The accelerated the Jaguar F-Type Coupé: Special Road of Pilgrims. It carries the honor and the burden of being the successor of what was voted "the most beautiful car ever made" by none other than Enzo Ferrari. F-Type Jaguar. Not exactly the car made to thrash records in Track Days or be unbeatable in the illegal start of traffic - he plays a very disinterested league in contention for the top of the podium or at the center of the spotlight, but at the same time, always magnetizing attention to your back. Were a person, you may well fall him the title of Steve McQueen of sports.
Released worldwide in April 2013, the F-Type carries in his little aluminum unibody more than two years of history - and we can already say that this will be a beautiful collectible in the future. The coupe version came at the end of that year and came to Brazil for exactly twelve months. What we have here, then, it is nothing new. But will you will care?
In the photos, made at the track Velo Città by Leo Sposito, show the Jaguar F-Type R Coupe, V8 5.0 of 550 hp and the onboard video below, we have an exciting ride with intermediate S V6 with 381 hp, the winding road the Pilgrims.
Yes, it's the second part (out of three) of our special on this route, and in it, walked the stretch between Pirapora do Bom Jesus and Cabreúva - click here to access the special with maps and geographic descriptions. Be sure to watch the video: in addition to the organic and visceral roar of the six-cylinder (do not miss the estralos the reductions!), You will find some technical details, comments on the dynamics and the explanation for my preference for intermediate front version to more powerful V8.
The Jaguar F-Type is basically a big party of aluminum. The material composing the engine block and cylinder heads, suspension arms (double in the front and rear) and the front frame and especially almost all panels and the monocoque vehicle - have the strongest manufactured by Jaguar with torsional stiffness of 33,000 nm / degree - composed of riveted stamped aluminum sheets and joined by industrial glue, a process that better distributes the structural tensions. About 90 meters adhesives and exactly 2,225 rivets are used in this process in the F-Type Coupé. Already columns, girders and structural beams using components manufactured by extrusion and hydroforming.
The sides and the F-Type hood are composed of a single sheet of aluminum that passes through five stages of stamping in a press of 1,000 tons. Since the back cover is plastic composite material. Their power plants as well as the unibody construction technology, are shared with Land Rover: the engines are the 3.0 V6 and V8 5.0, both with twin screw type compressor (like the Corvette ZR1), direct injection and commands variables. There are three versions of Jaguar F-Type Coupe available in Brazil: V6, V6 S and V8 R, all with the eight-speed automatic transmission ZF 8HP - remembering that the F-Type manual and all-wheel drive was launched just outside and should reach the country in the coming months. See the main figures of the trio:
F-Type V6 (R $ 426,300): 340 hp at 6,500 rpm, 45.8 mkgf to 3,500 rpm, 1577 kg, rims 18. Zero to 100 km / h in 5.3 s, maximum 260 km / h. Brake discs: 354 mm and 325 mm. System open differential.
F-Type V6 S (R $ 497,700): 381 hp at 6,500 rpm, 46.9 mkgf to 3,500 rpm, 1594 kg, rims 19. Zero to 100 km / h in 4.9 s, maximum 275 km / h . Brake discs: 380 mm and 325 mm. Mechanical limited slip differential system.
F-Type V8 R (R $ 662,000): 550 hp at 6,500 rpm, 69.3 mkgf at 2,500 rpm, 1650 kg, rims 20. Zero to 100 km / h in 4.2 s, maximum 300 km / h . Brake discs: 380 mm and 376 mm. System locking differential electronically activated.
Dimensions: 4.47 m long, 1.92 m wide, 1.30 m high, wheelbase of 2.62 m, Pirelli P-Zero 255/35 R20 and 295/30 R20 (F-Type V8 R).
If the buyer wants, there is the option of carbon-ceramic discs for both the V6 to V8 S and R, with rotors of 398 mm front and 380 mm at the rear is 21kg lighter than the original shown above. Both versions also come as adaptive dampers differentials and dampers with active valve (optional on standard V6), which allow the driver to choose between a more restrained and smooth snoring and another harsher, with the right estralos and pipocos in reductions march, remembering the days of carbureted racing cars burning the rest of the mixture escapes. Here, the magic is made in the design of resonant chambers. In addition, Jaguar offers a number of personalization options, such as items in carbon fiber (mirror cover, engine cover, hood louvers, front splitter and rear diffuser), alloy wheels with other designs, exhaust tailpipes differentiated, stainless steel pedals, customizable sills, steering wheel in suede and sports (flat base), premium and sports carpets and covers.
