Jaguar F-TYPE SVR 2016 Review

Jaguar F-TYPE SVR AWD Coupé and Convertible
International Launch Review
Alcañiz, Spain

Jaguar has taken everything we loved about the F-TYPE and made it faster, grippier and downright angrier! Harnessing the supercharged V8 might of its manic F-TYPE Project 7, Jag’s SVR-enhanced all-wheel drive Coupé and Convertible (from $289,590) brings race-car pace and the marque’s traditional grace to a rather exclusive space.

As if the F-TYPE R needed any more performance… Yet following in the footsteps of the Range Rover Sport SVR late last year, JLR’s Special Vehicle Operations team has launched its first enhanced Jaguar model. And you guessed it; it’s based on the F-TYPE R.

To be priced from $289,590 for the Coupé and $308,470 for the Convertible, the epic 423kW/700Nm F-TYPE SVR promises a top whack of 322km/h and a 0-100km/h time of 3.7sec.

The figures eclipse the ‘regular’ F-TYPE R AWD’s 404kW/680Nm and its 4.1sec 0-100km/h dawdle (tongue pressed firmly in cheek); showing clearly the potential of JLR’s cracking 5.0-litre supercharged V8.

Brand tragics will note the 5.0-litre’s tune is the same as offered in Jaguar’s sizzling F-TYPE Project 7, others will note the coupe’s top speed is just 8km/h behind Audi’s new R8 junior supercar.

They’re all figures that place the F-TYPE SVR in pretty rare company. The 700Nm torque figure is shared with the 2015 Mercedes-AMG C 63 S and the 0-100km/h time with Nissan’s slingshot-quick 2009 GT-R Spec V. But as is the case with most cars of its calibre, the F-TYPE SVR’s numbers tell only part of the story.

Though before we get too carried away, we need to highlight the SVR’s enlarged air intakes, augmented charge-air coolers, redesigned bonnet vents and bolstered cooling system. It would also be remiss of us not to mention the active, titanium and inconel quad-outlet exhaust system.

We also note a newly calibrated eight-speed Quickshift transmission, the wider (+10mm) 265/35 and 305/30-section front and rear tyres, and the all-wheel drive system’s retuned ‘brain’. Dubbed IDD (Intelligent Driveline Dynamics), the system conspires with the active electronic rear differential to optimise torque distribution front to rear and across the rear axle.

Jaguar has also recalibrated the switchable stability and traction control systems to work with the aforementioned changes, while simultaneously preserving the rear-drive bias we’ve come to love from its F-TYPE AWD range.

Lightweight 20-inch ‘Coriolis’ or optional ‘Malestrom’ aluminium wheels pull 13.8kg of unsprung mass from the equation. The open spoke design also contributes to improve cooling of the optional 398/380mm (fr/rr) Carbon Ceramic Matrix brakes. The standard steel stoppers measure 380mm/376mm (fr/rr).

Six-piston front calipers are standard on both variants. Fours are used on the rear.

The SVR retains the all-wheel aluminium double-wishbone suspension arrangement of the donor model, but scores stronger rear knuckles, a softer (-5%) front anti-roll bar and a firmer (+5%) rear anti-roll bar. The valves inside the continuously variable dampers are likewise revised [Jaguar says ‘towards’ a 1:1 rebound to compression ratio] and their control system altered.

SVO has also tweaked the tune of the torque vectoring by brake set-up and the electric power assisted steering software.

The SVR’s wider front bumper serves to mask the aerodynamic turbulence created in the wheel wells with remaining air drawn-out by the fender vents. An extended front valance and under-tray reduce lift and drag, at the same time working with the bonnet vents to improve engine cooling.

The underside of the car is concealed by a tray that serves to accelerate airflow (further reducing ‘lift’), while a rear venturi arrangement and an automatically deployable carbon-fibre rear wing helps bolster down-force.

Jaguar says the SVR is 25kg lighter than the (1847kg) F-TYPE R AWD in its standard form, or 50kg lighter with the optional carbon brakes and carbon-fibre roof. The composite treatment also extends to the new model’s front chin section, bonnet louvers, fender vent ‘ingots’ and mirror scalps when optioning the carbon-fibre pack.

