Jaguar F-TYPE SVR v Porsche 911 Turbo 2017 Comparison

Supercharged or turbocharged, bent eight or flat six
The crackle and growl of Jaguar's supercharged V8 in the F-TYPE SVR is at odds with the subdued timbre of the Porsche 911 Turbo, and the Jag has the wood on the Porsche for engine output, too.

But power-to-weight is all the Porsche's way – with the 911 Turbo nearly 270kg lighter than the Jaguar.

So the question arising is this: Can the Jaguar make up for its performance shortfall with better power delivery, brakes, traction and cornering?

We trooped out to the State Motorcycle Complex at Broadford, north of Melbourne, to find out.

Why are we comparing them?
It's pretty obvious that these two cars are special. They boast prodigious power and torque (around 400kW and at least 650Nm), channelled through self-shifting transmissions to all four wheels.

Both cars are coupes; the Porsche is a 2+2 and the Jaguar is strictly a two-seater.

Jaguar pioneered disc brakes for road cars and the F-TYPE joins us with ceramic rotors. Porsche brings along the swift-shifting PDK (dual-clutch) transmission, in contrast with Jaguar's eight-speed ZF automatic with conventional torque converter.

There's over $95,000 separating these two cars – before loading up the optional extras. Is the Porsche worth the extra?

Who will they appeal to?
Sports car fanciers with plenty of disposable income and a penchant for heritage can form a line on the right for either of the cars tested.

Perhaps the Porsche fans will have grown up watching Steve McQueen in 'Le Mans', while the Jaguar fans recall three-on-the-trot wins at the same venue in the 1950s.

But what separates these two from their illustrious forebears is their welcome practicality and comfort. That said, style, comfort and practicality count for little without the track ability to back up the purchasing decision. Hence our trek out to Broadford...

How much do they cost?
Neither the Jaguar nor the Porsche are what one might call affordable, but the Jaguar, at $289,305, is $95,295 cheaper than the Porsche, which bears a price tag of $384,600.

We're tipping that if you can afford the F-TYPE, there's at least a 50/50 chance you could also stretch to the 911 Turbo, if you wished.

If it's important to prospective owners, both cars offer three-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty coverage with roadside assistance for the duration. At 26,000km, the service interval for the F-TYPE is nearly double the 15,000km interval for the 911 Turbo.

What do they do well?
With tonnes of torque on tap the F-TYPE could hold third gear through every corner of the track.

According to test pilot and V8 Supercar racer, Luke Youlden, the F-TYPE's predominant handling trait was oversteer, and it was highly responsive to throttle when the front-end began to let go. Steering response was hyper-reactive, too.

The Porsche was more predictable in corners, and its "mid-corner understeer" made it easier to place on the track, although both cars felt similarly quick through the corners, says Youlden.

The "ballistic" straight-line performance from the Porsche combined with its strong brakes delivered the 911 Turbo quicker track times.

What could they do better?
If the F-TYPE went on a crash diet and dropped a hundred kilos or so, it would be a serious contender in this competition. It's purely straight-line speed that hurts the Jag in this test. The ZF eight-speed transmission couldn't match the Porsche's dual-clutch transmission for responsiveness either, but for cornering the F-TYPE can hold its own against the 911 Turbo.

The Porsche was hard to fault. Both the professional racing driver and the professional hack (me) tagged the rev limiter when we missed the window for shifting up a gear using the PDK. That's about it...

Which wins, and why?
If you've read this far, it's already clear that the 911 Turbo is still the champ. It's faster around the track, and it's easier to drive quickly.

Just a reminder though: the 1.5sec gap between the Porsche and the Jaguar will cost you $95,000. If money is no object, buy the Porsche.

2017 Jaguar F-TYPE SVR pricing and specifications:
Price: $289,305 (plus on-road costs)
Engine: 5.0-litre eight-cylinder supercharged-petrol
Output: 423kW/700Nm
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic
Fuel: 11.3L/100km (ADR Combined)
CO2: 269g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety Rating: N/A

2017 Porsche 911 Turbo pricing and specifications:
Price: $384,600 (plus on-road costs)
Engine: 3.8-litre six-cylinder turbo-petrol
Output: 397kW/660Nm
Transmission: Seven-speed dual-clutch
Fuel: 9.1L/100km (ADR Combined)
CO2: 212g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety Rating: N/A

Performance Testing (fastest lap time):
Jaguar F-TYPE SVR: 1:03.636
Porsche 911 Turbo: 1:02.234