Review: 2015 Jaguar F-TYPE Coupe

The Sultan of Swat Meets Alfred Pennyworth

Likes:

• Beautiful curves from any angle
• Balanced handling with supercharged V6 model
• Intoxicating V8 power and exhaust roar
• InControl apps demonstrate the next step of in-car infotainment systems

Dislikes:

• Bigger trunk than the convertible but still tiny
• Expensive options

Last year Jaguar knocked it out of the ballpark with the F-TYPE Convertible, their first true 2-seater sports car in 40 years. This year Jaguar thrills us with the F-TYPE Coupe and delivers an exciting blend of style, performance, and luxury that will fire up your lust for cars no matter how your priorities rank. A sports car is all about performance, character, and being unique. Convincingly the Jaguar F-TYPE Coupe delivers all of this and more.

From a roofline that’s been touched by the wind to the voluptuous wheel arches, the F-TYPE Coupe is undoubtedly modern and insanely beautiful. Having an archetypical design of the E-type in the family lineage, the F-TYPE’s design cues from the E-type and XJ13 are deft and subtle – this car is easy on the eyes as surely as Miranda Kerr.

eating a sports Coupe is the purest of design tasks, and also the most challenging; get it right and aesthetically the result will be as dynamic as the car should be rewarding to drive. In F-TYPE Coupe, I believe we’ve got it right. The purity of the C-X16 concept has been retained without compromise; the long bonnet, low roofline and tapering cabin of the F-TYPE Coupe inspires me every time I see it.”

Ian Callum, Director of Design, Jaguar

Inside, the F-TYPE Coupe is pretty much identical to the Convertible, save for the extra metalwork or glass over your head. That means you get a driver-focused cabin with smart pale blue ambient lighting, a distinctive trigger gearlever, as well as steering wheel shift paddles, figure-hugging sports seats and pop-up center console air vents.

The 2015 F TYPE Coupe comes in three flavors – F-TYPE R, F-TYPE S and the F-TYPE. The big daddy of the trio is the 550 horsepower R model and more powerful than any F-TYPE before it, which is 50 horsepower mightier than the convertible and considerably stiffer than the soft-top. The V8 supercharged engine is capable of propelling the Coupe from zero to 60 in 4.0 seconds and achieve a top speed of 186 mph (electronically limited). Jaguar says the new F-TYPE R Coupe is the most serious sports car the company has ever made and comes with an even more serious price tag of $99,000 before options.

F-TYPE S Coupe and F-TYPE Coupe models complete the range, powered respectively by 380 horsepower and 340 horsepower versions of Jaguar’s 3.0-liter supercharged V6 engine. Zero to 0-60 mph is flies by in 4.8/5.1-seconds with top speeds of 171/161mph. All F-TYPE models come with an exceptionally smooth and quick 8-speed automatic transmission.

The Electronic Active Differential (EAD) and Torque Vectoring systems in the F-TYPE R Coupe – which work together with the car’s Dynamic Stability Control system – complement each other to optimize traction, cornering ability and to maximize steering feel and agility.

Dare we say the F-TYPE Coupe is Jaguar’s best driver’s car of all time? Handling is surprisingly nimble for a V8 sports coupe that weighs 3,671 pounds. Steering is precise and communicative. Diving into turns reveals practically no understeer to take away the fun when mashing up the curves. The coupes are 80 percent stiffer than the F-TYPE convertibles, so the steering feels much more direct and precise.

Toss-up between the gregarious supercharged V8 and the more civilized supercharged V6 is close. We love the low-end torque and growl of the V8. Rocketing out of turns and around slower traffic is a hoot, but it is more suited as a grand tourer on fast open roads with lazy turns. Order the F-TYPE R with optional carbon ceramic matrix (CCM) brakes and 20-inch alloy wheels, and you have a sports coupe that exudes performance at every corner.

On the other hand the V6 is 155 – 194 pounds lighter, has a better front/rear weight ratio, and feels more balanced. With less weight up front the F-TYPE and F-TYPE S dance around turns a lot quicker than its big brother and is quite agile. It definitely feels superbly capable on tight, twisty canyon roads and never fails to put a permanent smile on our faces.

The Jaguar F-Type Coupe is an enthralling and entertaining car. While it can’t match clinical prowess of its near-priced Porsche rivals, the F-TYPE Coupe just as exciting to drive, downright gorgeous and less expensive than a comparable 911. And in top-spec R guise particularly it’s a fast-moving fun factory with a stunning soundtrack that is exciting and entertaining to drive.

See Jaguar F-Type Cars for sale on eBay.