Of course the enhancements aren’t external exclusively. The F-TYPE SVR’s two-seat cabin is enriched with ‘SVR’ embossed 14-way adjustable SVR Performance seats in jet-black leather and a lozenge quilt pattern with contrasting stitch-work. The upholstery is available in Siena tan or red leather as an option, while the steering wheel comes in either jet-black leather or suede with contrasting stitching (in four colours) and black-painted spoke outers.

The standard paddle-shifts are larger than in regular F-TYPE models, and finished in anodised aluminium.

The F-TYPE SVR also gets JLR’s latest InControl Touch or InControl Touch Plus infotainment systems. Accessed via an 8.0-inch capacitive touchscreen the interface controls the expected communication and 3D navigation arrays, as well as a choice of 380 or 770-watt Meridian surround-sound systems.

Further, iOS smartphone and Apple Watch connectivity means owners can locate and monitor their vehicle remotely, while also accessing data including fuel use and mileage. The smart-phone based system’s remote engine start function will not be offered in Australia.

As handsome and connected as the F-TYPE SVR is, it’s the “unrivalled driver engagement and reward” Jaguar promises that is our key interest.

Taking to the back-roads of Alcañiz west of Barcelona, the Brit proved calm, almost comfortable. Indeed, the ride felt better than the F-TYPE R’s, despite the increase in tyre size.

The suspension tune copes well with broken surfaces too, keeping rubber on the road when pushed into trying corners. The only real negative is tyre rumble. It’s something we only noticed a handful of times on Aragón’s mostly well maintained roads, but it could be an issue on our roads where coarse chip surfaces are far more common.

Overall, the SVR proved quiet enough to conduct a conversation at elevated freeway speeds until, of course, you open the taps. The new exhaust brings a metallic rasp as you accelerate beyond 2000rpm. And the warmer the engine, and the harder you push, the better it sounds -- a glorious V8 howl bettered only by the machine-gun-fire-like ‘cracks’ on over-run.

It’s the sort of soundtrack befitting the SVR’s character, and one that lets anyone within a cooee know you mean business.

A handful of laps of the 5.4km Ciudad del Motor de Aragón gave us a keen appreciation of SVR’s outright performance.

This is a seriously fast bit of kit. The acceleration doesn’t relent as the tacho swings north. Indeed, there’s incredible pace available right the way across the rev band. Ideally matched gear ratios help to provide blisteringly quick acceleration out of the track’s corners slow and fast alike.

We’ve commented in the past on the accomplished nature of the Jaguar auto. At this level of performance, if we were picky, a dual-clutch transmission could be even faster -- especially on downshifts. The ZF occasionally baulks at requests for a lower gear when engine speed is too high, causing a need to double-pull the left paddle.

The SVR turns in better than the R, and though there is that all-wheel drive tendency to push wide (almost as if from all four wheels) when you’ve over-committed to a corner, the ability to correct via quick (if slightly over-assisted) steering and a stab of the loud pedal instills confidence.

Adapting quickly to the SVR’s slide-and-squirt style of cornering soon brought the pace up to a point where we’re achieving serious numbers down Aragón’s long back straight. At the end of it, the sharp left hander revealed what is perhaps the big cat’s only real sticking point. Brakes…

Even though equipped with carbon ceramic brakes, the Jag’s combination of mass and speed was simply too much for repeated hard stops (from 180-ish mph -- we drove US spec vehicles on track). We never ran out of brakes, mind you, but an increasingly long pedal saw the distance between the corner and throwing the picks increase as the morning laps went on.

Jaguar is set to continue the development of its SVR line-up. The XE, XF and F-PACE models are all expected to undergo a performance upgrade in the next 12-18 months. That should put a smile on all enthusiasts faces.

The SVR is a return to form for the British brand and one that’s been well worth the wait. Let’s hope the marque’s Special Vehicle Operations team keeps its foot planted hard on the gas.

2016 Jaguar F-TYPE SVR AWD Coupé pricing and specifications:
Price: $289,590 (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

2016 Jaguar F-TYPE SVR AWD Convertible pricing and specifications:
Price: $308,470 (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

Also consider:
>> Aston Martin V12 Vantage S (from $356,800 plus ORCs)
>> Mercedes-AMG GT S (from $295,000 plus ORCs)
>> Porsche 911 Turbo (from $366,500 plus ORCs)