To unlock the vehicle, the recessed external door handles protrude out and let in. Once it enters the cabin, looks are naturally directed toward the diagonal bar that triangulates the panel to the center console. And it leaves a clear message: passenger, do not disturb - this is a machine pilot service.
A fragrant smooth and soft leather quality first, worthy of a Range Rover Sport - enlarge the photo to taste - lining the banks, the doors, the dashboard and even around the center console. Heatable, banks not only have a hell of lateral support as they have huge range of adjustments, complete with electro-pneumatic adjustments of side bolsters and lumbar support, plus three memories for both the driver and for the passenger.
If banks adjustments buttons, positioned in the doors, resemble the arrangement of Mercedes-Benz, the shift lever type joystick resembles the BMW, including in terms of ergonomics: the "P" button on the top of the lever and selection the other positions by unlocking via trigger type button.
Around the engine start button there is a light ring that pulsates like a heart before you turn on the V8 (or V6) - and when you do, apart from the engine roar, the vents on top of the panel are rising panel. The exchange side is the Dynamic mode selector, which leaves more sporty mappings of the accelerator, the shift and stability control, and adaptive dampers stiffen and the load direction. The steering system is traditional, hydraulic, according to Jaguar so there are no filters or emulations between the hands of the rider and the asphalt. The box has variable ratio and average of 14.6: 1, the fastest ever used by the brand.
Shifting lever are behind the hand brake actuation and a Quatrilho buttons: disable part or all the stability control, drive the sport mode of the dampers, turn off the start-stop system and raise the rear wing - which automatically occurs in excess of 100 km / h speeds.
The occupants have an automatic air conditioning system dual zone type and the entertainment system has 8 "screen touchscreen browser type and GPS, plus some interesting functions such as power meter G, timer and individual customizer of dynamic programming (exchange, accelerator, steering and shock absorbers).
The riding ergonomics follows a more class than performance income - the main argument seems to be "solid", not "agility". Therefore, the panel goes quite deep, the steering wheel rim is quite thick and its generous diameter (for sports) is comparable to that of Mercedes-Benz AMG. The brake pedal also resembles that of the AMG, or ideally would be slightly more rigid. But as you saw in the video, it has everything to do with the proposal of the F-Type.
Throw away the clock - in fact, this Jag even have launch control - track comparative, obsession with perfection and Trump Super games with fact sheets: here is a esportivaço for you to enjoy in long highways and winding road mountain, a Total played gentleman driver with serious sportiness and pepper, but without extremes. In the first controlled skid to do with the prelude of the exhaust estralos the reductions, you will take the plunge: the experience is all that matters. Technically the Jaguar F-Type competes with the Porsche Boxster and Cayman, but in practice we are talking about very different profiles of buyers.
If what you want is to live the experience and the flavors of a coupe vivid, passionate, organic, with visual elegance comparable to Aston Martin and comfort Shooting enough to run in the Brazilian asphalt without leaving with a herniated disc, welcome to the world Jaguar F-Type.
Which version pick? I have not the slightest doubt that the V6 S, over R $ 160,000 more into account that the V8 R, is the best choice. I do not talk about value for money, but about sensory experience and played. The nasal and metallic roar of the six-cylinder has more historical context that the muscle car roar of the big eight, that sounds perhaps a little too similar to the AMG sports or the Mustang GT500. Moreover, in the context of a racetrack or a hillclimb the V8 has torque too much for the dynamic assembly of the F-Type (we're not talking about controlled skids, but of violent rabeadas) and even for the powertrain - the ZF 8HP is clearly uncomfortable with nearly 70 mkgf, especially in exchanges made close to the cutting working.
The perfect F-Type, for me, it would be this: S V6, with kit of aftermarket pulleys (already out there, yielding somewhere around 30 hp extra) to the compressor, a set of tires R-compound Yokohama Advan Neova and optional carbon-ceramic brake. British Racing Green, please. And manual transmission, thank god. [Photos: Leo Sposito]
