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Best Drives: The Sexy Cat Jaguar F Type R
A rare combination that only happens a few times in ones lifetime is in my driveway. A vehicle that is both memorizing to look at and a magic carpet ride to drive. A while back, I sampled the 2015 Jaguar F Type R coupe and loved every minute of my time behind the wheel. Recently, for my birthday week, I had the pleasure of sampling the updated 2016 F Type R Coupe and I am blown away.
Everywhere I went in the greater Orlando FL area, people were waving at me, blinking their headlights and giving me thumbs up. Let’s begin with the sound of its 5.0 liter supercharged 550 Horsepower V-8 engine. Switch the F Type into Dynamic mode or flip a switch on the center console and you will be rewarded with the most glorious exhaust note in the entire automotive world.
This beautiful British Royal princess burbles like a NASCAR V-8 being tuned in a Daytona garage, snorts like an exotic Ferrari on steroids and generally raises cane all over town, An automotive radio talk host colleague of mine says “Oh, its too loud”, he could not be more wrong. I feel like a 5 year old on Christmas morning when it makes this glorious “snap, crackle, Boom” sound and it’s legal straight from the factory. I had people in an auto body repair shop running outside to see the motorcycle that was revving its engine. No, that’s no Motor Cycle that’s the F Type R.
For 2016, F Type receives a number of serious updates including standard all wheel drive in the R. On the street, that translates into mash the accelerator pedal and you will launch to sixty in 3.9 seconds or less. Accelerate hard into a corner no worries the power is at all 4 wheels and a suite of electronic aids including an active rear differential and electronic-assisted power steering make it a breeze. The F Type R for 2016 makes a bad driver good and a good driver a super hero and is simply a joy to drive.
The design penned by the brilliant Ian Callum is the automotive equivalent of a super model. It is beautiful from any and all angles
The driver-orientated cockpit of the 2016 Jaguar F-Type separates the passenger and driver with a wide console, and provides a left-hand grip for the passenger. The coupe’s high roof means good headroom even for tall folks, plus adequate legroom, too. Drivers get a large, visually sharper TFT display between the two gauges, with orange paddle shifters, a start button, and Dynamic mode selector on some models.
The infotainment touch screen’s simple interface conveys what you want to know, without the “Tokyo by night” neon overkill so common in today’s vehicles. The beautifully assembled interior boasts stitched leather throughout, including the headliner in coupes. Jaguar Smart Key and a 14-way power driver’s seat are new this year, as is the panoramic glass roof on the coupes.
My test vehicle was equipped with a $12,000 carbon-ceramic matrix brake upgrade. It was my first weeklong exposure to these exotic brakes optional on Porsche and a few other brands. Now I get what the fuss is all about. The Carbon Ceramic brakes provide not only shorter stopping distances but also zero brake fade even after numerous high-speed stops. There are worth every penny. If you can afford the Jaguar F Type R Coupe what is another 12 grand on the bottom line?
The 5.0-liter supercharged V-8 that resides under its glorious hood puts out 550 horsepower and 502 lb-ft of torque. Fuel economy is rated at 15-mpg city and 23 highway. During my week I averaged low 20’s MPG remarkable for this kind of power and performance. The 8 speed automatic is lightning fast and perfectly matched to the engine.
Ladies and Gentleman, Boys and Girls, this is one of the finest cars in the world at ANY price. Speaking of price my loaded F Type R Coupe came in at a little over $128,000. If you can afford it buy it, and if you can’t start buying a few lottery tickets and start saving up for a ride of a lifetime.
Now I can’t wait to sample the new ultimate F Type the SVR for 2017
The Long Drive Rankings
Front Engine-AWD 8 speed automatic
Highlights
Styling
Performance
Stereo System
AWD
Lowlights
Cost
The Long Drive Rankings 1 Low 10 High
Exterior Styling 10
Interior styling and quality 9
Handling 9
Braking 10
Fuel Economy 5
Stereo System 10
Performance 10
Trunk-Cargo Capacity 8
Navigation 9
Autoworld Radio, Bob Long, F type R, High Performance Coupes, Jaguar, luxury, Super cars, The Long Drive, WheeledPlanet.com
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