and a Hulk-worthy 625Nm of twist between 2,500 and
5,500rpm. All that brute force is directed through ZF's liquid eight -speed
auto, and on through to the rear wheels that are plastered in Pirelli's lowest
profile PZeros.
Plenty
of legroom, excellent seats, a low and recumbent driving position and a high
scuttle make for a cocoon-like cockpit
Sounds fast and as if to prove the point
Jaguar quotes a 0-100 time of 4.3sec, a new low for the J brand. Our previous
best figure, 4.6sec, is from an XFR. On our chipseal test track we found launch
control unwilling to cooperate so the best we could eke from the F-Type was
4.5sec. We had the feeling those giant Pirellis weren't making proper contact
with the D-grade tarmac so plan B involved a move to a more distant hotmix
surface, where the F-Type immediately ripped off a 4.03sec run. High 3s are
likely a possibility. An overtaking time of 2.29sec is scalding too, putting it
at number 10 on our list of quickest production cars tested.
Course those numbers don't mean much in
isolation. In the real world it is F for Fast and Furious, for it's geared to
Mars, with 100km/h requiring just 1250rpm in eighth gear. Are you kidding me?
At 120 it seems like it's labouring, though isn't. Keeping it below that speed
requires use of the speed limiter.
Touchscreen
multimedia/ sat-nav system is fairly easy to use. Screen is quite responsive to
tactile input too. Sound quality is great, reduced wind noise when indulging in
top down motoring would have been a great plus
Low down power is intoxicating, the F-Type
inching around town on a whiff of gas in fifth gear, burbling away to itself.
Even the ride at this speed isn't indecent. As revs lift, urge intensifies. Use
revs in the 2000s for easy rural running. When it hits 3,500rpm and the VVT
system kicks in all hell seems to break loose, and then at 5,000rpm you realise
that was only the waiting room to hell. From there to 6,500 the pace is
ballistic, and the noise a wailing crescendo. Especially with the active
exhaust switch flicked on. Off it's almost regal, but with the active system
working and the exhaust valves opened there's a symphony of sound every time
you go near the accelerator. It's addictive; think a refined AC Cobra, and
you're close. We couldn't hear jack from the supercharger either, or perhaps we
just missed that.
