SSHHH… QUIET!

If you’re one of these owners who has to creep out early morning to get to the golf course, office or a weekend Jaguar Enthusiasts’ Club event without disturbing the neighbours, then the new F -TYPE offers buyers of the 450PS or 575PS supercharged V8s a new, Quiet Start function.

This is achieved with silencer bypass valves in the exhaust system that are electrically actuated in the rear silencer until you put your foot down and the engine is under load. Happily, for the show-offs amongst us there is also a button to override the function as well. When the valves do open however, the same familiar snarling crackle remains – phew!

FIRST EDITION MODEL

Those of us first to the showrooms will be offered the “first edition” model. It may sound like a book or something for a stamp collection, but it actually refers to a fully loaded model that will be made for the first production year only and is based on the R-Dynamic models of old. The goodies list includes; Exterior Design Pack in contemporary Dorchester Grey and five-spoke, 20-inch wheels in Gloss Technical Grey with contrast Diamond-Turned finish, complementing the choice of Santorini Black, Eiger Grey or Fuji White paint. The interior features 12-way Windsor Leather seats in Ebony with Light Oyster stitching, or Mars with Flame Red stitching. Other highlights include the instrument cluster, wrapped in Alcantara, Suedecloth headlining over the top of you and to hand, the aluminium gearshift paddles will feel suitably high-tech.

ENGINE OPTIONS IN 4 OR 8 CYLINDER GUISE

Engine options have been simplified to include the eight-cylinder options you would expect but also now a four-cylinder option with the older and much heavier, V6 consigned to history. These are all matched to eight-speed Quickshift transmissions with full manual control using either the SportShift gear selector or the steering wheel-mounted paddles, so no normal manual option will be made available nor is it needed.

New to the range is the 450PS supercharged V8. Unique to F-TYPE, this 5.0-litre engine has been developed to offer improved performance – its maximum torque of 580Nm being generated from just 2,500rpm and that’s not even ‘R’ spec yet. Nice!

It is offered with a choice of all-wheel drive and – for purists (and the slightly un-hinged) – rear-wheel drive, and all models have a differential rammed with electronics to keep you stuck to the road and safe. You’ll need it to, with 0-60mph in just 4.4 seconds, and a maximum speed of 177mph.

The pairing of Jaguar’s sports car with the 300PS 2.0-litre 4 cylinder turbocharged Ingenium engine delivers enhanced agility and improved efficiency and affordability. Despite the loss of two cylinders, the engine has also lost a lot of weight, meaning that it retains the performance expected from the V6 F-TYPE and can accelerate from 0-60mph in only 5.4 seconds and achieve a top speed of 155mph – impressive from just 4 pots.

The turbocharged engine’s high maximum torque of 400Nm generated from just 1,500rpm, together with technologies including fully variable control of intake valve lift, integrated exhaust manifold and twin-scroll turbocharger with ceramic ball bearings, delivers exceptional response throughout the rev range. It also claims a quite epic fuel economy of 34.9mpg, not bad for such a big bruiser of a sports car! Still not enough? Then read on for news of a more powerful “R” model.

THE F-TYPE R GETS MORE POWER

Jaguar also announced that the power output of the top flight, all-wheel drive, supercharged ‘R’ version would also be increased to 575PS and 700Nm (up from 550PS and 680Nm respectively). What difference does this make? Well, check out the stats: 60mph takes just 3.5 seconds, while maximum speed is an electronically-limited 186mph.

The F-TYPE R’s increased power is matched to a comprehensively uprated chassis with new, wider, 20-inch, 10-spoke wheels in Gloss Black with diamond-turned finish,

The suspension has been tweaked as well, with new adaptive dampers, springs, anti-roll bars and stiffer rear knuckles and ball joints, all aimed at making things more communicative for the driver.

The learnings from the awesome prototype Jaguar XE SV Project 8 have been applied here to the R as well, with the Quickshift transmissions promising even faster, crisper gear changes when shifting manually via the steering wheel-mounted paddles or the SportShift gear selector.