Manufacturers always strive to create the best. Something that will draw gasps and result in awards – both financial and mental. Designs that will forever be admired. But there is one problem that goes hand-in-hand with this lofty status. After creating that near-perfect car, how do you better it? And if you don’t, how does your brilliance keep getting recognised in a world that is quick to forget – and move on?
This scenario is no stranger to the great Jaguar brand. Both the original XJ6 and the legendary E-Type were stunning designs but no-one could figure out how to improve on them. Well, the leaping cat has finally got a solution and a successor to the E-Type conundrum. And it was considered so good that after 50 years Jaguar decided to revise the “type” naming, so moving up from “E” to “F”.
Starting briefly with the V8 before providing more details on the V6 S,Naturally, the V8 guise just had to inherit the exhaust pipe genes of the “E”. So, four outlets it is. It worked back in the ‘60s and it works now and it will continue to work even if they have to glue a quartet onto the back of the electrically driven big cats 50 years from now. F type looks cannot be criticised –gorgeous from any angle. One hesitates to compare, but the E-Type is much too old to use as a comparison, so to look at peers, one can see hints of design cues from Ferrari, Maserati and Aston Martin – all sorts of exotic elements adorning the complete design package.
But now let’s confine ourselves to the one with only two, albeit huge, oulet pipes. The F-Type S was our first choice in the damp and foggy climes of Mpumalunga. I figured rather to play with 280 kW than 364 around the water-filled potholes. Fun was indeed had with no protestations from the traction control, such was the composure of both the supple suspension setup as well as the Pirelli P Zero tyres. In fact the entire balance of this model was so near to perfection, it is difficult to know who would want more – sorry, I mean would need more – of course everyone always wants more!
If it’s that V8 sound you are after, you can’t be blamed, but be assured that the V6 has a superb sound track, made even more raspy if you push the sports exhaust button. The V8 sound track is flatter with more crackle but the V6 seems to have more of a deep wail. But sound alone is not enough to make a supercar – how does it go? The F-Type has a conventional gearbox with eight speeds and a torque converter. Fortunately, ZF has mastered the art of using a standard autobox and ensuring that the epicyclic gear bands close ultra-fast to simulate the speed of more complex double clutch gearboxes. When left in normal drive mode, the brains really battle to select the correct ratio for any given situation. First one, then two, no three downshifts . The solution is to make use of the paddles and shift manually. This is great fun and much more accurate for each situation and you get to experience the rapid cog swaps that others like Lexus and Mercedes only wish they had.
You can read my colleague, Nicol Louw’s driving impression here.
So the engine has power and torque in abundance, the gearbox shifts quickly in manual mode and the sound is spot on. That’s not all – we drove these cats on bumpy and potholed yet fast and sweepy roads of the lowveld and the suspension presented a perfect ride/handling compromise – highly polished. The S models include adaptive dynamic suspension with a limited slip diff. Yet another amazing discovery was just how rigid the bodyshell is. Most convertibles share a common flaw. Scuttle shake. You feel it and you see it in the windscreen and the vibrating rear view mirror and then there’s the squeaks. Not with the F-Type. I kept thinking that this was a fixed top machine. Talking of rear view mirrors, over 100 km/h you can see the chromed Jaguar adorning the pop-up rear wing in the mirror. This wing provides a downforce of up to 120 kg at speed. The hood retracts in a quick 12 seconds at up to 50 km/h. 19-inch wheels are fitted to the V6 S partially hiding the massive disc brakes (the V8 uses 20 –inchers).
So what can I criticise? I suppose the seats could have been slightly larger with more side support, the paddles are made of plastic instead of aluminium and … well, I will have to get back to you when I come up with something elseIt might not be a top seller like the Porsche 911 but the Jaguar brand has been there and done it all – including Formula one, so its credentials are highly respected. Is it a worthy successor to the E-Type? I believe so.
Specifications
Model: Jaguar F-Type V6 S
Engine: 3,0-litre, V6 supercharged petrol
Power: 280 kW at 6 500 r/min
Torque: 460 N.m at 3 500 to 5 000 r/min
0-100 km/h: 4,9 seconds
Fuel consumption: 10,0 L/100 km
CO2: 234 g/km
Top speed: 275 km/h
Price: R975 000
Maintenance plan: 5 years/100 000 km
