ROAD TEST
Jaguar F-Type R coupe AWD
Bodacious was a fearsome bull. A hulking hunk of beef like no other. Bred to have cowboys shaking in their boots, literally.
Before his induction into the ProRodeo Hall of Fame and subsequent retirement in 1999, he had rearranged the noses of many a poor rider, with a signature headbutt move unlike any other rodeo bull in history. One guy was so terrified of big Bodacious, that he wore a full-face hockey mask in an attempt to stay on him for for the full eight seconds. I won’t say what happened. Too grim.
Where am I going with this? Well, you’ve probably heard references to rodeo in car reviews before, and I’ve used them on occasion, but the first time I drove Jag’s 364kW supercharged V8 F-Type, with the traction control switched off, I was reminded of this famous bovine specimen. That car’s combination of instant torque spurts, a relatively short wheelbase, and a lively diff set-up resulted in another signature move – this one involving the back wheels trying to overtake the front. Often.
TAMING THE BEAST
Not that I want to draw direct comparisons between a frankly dangerous animal and a sportscar, but in the wrong hands the F-Type, even in its least powerful V6 trim, could rearrange a roadside hedge or two. So, you can imagine my surprise when Jag announced an even more powerful 5-litre supercharged V8 model with 405kW and an R badge to match. Madness.
Sometimes power wars can get out of hand in high-performance cars, and though this output doesn’t rank all too highly in the greater scheme of supercars, it’s certainly a handful in this particular chassis with drive to rear wheels only. I’d advise any driver without Karate Kid reflexes to keep fingers far from the F-Type R’s Dynamic Stability Control (DSC) button, no matter how tempting an intersection drift might be.
To be honest, 405kW and 680Nm is total overkill in the RWD F-Type. With DSC on, as it should be almost always, you’ll rarely get all the juice to the ground without its electronic leash reigning it in. But now, Jaguar has come to its senses by offering this very car (in Coupé guise only) with all-wheel-drive, so now you get the big bandwidth fibre-optic data line and the high-speed router for full effect.
I must say though, that all of what I’ve just said is utter hogwash if you drive like a normal human being without traction-breaking provocation via irresponsible stabs of the gas pedal. In which case, the all-wheel-drive F-Type behaves almost identically to its rear-drive counterpart. Perhaps the steering is a fraction heavier, but in most situations you’d never know the difference.
HERE’S WHERE YOU’LL FEEL IT
But, kick it with spurs, and the AWD version’s a different animal. Now you can lay all that supercharged power down without losing a drop to wheelspin or into the electronically controlled ether. It’s as if Bodacious has been to finishing school. He’s the same beast, but not as buck-wild. He’ll still take you for the ride of your life, but now you don’t need to hang on for dear life.
Interestingly, Jag claims almost identical acceleration times between rear- and all-wheel-drive F-Type R Coupé models. At 4.1 seconds from 0-100km/h the AWD version is just one-tenth quicker (an added 80kg almost cancels the traction advantage), and our Vbox test gear almost perfectly corroborates the claims. We recorded identical 4.2 second times to 100km/h, and over the quarter-mile the AWD was two-hundredths quicker at 12.28 seconds.
Know that this is an incredibly loud car. As in most spicy Jaguars there’s a switchable exhaust flap activated with a button near the gear lever, but even even in Off mode those eight, force-fed cylinders blast from four tailpipes with sharp thunderclaps.
Open flaps not only increase volume, but also accentuate what sounds like the devil in a deep fryer. This sinister cackle and pop is actually backpressure on overrun, and it’s intentionally tuned this way. A round of applause is in order for Jaguar. Well done.
CLASSY COMMAND CENTRE
From the driver’s seat the current F-Type’s interior is the same as was when originally launched in 2013, but this is fine as Jaguar’s done a fine job with detail. Almost every inch of the dash and seats is covered with the hide of Bodacious’ relatives, all stitched together with nanometre perfection. Eagle eyes will notice that latest F-Types have a new instrument cluster, sharper graphics in the 8” touchscreen system and a slightly improved navigation system. I also noticed that the copper-coloured shift paddles and console accents found in earlier models have been changed to harder wearing silver.
The cockpit is confined and like in any true sportscar you sit deep in seats with windows at shoulder height. This is a strict two-seater with a bulkhead directly behind you, but at least in Coupé form you get a bit of usable boot space under the electronic tailgate. The Convertible in comparison, gets only a tiny nook big enough for two small bags. Removing the spare wheel in either does free up some space, and in the Coupé there might be enough for some weekend away luggage.
VERDICT
The additional traction afforded by all-wheel-drive has made it much easier to use what the F-Type R can dish up. Seriously skilled drivers might prefer the edgier and tail-happier rear-wheel-drive version, but mere mortals will have a more rewarding driving experience with both axles in check. This reward does come at a cost though, and at R1 760 187 the AWD model is 73 grand more expensive than the buck-wild RWD F-Type R. Beats hedge trimming and hockey masks, though.
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FACTS
Jaguar F-Type R coupe AWD
Engine: 5-litre, V8 supercharged petrol
Gearbox: 8-speed automatic
Power: 405kW @ 6500rpm
Torque: 680Nm @ 3500rpm
0-100km/h (claimed): 4.2 seconds
Top speed (claimed): 300km/h
Consumption (claimed): 11.3 litres per 100km
Price: R1 760 187
Warranty: 3-year/100 000km
Maintenance plan: 5-year/100 000km
Story: Star Motoring