Jaguar F-TYPE Coupe 2014 Review

Is it that outrageous?

Surely not. After all the 240Z was a pretty cool bit of gear in its day. Just like the E-Type Jag in fact, which is what I am actually meant to think of when the F-TYPE slinks by.

But there’s just something about the way the F-TYPE Coupe sits back in its body with that long, low nose and chopped rear that is reminiscent of the Datto. It’s a much more modern interpretation of course, with unsubtle pumped rear guards and cool pop-out door handles.

Whatever, the good news is the retro reminiscing stops at the looks, because the F-TYPE is one Jaguar that doesn’t have a nostalgic attitude, unlike the now thankfully superseded S- and X-Type Jaguar sedans.

Like its drop-top mate the F-TYPE Roadster, the XF that came before that and the XE that isn’t far away, this really is a car that gets us all excited about the now Indian-owned company’s future.

Drill right to the core of the F-TYPE and you will find a structure fundamentally based on bonded and riveted aluminium. Overlaying it is a very good looking two-seater coupe, powering its rear-wheels by a supercharged 3.0-litre V6 engine that pumps out 250kW and 450Nm.

All for just under $120,000 before on-road costs. No Porsche Boxster or Cayman can match that kilowatts for cash figure.

And if you want to push that bit harder, then head upmarket around $30,000 to the 280kW/460Nm Coupe S supercharged V6, or go the whole hog and spend another $100,000 for the F-TYPE Coupe R and its 364kW/625Nm supercharged V8 engine.

All that sounds exciting, but the base model F-TYPE Coupe still drives pretty darn well, even if it does miss out on some of the trickier technology the S gets, like a limited slip diff, adaptive dampers, really big brakes and launch control.

Despite these omissions it’s still got the equipment you would expect at this price: front and front/side airbags, rear parking sensors (a necessity – you just can’t see out the back of this thing), a temporary spare tyre, bi-xenon headlights with washers and LED signature lights and evil-looking tail-lights, a retracting rear wing, cruise control with speed limiter, powered steering wheel adjustment, six-way power seat adjustment (but you still slide fore-aft manually), an eight-inch colour touch-screen, 380-watt Meridian surround-sound system, sat-nav and Bluetooth telephony.

But the really good bit comes when you hit the starter button for that V6 engine and give it a rev; it sounds feral as it screeches towards the top of its rev range – almost like a Wankel without the truly grating bits – and then gives of a hearty crackle and bang on the over-run.

Get rolling via the slick shifting ZF eight-speed torque converter auto and this is an engine that really delivers. Peak torque rolls out between 3500-5000rpm and that’s where you’ll find the tacho needle hovering as you dash along a winding mountain ride.

There are no hesitations or frustrations, just a very solid and audible rush. The 5.3sec claim for the 0-100km/h dash feels about right. You can let the auto do its thing or opt for Dynamic mode and really aggressive gear-holding. The steering wheel mounted flappy paddles provide ultimate control, but can also be accidentally tapped mid-corner, so watch out for that.

The slick powertrain is backed up by a really entertaining chassis. The double wishbone front end, aided by a quick ratio for the hydraulically-assisted rack and pinion steering really works beautifully, delivering feel, grip and encouragement. The rear can stay stuck down, slide gently into lift-off oversteer or be provoked savagely sideways if you so choose. Have room enough to experiment though...

And even though the base model has the least impressive brake package, that shortcoming proves to be more significant on paper than on the road, because the system works a treat.

However, the F-TYPE’s dynamic negative emerges on rougher roads where the stiffness of the double wishbone rear suspension means judders and holes are too intrusive even on this car’s 18-inch wheel/tyre package. It’s annoying and unsettling.

That is not the only negative you can pick on with the F-TYPE Coupe. As already noted, it’s not the easiest car to see out of and it’s also pretty low at the front, which means several gutter graunching moments.

And despite that aluminium intensive construction, this is not a light car. At 1577kg it is around 200kg heavier than a Boxster or Cayman S with dual-clutch transmission.

That excess weight expressed itself primarily on-test through the somewhat disappointing 11.3L/100km fuel consumption figure we obtained over more than 1000km of running. That’s despite standard idle stop-start, and is a far cry from Jaguar’s 8.8L/100km claim.

Still, you can be soothed once you settle back into the cabin after another visit to the bowser. The single piece seats are deeply comfortable, the steering wheel a beautiful size and the way the cooling vents rise out of the top of the dashboard is a signature Jaguar surprise and delight feature.

More storage would be nice, although at least the 407-litre (claimed) boot answers one of the primary criticisms of the roadster. And there are some less than stellar finishes and the odd bit of cheap switchgear that lets the interior down a little.

But it’s a far cry from the 240Z – or E-Type for that matter. And with all-wheel drive and manual versions headed our way soon, the F-TYPE’s future is more interesting to consider than what might have inspired its past.