- Doors and Seats
2 doors, 2 seats
- Engine
5.0SC, 8 cyl.
- Engine Power
423kW, 700Nm
- Fuel
Petrol (95) 11.3L/100KM
- Manufacturer
4WD
- Transmission
Auto
- Warranty
3 Yr, Unltd KMs
- Ancap Safety
NA
Jaguar F-Type SVR first drive review
- First Drive: Jaguar F-Type AWD
- Road test: Jaguar F-Type R
- Head to Head: Jaguar F-Type R Convertible v Porsche 911 Cabriolet
Ever been to a concert where everything was turned up just a bit too loud? It can so easily spoil great music.
The same principle is often applied to cars, particularly when brands try to amplify what is already a great performance machine in search of customers willing to fork out more money… just because they can. All too often, the increase in volume is proportionate to a decrease in clarity.
So there is a little trepidation in how far Jaguar's Special Vehicles Operations has cranked-up the gorgeous F-Type as the first leaping cat to wear the SVR badge, particularly after John Edwards, boss of the newly-created performance division, explains that every tangible element of the car – engine, gearbox, dynamics, aerodynamics, exhaust… and more – has been enhanced to some degree
Considering the F-Type R on which it is based is already powerful enough, fast enough and certainly loud enough, is this the kind of car that sings only on the race track and requires metapohoric ear plugs to make it palatable everywhere else? Or, worse, is it the kind of car that looks good on the bill poster but becomes so unbearable you walk out on it?
Thankfully, it's neither. In fact, having sampled the high performance range-topper in both coupe and convertible form in Spain last week, the SVR is actually an all-round better F-Type.
Due to arrive in Australia later this year, priced from $289,590 as a hard top and $308,470 as a convertible, the SVR commands a significant $45k premium over the all-wheel drive F-Type R that it essentially shares its hardware with.
For that, you get more of everything. First of all, it is the most powerful and fastest Jaguar model on sale at the moment, with its 5.0-litre supercharged V8 tweaked to produce 423kW and 700Nm (up from 404kW/680Nm) – which is enough to propel it from standstill to 100km/h in just 3.5 seconds and on to a top speed of 322km/h.
Available exclusively with all-wheel drive and an eight-speed automatic gearbox, both have been re-calibrated to suit the additional power with unique torque vectoring characteristics from the electronic rear differential and faster shift times in the transmission respectively, while the chassis has been upgraded too with wider wheels and tyres (265mm and 305mm front and rear) and revised damper rates for the adaptive suspension as well as a softer front anti-roll bar and stiffer rear suspension knuckles.
The cars' aerodynamics have been improved, with a new front bumper that feeds air through larger intakes and features a prominent splitter, wider side sills, unique front guards, a rear bumper with a flat undertray feeding a race-style diffuser and a boot-mounted rear spoiler that shifts backwards at speeds over 110km/h to reduce drag and enhance downforce.
Despite all the extra body work, the SVR weighs up to 50kg lighter than the F-Type R thanks to an exhaust system made from titanium and iconel, forged alloy wheels and the optional fitment of carbon ceramic stoppers.
The two-seater cabin also gets a few upgrades in the form of quilted leather performance seats, larger anodised shift paddles, fake suede on the dash top as well as Jaguar's latest 8.0-inch colour touchscreen with Bluetooth, apps, sat nav and a standard 380W Meridian sound system.
The net result is a surprisingly more refined ambience rather than an outright hard-core road racer. The suspension changes, in particular, bring a level of compliance that all other F-Types fail to deliver. Where the R crashes over sharp bumps and patters over small corrugations, the SVR – even in its Dynamic mode – absorbs irregularities with much better control.
With a unique 1:1 ratio between bump and rebound rates, the rear end has a quick vertical movement after it reacts to an input that feels a bit odd at first, but it settles rapidly and ensures excellent traction under power and enhances lateral grip through the bends.
The steering, too, is improved in the way it feels with a linear weight across the ratio and a positive initial turn-in response. And the all-wheel drive system is invisible in the way it apportions power to the front wheels, helping it drive out of corners better while still maintaining a rear-wheel bias.
It's a fast back-country blaster that is at its best on long sweeping roads, mixing the comfort of a grand tourer with the performance and playfulness of a genuine sports car. It's the kind of car that makes you feel good, no matter how hard you push it.
But, hustle it too close to its dynamic ceiling and it can't hide its weight in the tighter stuff, which was highlighted with some hot laps around the Motorland Aragon racetrack where its tyres overheated quickly when hustled at the limit and even its carbon brakes faded after a few laps.
That may also be a result of the sheer speed it piles on thanks to the monstrous engine mounted in its nose, which - apart from its gorgeously svelte style - is undeniably the star of the car. The V8 purrs like a pussy cat when tootling around, using its low-down pulling power to effortlessly cruise at suburban or highway speeds. But it can just as easily roar like a lion when you stretch its claws thanks to the whopping surge of mid-range power it musters from around 3000rpm and the epic note produced from its titanium exhaust, which is obnoxiously loud under acceleration and sounds like a firecracker display when you back off.
It's a soundtrack you cannot escape at any speed in the coupe, but is even more pronounced with the roof down in the convertible. It might be a bit too over the top for some (particularly your neighbours), but it does go someway in helping to overcome the significant amount of road noise generated from the wider tyres on rough surfaces.
If anything, the SVR's character is let down by the automatic transmission. While it is smooth and intuitive in most driving circumstances, it is too slow to react when you want to extract its full performance potential. It's the least engaging element of the car.
Against more modern European rivals, which are forging the path for smaller capacity and turbo charged engines, fuel consumption is not the Jaguar's forte either with a claimed average consumption of 11.3L/100km – a figure that can easily blow out to the high teens when you drive it like it is intended to. But, despite the extra power, it is no worse than the regular F-Type R.
As far as the cabin is concerned, the SVR enhancements add a little more tactile luxury to the driving experience. The quilted leather is a nice touch, as is the race car-style fake suede highlights on the dash and the optional steering wheel inserts while the anodised shifters add a contrasting element of cold, hard metal to the mix. The seats, too, offer more support than the regular F-Type models. But the cabin still has ergonomic compromises with little in the way of useful small item storage space and you can forget about carrying anything more than a backpack in the boot of the convertible.
In the end, Jaguar's Special Vehicles Operation has improved the F-Type in every conceivable area - with the exception of fuel consumption. It isn't as hard core as a Porsche 911 GT3, or as mind-blowing as a Turbo, but it is a louder, faster, more luxurious Jaguar. Yes, the volume has been raised but so has the quality and harmony of the engineering. Bravo!
Read all the latest Jaguar news and reviews here
2016 Jaguar F-Type SVR price and specifications
On-sale: September 2016
Price: $289,590 (plus on-road costs)
Engine: 5.0-litre V8 supercharged petrol
Power: 423kW at 6500rpm
Torque: 700Nm at 3500-5000rpm
Transmission: 8-spd automatic, AWD
Fuel Use: 11.3L/100km