Saturday 25th February 2017

Jaguar F-Type S Coupe: PH Fleet

Fresh from some advanced driver training Dan's really got his flow on with the F-Type

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The F-Type is now knocking on 10,000 miles, most of them in my hands and the last 700 or so especially revealing. That's because the Jaguar was my mount for two sessions of advanced road training with PHer, author and all-round authority on the subject Reg Local. From a personal perspective it was very revealing but also with regard to my impressions of the F-Type. With much of that mileage count racked up doing 'everyday' stuff it was really rather pleasant to spend such an intensive block of time on 'proper' roads too.

Credit where it's due - that's a nice spec Dan!

So what did I take away from it? Well, having driven with Jaguar's handling guru Mike Cross I'm not entirely surprised Reg's 'making progress' style of tuition worked so well in the Jaguar. Mike's driving style is similarly focused on quietly assertive inputs, smoothness and carrying speed discreetly. Thing is, when you first drive an F-Type you might think this is the last thing the car is capable of. The V8s feel invigoratingly thuggish, 'my' V6 S dialled back somewhat but still surprisingly pointy through the traditionally light steering. The damping is typically very good but the F-Type doesn't have a lot of suspension travel and can feel pretty busy on rippled and bumpy roads.

The exaggerated throttle response in Dynamic mode (the one you want for the best exhaust noise!) is very snappy too, seemingly giving you everything in the first few millimetres of pedal travel and difficult to modulate on initial application, especially when trying to rev-match during gearshifts. It's better in the default and I actually use the wet setting when bimbling on the motorway because it's just a bit more relaxing. You can mix and match via the personalised setting in the Dynamic-i menu at least.

Once you've noticed the stitching...

Anyway. My suspicion is most of the F-Type's calibration was intended to work with the automatic most buyers will choose, the manual tricky to dial into. Which is where Reg's focus on smoother shifts, throttle inputs and rev-matching were especially useful. I did most of the training in Dynamic to challenge myself; when Reg had a go and I switched him from this to standard he was blown away by how much easier it was out of Dynamic.

The 'slow in, fast out' style I was being taught also revealed a lot about the subtleties of the F-Type's responses and feedback. Getting earlier on the throttle to 'preload' the powertrain and chassis really got across that rear-driven balance without any dramatic lurches or even a flicker of DSC light, the fingertip feel through the steering wheel suddenly transmitted with new-found clarity. Impressive for an EPAS system. The V6 F-Type feels very nicely balanced too, with less weight on the nose than the V8 and a sense it has 'just enough' power.

It's refreshingly sharp on the front end too, with little of the 'slack' engineered into most steering systems. Even Porsches have quite a bit of safety slop and understeer in their off-centre response, the Jaguar's alertness commendable in a mainstream car and very much aligned with other British manufacturers like Lotus and McLaren. Can make it a little 'busy' on the motorway or if you're heavy handed with your inputs but when you calm it down and concentrate on your smoothness the flow really comes. So. A valuable bonding exercise as well as informative about the F-Type's character. In a very good way.

Which way to the circuit?

And what about the day to day stuff? On cold mornings I still can't believe the £2,495 seats don't have bum warmers and curse their absence. I know, maybe I'm getting soft. And while the exterior finish - especially the paint - is particularly good on this car there are some worries about the cabin quality. The carpet on the transmission tunnel has peeled away slightly from the plastic trim and - infuriatingly - the stitching on the shifter's leather boot has unpicked itself. A minor detail but the kind of thing you fixate upon once you're aware of it. The cruise control fault has returned too - I was due to take it in to the dealer but, in the way of these things, it then seemed to fix itself so I hadn't bothered. I really need to make the time for a trip to the dealer though.

And now I've sussed how to go fast smoothly I rather feel the need to go the other way and see what it's like when you properly let rip. I think some track time may be in order...

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FACT SHEET
Car: Jaguar F-Type S Coupe
Run by: Dan
On fleet since: October 2016
Mileage: 9,263
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: Back to driving school in the F-Type

Previous reports:
If PH built F-Type Coupes...
Spec blushes averted with de-chroming
Hang on, another spec cock up?
Jaguar + bike = happy Dan

[skylarking808]

All that technology and it is still difficult to modulate the throttle, surely that should be a basic in any setting?

I would also spray the wing mirrors black if it was mine Dan.

[dc2rr07]

Not normally keen on black wheels but they do go well with that colour though, inexcusable on the stitching have jaguar commented on it.

[grosserbaby]

Picture with the chimney, on the road by Holdsworth Mills on the road to Paris Gates and The Shears Inn. In Yorkshire speak Mi Dads gorra Jag!

[CaptainRAVE]

I will definitely be trading my SLK55 for the Ftype open top V8 at some point soon.