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The Jaguar F-Type’s engines offer raw and unadulterated performance, with staggering vocals to match.
Performance – The Jaguar F-Type is offered with three engines (power being fed to the rear wheels) – V6, V6 S and V8 S, only the latter two will be offered in India. The V6 F-Type uses a 3.0-litre engine offering two set of tunes. In the base variant, the F-Type produces 340 PS of power at 6500 RPM and 450 Nm of torque between 3500-5000 RPM. This engine gives the F-Type a 0-100 km/hr time of 5.3 seconds and a top speed of 260 km/hr. In the V6 S variant, the 2995cc unit produces 380 PS of power at 6500 RPM and 460 Nm of torque between 3500-5000 RPM. This set of tune is unique to the F-Type and no other Jaguar model is offered with this motor. 100 km/hr from standstill takes 4.9 seconds, while top speed is 275 km/hr. Both V6 and V6 S models offer very good performance and respond quickly to throttle inputs, with very little supercharger whine being audible inside the cabin. We drove the V6 model from Pamplona airport to the Navarra circuit and appreciated the good drivability from this motor.
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At the Navarra circuit, Jaguar switched us to the V6 S model, which not only has higher output but more tech wizardry as well. The V6 S F-Type has a lower final drive ratio, a mechanical limited-slip differential, adaptive dynamic suspension, 19-inch wheels, bigger 15-inch brake rotors and most notably an active exhaust system. This motor feels much more eager than the standard V6 version and has some serious punch. It might have 40 extra horses over the standard V6 but the performance on the road is truly something else. The engine is very quick to respond and accelerates in a brutal fashion to its redline, making a throaty roar in the progress. On the track, we were taking most corners in third gear, which helped prevent wheel spin, thereby preventing electronic nannies from interfering. Even then it was easy to whizz past 140 km/hr on small straights.
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Do we really need a more powerful engine? The V6 S was pure exhilaration but Jaguar has something even more powerful on offer. It’s the 5.0-litre Supercharged V8 engine which belts out 495 PS of power at 6500 RPM and 625 Nm of torque between 2500-5500 RPM. With this much amount of output on offer, the V8 powerplant propels the F-Type from zero to gale force 100 in just 4.3 seconds, with a top whack limited to 300 km/hr. It’s just not outright acceleration which is mind bending, even in-gear acceleration is applaud worthy and 80-120 km/hr takes just 2.5 seconds. The F-Type V8 S is faster than what the above numbers suggest, performance is pure savage. The way this motor pulls right from the word go leaves you awestruck, it’s brilliant, fast, hair raising and heart thumping. Bury your right foot and you will genuinely snap back into your seat. Every short burst of acceleration results in a wide grin, which doesn’t get wiped off even hours after you leave the vehicle, such is the brutal performance of this V8 missile.
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The F-Type also has Dynamic Launch Control which reduces traction control to give maximum acceleration. There is even a Stop/Start system to reduce fuel consumption. All engines are mated to a 8-speed QuickShift automatic gearbox, with manual override through either the SportShift selector or steering mounted paddle shifts. Cog changing happens very quickly and mostly go unnoticed, such is the refinment from the transmission. The gearbox won’t hessitate one bit to hold gears till redline in Sport mode, keeping the engine on the boil. It even blips the throttle quite aggressively on down shifts. The exhaust note is intoxicating on all the versions, more so in the S variants with the active exhaust note activated. In the V8 model, the exhaust is pure orchestra. There are pops, cracks, burbles and boy does it sound pure melody. The way the F-Type sounds on start up, with a mild rev is simply breathe taking. The use of a soft top helps in a weight saving of 12 kgs and the twin hoops lower the centre of gravity. With the top down, those canisters are even more audible. It just takes 12 seconds to retract the roof and feel the wind in your hair. A wind deflector should however be offered, at least as an option.
The Jaguar F-Type truly thrills with stupendous performance and the V8 variant is so quick, you see scenery blur at a pace only seen in video games.
Head over to the next page to read about the dynamics of the Jaguar F-Type.
