Story & Photos: Evan ‘Evo’ Yates
Until fairly recently, Jaguar hasn’t been on the radar as a legit contender in the luxury car segment in the United States outside from those who pride themselves on being diehard fans of the brand. But with a new initiative, a solid stable and a strong marketing campaign to back it up, Jaguar has certainly thrown their name back into the hat as one of the top luxury brands yet again. The fact that they make arguably the world’s best convertible for the dollar only further enhances their stature.
When it comes to looks, you’d be hard pressed to find a sexier convertible. In the V8 S trim, everything is gorgeous from the fascinating front fascia to the refined rear end. When driving it, people constantly mistake the F-Type for an Aston Martin, which should be taken a compliment. Ironically, the F-Type V8 S looks much better to me than a V8 Vantage convertible for $30k less, more attractive than the DB9 for almost $100k less and even looks slightly more updated than the DBS for a total savings of about $200k! You get the point. Unlike some convertibles, the F-Type retains its shape with the top up but with it reclined the styling truly comes alive. The rest of the exterior has subtle design goodies like the door handles that pop out upon command and the spoiler that doesn’t show itself until you manually raise it or when the vehicle breaches 60 mph.
The interior is driver-focused, as its pretty clear Jaguar knows the passenger will be enthralled with the sheer experience of riding in such a vehicle. All the materials in the interior are of high quality and feel luxurious to the touch. The guts are mostly covered in black leather with no chrome anywhere yet there are a couple anodized bronze accents in random places that accent the interior to perfection. Other treats like the A/C vents rising up out of the dash are just another reminder that you’re in one badass vehicle.
After driving the V8 S, I feel a bit sorry for anyone that has driven or even worse, owns, the V6 model, as it almost seems the looks would go to waste. The supercharged 5.0L V8 is smooth as it is ferocious. To call this a modern day luxury muscle car is not the least far-fetched. Jaguar boasts a sub 4-second 0-60 mph time and a 12-second quarter mile and even though we weren’t able to confirm or deny these numbers, it damn sure felt like they were legit. Speaking of the modern day muscle car, the Jaguar F-Type V8 S is the literally the best sounding vehicle I’ve ever encountered that was not modified in some shape or form. Romp on the gas and a distinct crackle and pop is so evident that everyone around you will at first whip their heads around to locate a vehicle capable of producing such a noise and once they figure out it was the Jag, a big ass smile ensues.
Simply put, the visceral driving experience that the F-Type V8 S gives you is like no other vehicle on the market. The combination of the extraordinary looks with the power to take on anything you in your path is reason enough to sell all my personal belongings and purchase one in the near future. Hopefully I can sleep on my brother’s couch.
Specs:
Damage: $104, 770.00
Power: 488hp, 461 lb.-ft.
0-60: 3.9 secs.
Gas Cash: 16 City, 23 Hwy
Miles Driven: 400
