Wednesday 17th April 2013

Jaguar F-Type: Six or Eight?

Why the V6 S, and not the V8 S, is the one you really want

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Our first drive of Jaguar's long-awaited F-Type sports car focused on the mid-range V6 S. Costing £67,500 and delivering 380hp, it offers justifiable value over and above the entry-level model. The F-Type V6 may be £9,000 cheaper, but it does fall 40hp short and lack certain kit such as a limited-slip differential and the essential sports exhaust.

V6 S is more fun, more of the time, says Dan...

This being PistonHeads, the range-topping supercharged V8 brute may seem to be our more likely preference. 495hp in a relatively small, rear-wheel drive package does have a certain primal attraction, but a spirited drive along a damp mountain pass proved a point; short shifting to fourth and lightly feathering the throttle out of tight corners to maintain traction quickly became the default driving mode. With sweaty palms and a beating heart, I just couldn't see V6 S being any slower across that particular stretch of road, which was as stifling as British B-roads can often be. Given that all of the power could have been used much more of the time and that the six-pot sounds every bit as exciting as the V8, I reckoned the 'lesser' model would actually be more fun, too.

With an extra 30kg over the front axle in the V8 model, there is very slightly more inertia to overcome in quick direction changes. The steering also feels as though it's been corrupted by the additional weight for there is marginally more resistance to overcome, rendering the Dynamic steering mode redundant.

...and Mike Cross tends to agree.

As we dropped out of the mountains and onto the valley floor, the road did open up and the V8 was better able to stretch its legs, but my mind had been made up; the V6 S is the sweeter, more rewarding car. The £12,500 saving is also more than significant.

In anything other than optimal conditions the V8 S can be a right old thug. The rear tyres struggle to contain the swollen torque on corners exits, too, so it is often squandered.

That isn't to say the V8 is a duffer. It's actually much less of an over-engined hotrod than I had expected it to be (in dry conditions, at least) and the straight-line speed that the 5.0-litre unit delivers when circumstances allow is intoxicating. With the more aggressive styling and black detailing it did also look superb; on a purely emotional, subjective level, the F-Type V8 S is a wonderful machine.

Jaguar's chassis guru Mike Cross summed it up well, however. I was lucky enough to share a V6 S with him for 100 miles across a variety of road types, each taking turns behind the wheel. "We've been able to give the V6 S a proper thrashing today," he said. "We'd only have been able to do the same once or twice in the V8."

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Read our full road test of the new F-Type here.

 

[jamieduff1981]

I enjoyed reading that.

You know, between this and the GT86 etc, is it possible that we've perhaps gone too far with performance on road cars and are perhaps coming to the conclusion that sometimes less is more?

Don't get me wrong, I love a car that can accelerate well, but for context we're about to get a little Midget as a stablemate for the Cerbera. The Midget will never scratch the power itch, but with a tuned A-series I reckon it'll be a good giggle.

I was speccing up an F-Type a month or two ago but I'm not sure I want to pay that much for a car really. Curiously, it was the V6 S I was attracted to.

[Matt UK]

Based on the earlier vids, the v6 sounds better as well.

What's the gearbox like? Is manual an option or auto only?

[kinghottinger]

I'd take the V8 just because I could - in coupé form too when/if it comes. Either way the F-Type looks great, well done Jaguar.

[lazyitus]

kinghottinger said:

I'd take the V8 just because I could

My thoughts too. Although I do understand the thoughts of the author. I'd just feel that I was missing out if I 'just' had the V6.

[chryslerben]

V6s in my opinion unless you really need a V8 in your life, as they say the exhaust note is beautiful and 380 hp is more than enjoyable to drive.

[cheddar]

Mike Cross:

"We've been able to give the V6 S a proper thrashing today," he said. "We'd only have been able to do the same once or twice in the V8."

Well said - in the vein of less power often equals more fun.

Last years 'drivers car' darling of the motoring world was the 197bhp Toyota GT86, even the V6 F-Type puts out twice that.

[robsco]

A Jag with a six-pot... It's just so correct isn't it.

[RacerMike]

Is there an actual drive review coming?! You've not said anything that wasn't already common knowledge, and not commented at all on what it's like to drive!

[Dakkon]

Looks like the embargo is lifted then on reporting on this car?

[DMC2]

chryslerben said:

V6s in my opinion unless you really need a V8 in your life, as they say the exhaust note is beautiful and 380 hp is more than enjoyable to drive.

Everybody needs a V8 in their life

[skyrover]

the V6 will always be the lesser car though.

[Varn]

Great, another 'drivers car' with no manual clutch option...no thanks Jag.

[nickfrog]

skyrover said:

the V6 will always be the lesser car though.

Possibly but you need show your workings.

[Dan Trent]

RacerMike said:

Is there an actual drive review coming?! You've not said anything that wasn't already common knowledge, and not commented at all on what it's like to drive!

Scroll a little further down the homepage - it's here!

Cheers,

Dan

[Frimley111R]

Varn said:

Great, another 'drivers car' with no manual clutch option...no thanks Jag.

People generally don't want them. Jaguar and many others are just giving customers what they want these days.

[crancko]

Still looks like a SLK somehow mated a Nissan. Not my cupper...

[Cyrus1971]

Expensive, expensive expensive - oh look my residuals are tanking like every other Jag does in the short, medium and long term...

Sorry not for me as a new car. Though second hand there is a chance, once inevitable massive depreciation has made them value for money.

[Beefmeister]

It's refreshing to see that Jag haven't held the lower models back like some German sports car manufacturers.

[mph]

Cyrus1971 said:

Expensive, expensive expensive - oh look my residuals are tanking like every other Jag does in the short, medium and long term...

.

Just like Porsche in fact.

[EDLT]

The V8 is a bit scary around corners? This website used to be about TVRs!