2016 Jaguar F-Type SVR Coupe first drive review

We like the way the SVR sound and aggressive, sculpted aerodynamic appearance. This is the world's fastest, most powerful Jaguar and the logical culmination of the various F-Type, which allows the Jag to take these types of rare supercar rivals who have rubbed shoulders with the decade since the XJ220. This is a car that is much better than the ill-fated ancestor, both on the road and track, but lovely though, we're not entirely sure it offers you more for your money than either AWD V8 R.

Need to know:

• Flagship F-Type SVR is the fastest, most powerful production Jaguar
• 5.0-liter V8 engine produces 567bhp, 0-60mph in 3.5 seconds
• On sale this summer, the price of £ 110,000 on the road

What is that?

First Jaguar received the 'SVR' treatment of Ops Special vehicles, lucky so-and-sos tasked with changing the 'ordinary' Land Rovers and Jags to a standard-bearer super-luxury and high performance which is the top of their ranges.

This F-Type property in the types of statistics that one usually associates with just a supercar, with prices starting at £ 110,000, 567bhp supercharged engine terrible, and the ability to hit 200mph. Even has a 'V-MAX' mode for carbon fibers nasty looks, adjustable rear wing. This, then, is altogether more serious F-Type.

Many mechanical parts shared with all-wheel-drive F-Type R, but a team of SVO has been fettled and polished the car to offer a wider spread of abilities in each area. It's lighter, with greater use of lightweight parts (including forged wheels), Titanium exhaust system which shed 16kgs, and the aerodynamic package is right.

Available as a coupe or convertible, Jaguar promises that the SVR is also the best-handling F-Type yet, with stiffer suspension rear, componentry new, softer front anti-roll bar (for turn-in the better) and the damper back again, torque vectoring and steering.

It all sounds mighty fine, is not it? Great performance, aggressive styling, and a hard-edged V8 soundtrack. What more could you ask of a supercar? Well, the problem for the SVR is the standard car already has all of those things in spades.

SVR driving on the road, blindfolded (no really, it would be crazy, but bear with us) and you will swear that you are in a R. F-Type which is a bad thing. For a sports car, it was spacious, and a great and strong, so you need to hustle through turns technical work those brakes (optional 398mm rotor carbon at the front and 380mm at the rear) and the patient prior to unleash the power of gut-wrenching and torque offered.

In normal mode, it still has the same steering DARTY, which makes front-end feel hyper-alert, but turned into the corner and there was a delay as the suspension capture, which makes the car look a bit nervous. Push past this sensation, and there are large reserves of mechanical grip to play with, thanks to a new set of Pirelli P Zero tires developed specifically for the SVR, larger and stickier than the standard.

Brake deep into the corner, let the momentum pivot around your car, and then get hard on the power, and you could feel the SVR begin to transition to the slide. The amount of slip of the tires of the rear width depends entirely on you, the driver, so there are no nasty surprises, and 'TracDSC' mode on the stability control system provides enough freedom to enjoy push the chassis, without losing the safety net.

Everything I have just described is also applicable standard 'R'; but, after you replace the SVR to 'Dynamic' mode, underneath the differences begin to make themselves felt. The trip, which has a soft, sometimes rocking edge when the car is driven normally, the company up to much, the body controls become more stringent, and the steering feels a little more direct.

You begin to feel every bump, crest and imperfections in the road, and try to avoid hitting them, because they can send judders through the steering column into the cabin at speed. SVR should have been back again absorbers, but it feels seriously firmly, as though it may struggle for peace in the British B-road challenge. A valve is also open in the new, twin-exhaust silenced, and all hell started to break loose.

Power advantage over the standard car (24bhp and 20nm) may look small, but there is a way relentlessness SVR build a ferocious pace. There is so much torque that you push road at an alarming rate, and loud, raspy metal that fills the cabin so extraordinary anti-social, it should be illegal.

Cars 'Quickshift' eight-speed gearbox has been recalibrated for faster launch and SVR generate a large amount of traction from a standstill, but gearchanges, especially on downshifts, could not match the speed or accuracy of a Twin-clutch Porsche PDK.

If you want the ultimate expression of the F-Type, regardless of price, then yes. It only goes a little faster and corners a little harder than a V8 R, and costs £18,320 more, but is still cheaper than rivals such as the Porsche 911 Turbo S and Audi R8 V10 Plus. 

We’d probably say that we suspect the SVR will be a little harder to live with as an everyday car than those Teutonic competitors, despite offering similar performance, but it comes better equipped, and should cost you no less to run than the V8. 

It’s exhilarating on the road, but still feels more like a muscle car than a scalpel-sharp track-day machine, and because of that, and the likely depreciation, we’d be inclined to recommend the standard V8 AWD to all but the most enthusiastic buyers.

Key facts:

• Model: Jaguar F-Type SVR Coupe
• Price: £110,000
• Engine: 5.0-litre V8 supercharged petrol, eight-speed auto, four-wheel drive
• Power/Torque: 567bhp, 516lb ft
• 0-60mph: 3.5 secs
• Top speed: 200mph
• Economy: 25.0mpg
• CO2/BIK tax liability: 269g/km/35%
• Boot space with/without parcel tray: 310/408 litres

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