Sunday 27th November 2016

Jaguar F-Type S Coupe: PH Fleet

Dan rues a configurator cock-up with his supposedly carefully specced F-Type

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This must happen out there in that there real world where people actually pay for their cars. Or maybe my abuse of privilege and lack of financial commitment meant I was a little slapdash when browsing the options on the Jaguar configurator, my attention distracted by options like the £2,550 carbon fibre roof I was busy adding to my build. But even in the excitement at my F-Type Coupe arriving at PH Towers I knew immediately I'd messed up by not speccing the blacked out window surrounds, side vents and grille you get with the £610 Black Pack. It also totally exposed my own hypocrisy, given just days before on Twitter I'd called out a 911 Turbo parked up on a Porsche press event for its combination of bold Mexico Blue paint and chintzy chrome window surrounds. Trent, you're an idiot...

This was only confirmed a few weeks later when I was chatting with design boss Ian Callum at a pre-LA I-Pace unveiling. When I told him I'd just taken delivery of my long-termer his first question was "what colour?" When I said Firesand he nodded approvingly, before fixing me with a more serious look: "You chose the Black Pack, right?" His wince when I confessed I hadn't said a lot. Options were discussed, including Callum's old-school hot-rodder tip of carefully stretched insulation tape, or perhaps a visit to a wrapping specialist.

Conducting this conversation within tactical earshot of the PR team probably helped my case when I put a nothing ventured, nothing gained request in to see if the Black Pack could be retrofitted. I need to find out if such a request would be entertained by a Jaguar dealer but, in this instance, it was deemed possible and after a brief trip to the press garage my F-Type has returned de-chromed. Even seeing it for the first time in the dark confirmed what a transformation this seemingly subtle tweak has made to the car; to my eyes it now looks complete.

Begging the question, has anyone else taken delivery of a car and had that sick to the stomach feeling when they realised they'd missed an essential tick on the options sheet? I'm hoping I'm not the only one...

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FACT SHEET
Car: Jaguar F-Type S Coupe
Run by: Dan
On fleet since: October 2016
Mileage: 3,930
List price new: £71,880 (Basic list of £60,775 plus Firesand Orange paint £715; Jet leather facings and Firesand stitch £0; Jet/Firesand Interior £0; Dark Hex Aluminium centre console £0, 20-inch Cyclone wheels in black £1,785; High Performance Brake System with black calipers £310; Visibility Pack inc. heated windscreen and Auto High Beam Assist £1,100; Premium Leather Interior with Performance Seats £2,495; Parking Pack inc. front parking sensors and rear view camera £515; illuminated metal treadplates with Jaguar script £255; Meridian 770W Digital Surround Sound System £1,380 and Carbon Fibre Roof £2,550)
Last month at a glance: Spec blushes spared with a trip back to the garage for de-chroming

Previous reports:
If PH built F-Type Coupes...

Photos: Ben Lowden

 

[Dale487]

Only after taking delivery do I wish I'd included rear electric windows at about £150 to my Skoda Fabia Monte Carlo - to add insult to injury when a friend was looking at my nice new car they said it was very nice but why did it have cheap manual windows in the back.