Jaguar F-TYPE 2017 Review

What’s it all about?
The F-TYPE sports car is all about image for Jaguar. First launched in Australia in 2013, it signalled a new era for the British brand under Indian ownership.

Now, four years on it’s on the cusp of its first facelift, although the fundamental specification and concept will remain unchanged when the MY18s reach Australia in June.

The F-TYPE is available as a two-door coupe and convertible, with supercharged V6 or V8 engines and rear-wheel drive or all-wheel drive. In simple terms the range starts in Porsche Cayman territory and then climbs higher in price and performance to take on the 911.

In this test we’ve covered the full spectrum, starting out in a rear-wheel drive 280kW/460Nm V6 S coupe before swapping to an all-paw 404kW/680Nm V8 R convertible. Both cars were fitted with the ZF eight-speed auto, which is standard, which optional in place of a six-speed manual in rwd F-TYPEs but standard with awd.

Meanwhile, here’s some F-TYPEs we’ve tested previously:
>>

How much will it cost?
The F-TYPE range pricing starts at $119,545.60 (plus on-road costs) for the rear-wheel drive manual 250kW coupe and climbs all the way to $308,185.60 for the outlandish 423kW SVR convertible.

The S we’re driving here has a retail price of $157,215.60, a price rise of $5050 over the manual version. The $263,645.60 R convertible is the third most expensive model in the line-up. That’s nearly $16,000 more than the rear-wheel drive version and nearly $19,000 more than the AWD R coupe.

Standard S equipment includes front and front/side airbags, front and rear parking sensors and a reversing camera (very handy!), SD card sat-nav, electric-assist steering, adaptive suspension, a limited slip diff, active exhaust and 19-inch wheels (the test car was fitted with 20s).

The R features include higher rated brakes, an electronic active differential, torque vectoring, 20-inch wheels, configurable dynamic mode and premium leather interior. The cloth roof opens and closes electronically at speeds up to 50km/h in 12sec.

The F-TYPE gets three years/100,000km free scheduled servicing (excluding wear and tear items), while the new-car warranty is for three years and unlimited km, including complimentary roadside assistance.

Of course there are lots of expensive options, but no sign of Apple CarPlay or Android Auto.

Why should/shouldn’t I buy it?
The F-TYPE looks fast when its standing still, sounds great when you fire it up and is pretty enjoyable to drive once you get going.

The V6 S coupe isn’t overwhelmingly fast but does feel pretty lithe and nimble. That’s no surprise considering it weighs in under 60kg, has a stiff bonded and riveted aluminium structure at its core and double wishbone suspension geometry at each corner.

Shorn of a permanent roof the R lacks the coupe’s ultimate stiffness, adds a significant amount of weight out to 1745kg and feels a bit stiff and stern when just ambling around.

Short travel suspension and ultra-low profile tyres will do that for you.

The R really comes into its own when called on to drive in a sporting manner; the engine fires up like a cracker, the chassis hunkers down and grips hard and the manual transmission changes via paddles are lickety-split.

However, neither the S or R can offer the cohesive and intimate feel of a Cayman or 911.

Beyond the supporting if firm drivers’ seat the F-TYPE becomes a hard-sell. There’s very little luggage space in the coupe and virtually none in the convertible. The boot is almost entirely taken up by the space saver spare tyre. Both 911 and Cayman are also more practical cars than the F-TYPE.

When is it available in Australia?
The F-TYPE is available now, but like we said earlier, there is an update in June. As part of that the ‘S’ badge disappears and a model called the R-Dynamic is introduced.

Who will it appeal to?
If you are a rusted-on Jaguar fan with memories of the iconic E-Type then the F-TYPE might float your boat. Alternatively, it could appeal to someone keen to try something other than the default Porsche.

Where does it fit?
The F-TYPE is classified in the VFACTS Sports Car over $80,000. category. It doesn’t make our top five in the motoring recommends performance cars over 100K category.

However, it has done well in both the 2016 and 2015 Australia’s Best Driver’s Car.

So what do we think?
The F-TYPE is a work in progress. Right now it’s a stunning looker and a decent drive, so a bit more work on the latter aspect is what’s required.

Let’s hope Jaguar is committed to the cause and continues to evolve F-TYPE along a consistent path in the same way as Porsche has evolved the 911.

2017 Jaguar F-TYPE V6 S Coupe RWD Auto pricing and specifications:
Price: $157,215.60 (plus on-road costs)
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder supercharged-petrol
Output: 280kW/460Nm
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic
Fuel: 8.8L/100km (ADR Combined)
CO2: 205g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety: N/A

2017 Jaguar F-TYPE V8 R Convertible AWD Auto pricing and specifications:
Price: $263,645 (plus on-road costs)
Engine: 5.0-litre eight-cylidner supercharged-petrol
Output: 404kW/680Nm
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic
Fuel: 11.3L/100km (ADR Combined)
CO2: 313g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety: N/A

Also consider:
>> Porsche 911 Carrera (from $217,500 plus ORCs)
>> Mercedes-AMG GT (from $259,000 plus ORCs)
>> Porsche Cayman (from $110,000 plus ORCs)