The Jaguar F-TYPE Coupé is officially here. Styled after the magnificent C-X16 concept, this Porsche destroyer comes in three forms – the F-TYPE, F-TYPE S and the F-TYPE R. It is supposedly now Jaguar’s “most dynamically capable, performance focus production car ever”. So it should be good, right?
Let’s gloss over the two that will be using the company’s 3.0-liter ssupercharged V6 engine – the F-TYPE Coupé and the F-TYPE S Coupé. The former sports 335 hp while the latter enjoys 40 hp more. Both have pretty decent 0 to 60 mph times with 5.1 and 4.8 seconds respectively. Top speeds: 161 and 171 mph. While the Basic F-TYPE does get the Dynamic Mode feature, sports exhaust, sports suspension and Jaguar’s Performance Braking system (354/325mm discs front/rear); the S Coupé adds to that a Dynamic Launch feature, an Adaptive Dynamics system and even bigger braaks with red calipers so that you know they are bigger just in case you didn’t bring a tape measure. The S Coupé is also available with the optional Super Performance pack and CCM braking system but about that later.
Right!. The Jaguar F-TYPE R Coupé then. It has the same 5.0-litre supercharged V8 as its soft-top brother, but this one shows to the party with 542 hp – that’s 54 hp more in comparison. As a result the F-TYPE R is able to dart from 0 to 60 in just 4.0 seconds. The top speed is electronically limited to 186 mph.
Just like in the S Coupé, the Adaptive Dynamics system actively controls the body’s vertical movement roll and pitch rates. Should it need to, this software can make up to 500 adjustments per second all in the name of keeping you firmly planted on the road. The spring rate values for the R Coupé have also been increased by 4.3% at the front and 3.7% at the rear as compared to F-TYPE V8 S Convertible. The Dynamic mode (present in all three models) firms up the suspension, hardens the steering wheel for better feedback, increases the throttle response, and sharpens the gear changes.
The rear wheels are governed by Jaguar’s Electronic Active Differential (EAD) which carefully distributes variable amounts of torque to each of the two wheels. Main point being – more traction even in the most dangerous of stunts one can pull off. Then there’s the Torque Vectoring by braking system. Imagine a tank blocking one of its treads and thus performing a turn. Well, the Jaguar does exactly that with its Torque Vectoring by breaking but much, much more subtly. There is a multitude of sensors all-around the chassis which detect where and how much braking force you need in order to prevent understeering and from then on it’s the ABS’s job to execute the procedure without you even noticing it. Clever stuff! Oh, on the less delicate side, the F-TYPE R gets the biggest brakes of all – 380mm front and 376mm rear discs with either red or black calipers. Over them you can relish at the sight of the 20-inch “Gyrodyne” wheels in silver finish as standard.
Inside, The F-TYPE R is mostly driver-oriented. The seats have inflatable side-bolstering and prominent wings for support during high-speed cornering. But don’t worry as they also add a touch of chic with a leathery surface. A new, full leather and Suedecloth Jet interior (with Cirrus contrast stitch) is also optional on all derivatives. Suedecloth is used on the seat facings, door casings, instrument binnacle pods and headlining – and can also be combined with a Suedecloth steering wheel.
The CCM (Carbon Ceramic Matrix) Brakes.
For a little something extra, one can mount a special braking package on the Jaguar F-TYPE S and F-TYPE R. Those come in yellow monoblock callipers so there’s no mistaking them – 398mm in diameter at the front and 380mm at the back. The key thing here, however, is the blend of carbon fiber and ceramic from which the disks are made – almost no fading, very low wear-and-tear and reduced overall weigh (21 kilograms less in fact). It is essentially a package for the track. If you plan on burning some rubber (which, with a car like the F-TYPE, is almost a certainty), this makes for a sensible option.
Source: Jaguar
The staggering C-X16 Concept was unveiled by Jaguar at the Frankfurt Motor Show in Germany. Actually, the car will hit the market, but in 2013 and the model will be named XE.
Jaguar has published a sketch of the C-X16 production concept, which will make its official debut at the 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show on September 13.