When Jaguar introduced the F-Type convertible to rave reviews in 2013, it had all anyone could ever ask for in a high-performance roadster. Speed, looks, emotion and handling were all there, along with the certain cache that a British-built sports car possesses. So, what do you do for an encore?
You put a lid on it.
That’s exactly what Jaguar did in introducing the 2015 Jaguar F-Type Coupe. We spent a few days at the London Hotel in Hollywood (It’s a theme. Just go with it.) to live like an Ex-Pat in the er, colonies with Jaguar’s latest cat. Around the corner from the Whisky A Go Go, and the Viper Room, we had a chance to see where Britain’s next wave is heading.
Mo’ better
Last year, we raved about the first-on-the-scene F-Type Convertible. Tightly constructed and well-engineered, it was breathtaking in its execution on the showroom floor and, more importantly, on the roadways. The F-Type Coupe takes all those strengths and builds on them in ways we didn’t think possible.
We had a chance to test the V6 S and V8 R models over the Angeles Crest Highway and along the 2.5-mile “Big Willow” road course at Willow Springs Raceway in Rosamond, California, about an hour north of Los Angeles. One of the oldest raceways in America, it offered a chance to get a good sense of this latest cat.
Available in Base, V6 S, and V8 R versions, the F-Type starts with the entry-level 340-horsepower 3.0-liter supercharged V6. Mid-level is where the uprated, 380-horsepower of the blown six resides. The lineup in this feline stratosphere is then complete with the stellar F-Type R Coupe and its 550-horsepower supercharged 5.0-liter V8. All three powerplants feature direct fuel injection and dual independent variable cam timing (DIVCT), and are mated to a ZF-sourced eight-speed automatic transmission with Quickshift capabilities, which tend to feel like a double clutch gearbox where an alternating clutch pre-loads the next gear for smoother and faster gear changes. Supercharging is through a Roots-type twin vortex blower with twin intercoolers.
Also on board is Jaguar’s Adaptive Dynamic Suspension, which monitors the suspension bits at a rate of up to 500 times per second for optimal road placement, keeping an electronic eye on things like jounce and side to side movements.
A Dynamic control button, which is part of the Performance Pack S, resides on the center console, and does its part to transform the Coupe’s overall character by delivering firmer damper and steering rates, as well as quicker cog changes to go with sharper throttle response. In other words, flick the checkered flag-adorned switch and the car goes from an anything-but-docile feline to a, uh, Jaguar. And what a cat it is.
The biggest drivetrain news is the addition of the second-generation Electronic Active Differential (EAD) that combines with the Coupe’s torque vectoring system. (The Convertible has EAD sans torque vectoring.) Designed to apply torque braking to an inside drive wheel, it helps to shorten a turn, especially in the case of extreme understeer, as when entering a curve too quickly. As we saw at Big Willow, the system does work and managed to keep us off the gravel-edged portions of the 2.5-mile course. According to Jaguar, the resulting optimized grip enables the F-Type R Coupe to carry more speed into and through corners, while delivering precise handling during high-speed maneuvers. We say yeah.
Our F-Type V6 S model was equipped with the red High-Performance braking system while the V8 R tester featured yellow-calipered Super Performance brakes. Both offered grabby grip with virtually no fade, even after extended runs on the racetrack. As an added bonus, both the V6 S and V8 R were equipped with the active exhaust system, which made them sound like a proverbial band of demons were at the switch. It was especially intoxicating while entering tunnels along our drive route. The V8 is equipped with quad, outboard mounted pipes while the V6 features a pair of center-mounted exhaust dumps.
Playmates, or rather, competitors
Although benchmarked against such luminaries as the Porsche 911 Carrera, depending on which model you opt for, the F-Type Coupe can be compared against a wide range of rivals. “Base” models square off against the Audi RS5, while higher-end versions may go head to head with the Audi R8 and the Mercedes-Benz SL-class. It all depends on your desires and the scope of your financial portfolio.
(One-piece) skins are sexy
Looking totally inspired by its long gone predecessor, the E-Type, the 2015 F-Type Coupe features the traditional long nose and short tail (with disappearing spoiler) as well as the latest in aerospace techniques and bondings that give an entirely high-tech, low-weight solution to the vehicle. Innovations including a cold-formed aluminum stamping are one such way the brand is making fit and finish a priority.
