THE Jaguar F-Type Coupe looks every inch a supercar but costs a fraction of the price.
This is a motor capable of putting a halo over the entire Jaguar brand, which has not been seen since the days of the legendary E-Type.
This is a Coupe that will appeal to drivers of any age or sex, who love driving fast — it also has looks to die for, especially at the rear.
Jaguar has been making stylish cars that outdrive most of the opposition for several years but, apart from the XK Coupe, they have been saloon cars.
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The arrival of the F-Type Roadster last year raised the emotional bar at Jaguar and its ability to attract new and younger buyers.
But the Coupe version takes its driving and styling appeal to a whole different level.
A day behind the wheel of this car leaves you in no doubt this is the real deal — a Jaguar capable of giving a Porsche 911 a run for its money. And with prices starting at £51,235, it’s £22,200 cheaper than a 911 Carrera.
Porsche 911 Carrera has £73k price tag
Even the top-of-the-range 5litre F-Type Coupe R looks good value at £85,000, compared to a 911 Carrera Turbo at £118,349.
Which car is the better is really down to personal preference — what is fact is that the F-Type competes on both looks and performance.
What is not in doubt is that the Coupe has the scope to pull in even more sales.
Coupes outsell convertibles by 57 per cent to 43 per cent in the sports car market globally.
And Jaguar is confident the Coupe will bring in even more new buyers — it expects nine out ten buyers to be new to the brand.
THE adrenalin starts pumping as soon as you are handed the keys to the F-Type Coupé.
It’s one of those cars you want to drive as soon as you see it – and drive very fast.
When you press the gold starter button and the 5litre V8 engine rumbles menacingly into life, you just know it’s a car that’s going to deliver... big time.
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By the end of the first lap of Jaguar’s test track in Warwickshire, the expectations had been instantly met – and exceeded – in a blur of high-speed heaven.
The F-Type devours 0-62mph in four exhilarating seconds and has a top speed of 186mph – I hit 170mph before easing off.
And by the end of a further 20-odd intoxicating laps I was addicted to everything about the F-Type – the looks, the speed, the sound and the breathtaking handling.
Another 50 miles in the passenger seat on twisting A roads and motorways – driven by Mike Cross, the Jaguar engineer with the handling Midas touch – and I was left in no doubt this car is motoring’s newest superstar.
The quiet, unassuming Cross is the man who leads a team that produces the handling and ride capabilities which have given Jaguar motoring’s X Factor.
He is brilliant at delivering great driving cars – but way too modest to be any good at selling them, so let me tell you the F-Type is his finest work so far.
On country roads, the Coupé caresses the tarmac like a second skin as the smooth-as-silk auto box changes gear seamlessly – but flick the gear lever and you can change manually to dial up the involvement.
The soundtrack changes from refined rumble to an all-out assault on you senses when you flatten the accelerator and flick a button that opens up the twin exhaust pipes to maximum effect.
But the Coupé is a true Jekyll and Hyde vehicle, which is just as capable of cruising effortlessly in town or on a motorway as it is of cornering at ridiculously high speeds.
And it does it all with a degree of comfort you do not expect from an edgy sports car driven on the limit – although part of that is down to the luxurious figure- hugging sports seats.
The cabin is almost identical to the convertible but it is roomier thanks to the higher roofline, while the boot is a much more people-friendly affair, capable of coping with two suitcases.
The only criticism of the F-Type convertible is that it is a touch pricey.
As the Coupé is £7,000 cheaper, it looks a relative bargain – not to mention being the best sports car Jaguar have ever made.
