The Jaguar F-Type has been all the rage from the English manufacturer since it first hit auto show floors, and after driving the roadster in V8S trim, it's obvious why. Rather than give it the traditional review treatment, let's just cut to the chase and look at the top 10 reasons why it should be considered for your next convertible purchase.
1) It comes in three different powerplants.
V6, V6S and V8S. All supercharged and rear-wheel drive. What does this mean to you? Three- or five-litre high-performance, luxurious machines with 340, 380 or 495 horsepower, and a broader power range than most of the competition.
2) It’s rare.
Let’s face it. Jags aren’t something you see too often on the road. There’s something nice about being different, and the company’s global sales of 76,668 units in 2013 make the brand twice as rare as many of its major competitors.
3) It has 90 years of Jaguar heritage behind it.
Each of Jaguar’s vehicles carry a special aura, but the F-Type is its flagship sports car and signifier of what the future has in store. The funny quirks its vehicles were known for are gone, but the beautiful fit and finish and attention to detail are still there.
4) It’s loud.
Really loud. It’s as loud as you want it to be. The V8S in particular has a beautifully deep, menacing growl that harks back to the machines of old. Open the exhaust baffles with the flip of a switch and put it into Dynamic Mode and the F-Type roars as loud as any GT racer on the circuit today. Recommended especially for use under covered bridges.
5) It's available in burnt orange.
And it’s one of very few cars that look good in it. Truth be told, the colour might exist solely for this car. Inside? It has buttons, dials and stitching to match. The entire package is very well thought out, and even if you don’t get the fiery scheme, it still looks great from any angle.
6) It only has two seats.
It’s just you and your partner in crime. No stragglers, no kids, but you can tell everyone you bought it because of its optimal weight characteristics.
7) It has a paddle shift transmission with sport mode.
Eight speeds of responsive shifting with a total of 25 (yes, 25) built-in adaptable driving modes to handle whatever you throw at it. It’s an automatic, which takes the headache out of city driving and lets you focus on the fun of it, or click into gear with rapid-fire quickness.
8) People will tell you how cool your car is. Actually!
You may not believe it, but just wait until people comment, point or photograph from the sidewalk. Or, you may have an experience similar to mine, when an English guy driving a German SUV yelled, “Nice car!” to me, the German guy driving the English car. It was great.
9) It’s loaded with technology and has a great sounding stereo to boot.
Active suspension and aerodynamics with the pop-up rear spoiler that never gets old, adaptive front HID lighting and disappearing door handles, Bluetooth telephone and audio, a Meridian stereo that’s clean and clear with the top down and the wind blowing, blind spot detection, a rear view camera, and eco-friendly stop-start technology when you’re in stop-and-go traffic. And that’s just the start.
10) It’s blazingly fast.
This is really the most important thing, isn’t it? All that other stuff is just icing on the cake. And try concentrating on anything else with zero-to-100 times of 5.3, 4.9 or 4.3 seconds, or top speeds of 260, 275 or 300 km/h (track only, of course). And remember - it looks great and sounds absolutely incredible while it's doing all of it.