I was lucky enough to get to test these two beasts at a track today (and also some rwd F-type base and S + XE S):



It was loads of fun, and I was impressed with the performance and stability of the awd R. The only "negative" I could find compared to the rwd R was that the esp interveins earlier (when on) and holds back a bit much on power when pushed through corners compared to the rwd R (we were not allowed to turn esp off or to track-mode). The rwd R allowes more wheelspinn and sideways drift before it interveins.

However I got to be a passenger for some laps with a professional BTCC driver and with all aid-systems completely off. He was very impressed with the cars performance - and I was very impressed with the car AND the driver!

I was shure we would loose it several times, but he kept it spot on all the time - constantly on the limit...

It was a fun day!

 

Fun Day.. yes, I like that.
Thanks for posting the pictures and report...
Lawrence

 

Here is a onboard video clip of the F-type R awd driven by a professional driver with me as the passenger:


And a few take-offs with both the F-type R and S:





And a couple when passing:

 

Looks like you had fun.

 

There must be a setting hidden in the ECU that allows the spoilers to stay up like that all the time...

 

Never go below 50. Simple, no?

 

In the videos, they're driving off from park with the spoilers deployed. There's gotta be a "trick" to that since you can't do that with a coupe normally.

 

If you raise it while parked, as you would for cleaning, why can't you just drive off with it up?

 

On the coupe, it only raises with the engine off / accessory on. When you turn on the ignition, the spoiler goes back down.

 

Ah, I see. If you raise it in the convertible, I think it stays up, but now have to verify that. I never had any reason to try it.

 

I believe it stays up!

 

From page 91 of the owner's manual:

Cleaning mode (Coupe only)
To manually deploy the DRS for cleaning, make
sure that the:
• Vehicle is stationary with the Electric
Parking Brake (EPB) applied, and the
transmission in Park (P).
• Luggage compartment is in the fully closed
position.
• Engine is not running.
• Ignition is on, or has been on within the last
15 seconds.
Press the switch; the switch lamp will illuminate
to confirm and the message SPOILER IN
CLEANING MODE will appear in the Message
center.
Press and hold the switch to return to automatic
mode. The switch lamp will extinguish.
If the vehicle is driven while the DRS is in
cleaning mode, the DRS will automatically
retract when the vehicle's speed is greater than
1.3 mph (2 km/h).
Note: To manually retract the DRS, the switch
must be continually pressed until the DRS is
fully retracted. If retraction is aborted, then
release the switch and press again to return to
the fully deployed position.

 

I played around with the convertible spoiler today, and you can manually raise it with the switch at any speed up to where it automatically deploys at 60mph. You can manually retract it with the switch at any speed below 40 mph, which is where it automatically retracts.

 

on vert you can keep it up all the time.

the XF looks like a wagon to me in the pic above....

 

It is a wagon...

 

I admit I'm pretty clueless when it comes to this Jaguar "wagon", but I'm not so sure I like the looks of it (based on what I can see and a quick Google search). At first glance - and, again, don't know much - it has a resemblance to my wife's 2006 [first year of the new design, which still looks fresh in my opinion] BMW 325xi wagon.

Separately, I recall being a part of a Jaguar focus group shortly after purchasing my 1988 [newly designed] Jaguar XJ-6 asking whether I thought that they should produce a Jaguar SUV with the overwhelming consensus - including yours truly - a resounding no.

Times they are a changin but the idea of a Jaguar wagon (or SUV) still doesn't float my boat. Not that I know anything; least of all...about boats.

 

"Sportbrake" is the new "wagon." They are popular in Europe as an alternative to SUVs. They probably don't have much of chance in the U.S. because SUVs have taken over like crabgrass. BMW, MB, and Jaguar have "sportbrakes" that aren't offered here.

 

That is very correct.

 

I think that's got too many doors to be a "real" sportbrake, but that's a term that has only recently been defined by Marketing. That looks like a wagon to me. Don't get me wrong: I like wagons. I'm saying that *is* one. Don't call it something it's not to make it more marketable.


Wait. Never mind. That's what Marketing does. Carry on.

 

Of course, it's marketing, just like "SUV" or "SAV" which are also "wagons." That campaign worked rather well didn't it?