It’s hard to get more British than a Jaguar that’s finished in British Racing Green. But with just two doors and a supercharged V8 engine up front, you’d be forgiven for thinking that this new F-Type P575 is more American than anything on paper. And then there’s the engine, which is built in an old Ford factory, but doesn’t sound like an unruly American V8, instead, more of a refined European V8 that pops and snarls through the rev range. Ambiguous lineage aside, this little Jaguar is a road-going rocket, and offers one of the most well-rounded performance drives on the market.
In New Zealand, Jaguar sells the F-Type exclusively with the big bad supercharged 5.0-litre V8, but buyers have two options. The range starts with the rear-wheel drive F-Type R-Dynamic which starts at $179,900, and tops out with the all-wheel drive P575 R at $219,900.
In terms of performance, the rear-drive R-Dynamic will hit 100km/h in 4.6-seconds, and features just 335kW. With its 423kW, the P575 R will grip up from the dig and hit 100km/h in just 3.7 seconds, which was something only reserved for supercars not too long ago.
For DRIVEN’s time in the F-Type, we had the range-topping P575 R model, which is just as ridiculous to drive as what you’d expect.
After having experienced this supercharged V8 in other JLR vehicles like the Range Rover Sport SVR, and the Jaguar F-Pace SVR, I had high hopes, and was not left disappointed. The tried-and-true formula of taking a massive engine and stuffing it into a small car only ever ends in success, and this is certainly the case here.
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Said supercharged V8 pumps out 423kW and 700Nm, so acceleration in the F-Type is phenomenal. The 305mm wide rubber at the back is complimented by 285s at the front, so traction is absolutely no issue on the way through to triple figures.
Being a V8, torque never seems to be out of reach in the rev range, and because it's fed air by a supercharger as opposed to a turbo, lag is non-existent, making throttle response phenomenal.
There’s something inherently scary about a big V8 in a small car, knowing that dabbing into the right pedal too much could whip you off the road without hesitation. But unlike most V8 sports cars, this is something that drivers need not worry about, as the F-Type has an incredible amount of grip through corners. Sure, it will have no trouble sliding the rear if that’s what tickles your fancy, but if the traction control button is left alone, it’s able to be driven just like an all-paw hot hatch.
In the grand scheme of things, this F-Type sits in a strange middle between a Porsche 911 and a BMW M850i, and that’s exactly how I’d describe its handling. Even in the most hardcore ride setting, the ride is supple, and occupants won’t find themselves jostled around the cabin. While this is good on the comfort side, it’s to the detriment of handling accuracy, as a hint of body roll can be felt through the corners.
Along the same lines, the steering is fast, but is quite light, and doesn’t feel overly direct. Road feedback is kept to a minimum, which is something that I wasn’t a fan of, but I’m sure it appeals to some.
Moving inside the F-Type, the interior has received an update, but it doesn’t get the fancy new JLR curved touchscreen display. This means that it’s left with the slightly temperamental old system, that works for the most part, but can feel sluggish at times. It gets the same bucket seats as the new F-Pace SVR which do a fantastic job of keeping things comfortable, but also having enough bolstering to keep occupants in place during spirited drives. I’ve said it once, and I’ll say it again, I think that these seats are the best in the game.
As for the rest of the cabin, the sound system is phenomenal (but then again, you’d hope so for a two-seater that’s north of $200K), but the hard plastics on the steering wheel and around the gear selector are a little disappointing.
There’s also the luggage area behind the seats to broach, which doesn’t offer much space at all. It’s a tight squeeze just fitting a couple of overnight bags back there.
As a whole, this F-Type is the full performance package for someone looking to spice their weekend drives up (but not by too much). It’s incredibly fast and holds the road with great confidence, but doesn’t feel as playful as its European rivals. With a BMW M4 starting from $10,000 than the F-Type entry point, and a Porsche 911 being just $10,000 more than the top model, I’d struggle to justify the Jag, but can see why some may jump at the chance to own one of the last great British V8 coupes.
2022 Jaguar F-Type R
ENGINE: 5.0-litre supercharged V8
POWER: 423kW/700Nm
GEARBOX: 8-speed Automatic, AWD
ECONOMY: 11.0l/100km (WLTP)
PRICE: $219,900
