Jaguar F-Type V6 S review
The F-Type V6 S is a fantastic and thrilling sports car, but it could be a bit more comfortable on long drives
One of the happiest times of our life was belting around Millbrook in a Jaguar XKR-S Convertible, so when Jaguar announced the F-Type, a 2-seat convertible that promised to take all the fun of the XKR-S and distil it into a more focused sports car, we knew we’d have to drive it.
We have, and can say that is as exciting, fun and thrilling as we hoped it would be. We also found out how it performs in everyday use.
The car we drove was the F-Type V6 S Convertible, which is blessed with a supercharged 3-litre V6 engine that produces 375hp at 6,500rpm and 460nm of torque. Jaguar claims that the F-Type V6 S will accelerate from zero to 60mph in just 4.8 seconds, and having driven the car we’re not going to argue with that figure. The F-Type V6 S’s top speed is 171mph.
IT’S ALIVE!
Sporty Jaguars feel alive in a way that many other cars don’t. There’s a feeling of barely restrained aggression under the veneer of luxury and elegant respectability. There’s always the feeling that they’ll do something unpredictable to catch you out. It’s this feeling of life and soul that makes cars such as the XKR-S and F-Type V6 S exciting to drive. Even the comparatively pedestrian Jaguar XJ can make you happy in a way that few other luxury cars can.
The F-Type V6 S has this life and soul in abundance, and you only have to drive to your local supermarket to experience it.
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The F-Type S is immensely powerful. You only have to press the accelerator a short distance to be hit with a rush of adrenalin-producing acceleration. The rush isn’t as intense as that delivered by the 5-litre V8 XKR-S Convertible, and you’re not pushed back in your seat to the same extent, but it’s still one of the most thrilling experiences you’ll ever have. There’s certainly no need for greater acceleration on the road, but it is worth noting that there is a 488hp (495ps) 5-litre V8 version of the F-Type, which will propel you from zero to 60mph in just 4.2 seconds.
Remarkably, this immense power is freely available in the F-Type V6 S’s regular, everyday driving mode, yet flick a switch to engage Dynamic mode and the F-Type S becomes even more eager to perform.
The instrument panel lights up in a scary red when you engage Dynamic mode
DYNAMIC MODE
Dynamic Mode releases all restraints on the V6 S, providing more involved steering, a more responsive, freer revving engine and quicker gearshifts. Certain electronic safety aids, such as dynamic stability control, are sacrificed or reduced.
The F-Type S is exciting, engaging and alive in its normal driving mode, but Dynamic mode makes it even more so. The F-Type V6 S has an active exhaust mode that when engaged takes the already gruff tone of the exhaust and turns it into a furious howl. Dynamic Mode engages the active exhaust automatically, so you always hear the glorious roar of the exhaust whenever you press the accelerator pedal.
The F-Type feels even more limber and agile in Dynamic mode, and we think the steering has more life to it, letting us feel more involved in a drive. If you plan on taking your F-Type V6 S on a trackday, you’ll want Dynamic mode engaged.
A must-have optional extra for track-day fans, this plots the G forces you’ve experienced on a graph
There’s one optional extra that’s definitely worthwhile if you’ll use your F-Type V6 S on a track, and that’s the ability to modify the car’s Dynamic mode setup with the touchscreen. You’re shown a view of the F-Type with various systems, such as the engine and brakes, highlighted in red, and you can choose to have them in Dynamic mode or not. If you prefer the feel of the steering in regular mode, for instance, you can retain it in Dynamic mode. Your setup options are very limited, but they’re better than nothing.
This option gives you certain other fun features, though. You can view a G-meter that shows the G forces experienced during a drive, for example, or view lap times, to give two examples.
The Stopwatch lets you view lap times
We found that Dynamic mode had a detrimental effect on fuel consumption, but often couldn’t resist the temptation to activate it anyway, even though it’s totally unnecessary on the road.
BABY WANTS TO SLIDE
With so much power going straight to the rear wheels, you need to be careful how you use the accelerator pedal when tackling corners. Apply the throttle too liberally and the F-Type’s rear will try to overtake the front. It’s easy to catch this at slower speeds, with only a slight jiggle giving the F-Type’s intentions away, but this can happen whether you’re tackling a twisting B-road or exiting the Canary Riverside car park. This need to tame the F-Type is just another thrilling characteristic of the F-Type V6 S that makes it addictive and rewarding to drive.
In general use, and when driving at motorway speeds, the F-Type is fairly restrained. You only have to dab the accelerator pedal to potter around town in a calm manner, and the V6 S’s power is no more than a centimetre or two away should you need to overtake.
Powerful brakes are essential given the F-Type’s immense power and the F-Type S’s have enough stopping power to reduce speed quickly without your heart having to skip a few beats.
The only thing we’d improve is the feel of the steering, as it’s a little numb, giving less feedback than we’d like. This makes it perfect for cruising around town or when travelling on the motorway, but it detracts from the F-Type’s sporty feel. Dynamic mode sharpens it up a bit, so that the F-Type is quicker and more eager to turn, but it still doesn’t give us the feel we desire. This is a minor quibble, though.
The F-Type is equipped with Jaguar’s QuickShift gearbox, and you can either change gears with the steering-wheel mounted paddles or with the gear stick. We preferred to use the paddles. There’s very little travel in the paddle switches, which gives changes a suitably sporty feel, and the QuickShift gearbox allowed incredibly quick gear changes, even in Normal mode.
The F-Type’s ride is hard by modern standards, which means that you’ll feel every bump, pothole and imperfection on the road, but you won’t feel a violent jolt. This adds to the excitement when you want to have fun on a quiet A- or B-road, but it means motorway drives will quickly tire you.