Hydroforming finds its way into an alloy beam from the beginning of the A-pillar and extending its reach all the way to the back of the C-pillar and helps the crosspieces and aluminum die castings to do their part to guarantee the new Coupe is 80-percent more rigid than the convertible, which was no slouch in the stiffness department. An optional panoramic glass sunroof panel can replace the standard aluminum panel. Regardless, torsional rigidity is the same because the roof panel is not a stressed member.
If you liked….
…the interior of the F-Type convertible, you will feel totally at home in the new F-Type Coupe. The familiar driver-centric cockpit is all-in, once again, and features a pair of chairs that encircle their occupants like a warm, or cold glove when the seat ventilation buttons are pushed. Facing the driver’s seat is a race-inspired flat-bottom wheel with paddle shift levers to assist in quick blips through the eight-speed gearbox. A configurable between-gauge display shows navigation, trip, audio and Bluetooth functionality, while the larger eight-inch touchscreen screen displays all of the same and can be used to personalize a particular driver’s performance settings.
Our two-toned red and black interior featured a design that evoked the appearance of the C-X16 concept car. Red accents are seen throughout and help to cover the grab bars on the center console and right door for white knuckled passengers.
The interior offered sufficient headroom despite the swoopy low roofline and displayed the same during numerous entrances and exits from the car during our drive day. The rear hatchback raises a removable shelf that helps to keep valuables out of sight when parking the car. Although the Jaguar F-Type coupe is a perfect road-tripper for two, be sure to pack light as its cargo area only measures out to 11-cubic feet. Jaguar says that is sufficient to carry two golf bags, although we don’t think they will be the size used by a PGA touring pro.
Performance essentials
We liked the feel we found in the F-Type Convertible. We like the Coupe even more. The rasp from the 3.0-liter V6 S engine, rated at 380 horsepower and 339 lb-ft of torque, will be more than enough for most drivers, with its zero-to-60 mph time of 4.8 seconds. But for some there is no such thing as enough. For them, we would recommend the 5.0-liter V8 R version, with its 550 horsepower and 502 lb-ft of torque. Jag claims a zero-to-60 mph sprint of 4.0 seconds flat, although we have heard reports that peg times closer to 3.8-tics off the clock. The EPA says to expect 19 city mpg/27 highway mpg with 22 mpg combined from the V6 S, while the V8 R is capable of 16 city mpg/23 highway mpg, with 18 mpg combined.
Normal driving situations made the F-Type S Coupe the perfect car for everything from a milk run to a high-speed chase (in following with Jaguar’s “Villains” marketing scheme). But as we saw at Willow, the track is really where the big 5.0-liter cat shines. Direct road feel is transmitted through the steering wheel, and the paddles enable shifting with such immediacy that you’d think you are piloting a Formula 1 car down the streets of Monaco.
The torque vectoring from the electronic limited slip differential enabled sharp turn-ins, especially when we reached the apex of a turn with too much speed. With the Dynamic drive mode in the normal setting, the system allows torque vectoring without killing the throttle. We like that.
Leftlane’s bottom line:
Jaguar improves the breed by introducing the 2015 F-Type Coupe. Available as a base or S Type V6, or further as an R Type V8, this cat just continues to get better and better. Personalized to your heart and wallet’s desire, it proves true the brand’s marketing tagline: It’s good to be bad.
2015 Jaguar F-Type Coupe base price range:
F-Type Coupe with 340hp V6, $65,000.
F-Type S Coupe with 380hp V6, $77,000
F-Type R Coupe with 550hp V8, $99,000
Destination fee, $925
S Coupe as tested: $92,575.
Includes Climate Pack with heated seats and wheels, HD and SiriusXM radio, Panoramic glass roof, Performance Pack S, Premium Pack 2-coupe, 19-inch centrifuge wheels, Vision Pack 2, and Extended leather pack.
R Coupe as tested: $103,225.
Panoramic Glass Roof, Vision Pack 2.
Photos by Mark Elias.
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