The F-Type and the Resurrection of Jaguar

For those of you familiar with Jaguar’s history, you no doubt remember the good days and the bad. Originally starting out as the Swallow Sidecar Company, their humble beginnings started with sidecars for motorcycles, before William Lyons and William Walmsley started SS Cars Ltd in 1935. Then World War II happened, and the company was sold to a man named Rubery Owen. Deciding that the name SS Cars Ltd might be in bad taste after the rise and fall of the Nazis, the name was changed to Jaguar, and the first luxury sports cars were born. Then came the era that Jaguar spent under the ownership of Ford, which nearly ruined them and brought no profit at all. However, it wasn’t all bad. The Jaguar XJ220 did hold the record for the fastest production car from 1992-1994, but with a price tag just north of $450,000 dollars, who could actually afford it? Then Tata Motors came along, and that’s when things got interesting.

The glory days have returned. When most people think of Jaguar, they think of stuck-up rich people, who value luxury over horsepower. Perhaps they were right at one time, but not anymore. Having already found success with the new XF and XJ models, the release of the F-Type took everything great about those two cars and packed it into a coupe that’s both stylish and breathtakingly quick. The downside to this, however, is that for those of you who love the combination of speed and being able to shift gears manually, the F-Type delivers only in the V6 models, which comes with an optional six-speed manual transmission for both the 340 and 380 horsepower models, and comes exclusively with rear-wheel drive. On the bright side, all 2016 models have made the switch from hydraulic power steering to electric power steering, allowing for more sharp and precise driving.

The 2016 F-Type comes in four different models. The standard model includes a supercharged V6 engine that pushes out 340 horsepower, a six or eight speed transmission, a sport exhaust, and Jaguar’s performance braking system. The F-Type S and all wheel drive versions comes with all the above, except instead of the standard V6, you get it supercharged, with 380 horsepower and a top speed of 171 mph. Finally there’s the F-Type R, which comes with all the standard features and a 5.0 liter V8 supercharged engine that pushes out 550 horsepower with a peak torque level of 502 lb.-ft. Holding a 0-60 time of 3.9 seconds and a top speed of 186 mph, it’s hard to look at and say no, despite costing just over $100,000 dollars.

A question you might be asking yourself after reading this article is why should you buy a Jaguar when cars like the Chevrolet Corvette Z06 and the Dodge Hellcat models can offer you a similar amount of horsepower for less money? Fair enough. The answer depends on your personal preference. If you like American muscle and prefer power in straight lines as opposed to turning, then no, the Jaguar F-Type isn’t for you. On the other hand, if you’re a fan of luxury sports cars that can deliver in both speed and handling, then F-Type is definitely your cup of tea. Whatever side of the line you stand on that age-old argument of American cars versus British and European cars, you might find it hard to get behind the wheel of an F-Type and not end your day with a smile on your face.

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