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Have any of the reputable and respected automobile magazines published an actual road test and performance report on the 2020 or 2021 F Types ? I looked online and all I found from mags like Car & Driver and Road & Track were very limited summaries. I would like to see actual tested 0-60 times, braking distances, skidpad measurements, driving impressions and those types of things.
The video reviews on YouTube are mostly pathetic and poorly produced by amateurs. I would try to order a back issue if I knew the publication and date.
I've always been surprised by how little attention the automotive media gives to the F-Type. Everyone loves the looks and the noise, and there was a ton of excitement leading up to the original release but since then it's just been the occasional article here and there. Compare that with Porsche which seems to get a full new review any time there's a minor variant released. Flip open any random issue of a car magazine and you're guaranteed to find a feature about the 911 Carrera / Cabrio / Targa / Turbo / 4 / S / 4S / GTS / GT2 / GT3 / GT3 RS and then for good measure, another article with a different transmission.
The media gushed over it when it was first introduced but as all media does, they get bored quickly and move on. Since JLR hasn’t done a complete redesign yet (which is the only thing the automotive media is interested in) they stop paying attention despite the fact they may like the car. They know what most of us have always known, the reading public has the attention span of a two year old and wants the latest shiny object,
The media gushed over it when it was first introduced but as all media does, they get bored quickly and move on. Since JLR hasn’t done a complete redesign yet (which is the only thing the automotive media is interested in) they stop paying attention despite the fact they may like the car. They know what most of us have always known, the reading public has the attention span of a two year old and wants the latest shiny object,
(...Must resist urge to make joke about how Porsche has never done a complete redesign of the 911 in over 50 years...)
I agree...the most overrated car is by far the Porsche 911...and the most underrated is the f type, none give a damn about Jaguar its only Audi and Porsche right now kinda pathetic
Thank you gentlemen, I will read the links this afternoon.
Possibly the lack of a good old fashioned magazine review has to do with the rapidly dwindling circulation numbers of periodicals of all types. I believe Peterson's Hot Rod magazine and a few others, staples in the motorhead community for more than 60 years are about to cease publication and I'm sure others will follow.
I was interested in a Porsche 911 but when I went on their website and started to build a car with various options, I was approaching $150K rapidly ! I was surprised not to say discouraged as my budget is closer to $100k. Although depending upon how well my investments do in the next few months I may just step up to the V8 model F Type instead of the V6.
Having recently purchased a 2021 F-Type R coupe, I really enjoyed the review video posted by Hell Cat and malbec. The reviewer really nailed it. I'm not going to track the car so that last tenth of a G of cornering means nothing to me, but the engaging driving experience in this car does - and it is awesome.
I test drove several Porsche models before I bought my C6 and C7 Corvettes and as nice as they are - they just don't do it for me. Nonetheless, before spending this kind of money, I gave consideration to alternatives. Possibilities included Lexus LC, 911, Mercedes GT AMG, and Nissan GTR. I thought about BMW and Audi but there's a zillion various BMW & Audi cars out there. A car guy can tell the difference but to most people your high dollar BMW is just another bimmer.
The 911's in stock at my local dealer were all a lot more than I wanted to spend and the so was the one AMG in stock locally. There weren't any LC or GTR cars in stock locally and as awesome as the GTR performance is, I don't think I could spend that much for such a plain looking car.
So, that left the F-type or wait. Wait was what I didn't want to do. Life is short. I had a deposit on a 2020 mid-engine Corvette but with the strike and covid, the dealer offered me a spot to get a car next year, or a refund. True, the C8 is quicker, and it's everybody's darling this year, but I wanted something now.
Give the magazines a couple of years and they will start to complain about the C8. Every new Corvette from the C4 to the C7 won car of the year type awards and was hailed by the writers as 'best thing ever' - for a few months.
You are certainly right about the magazines dying. I've lost track of how many, but ones that I had subscriptions to that died were Autoweek, Car Craft, and Automobile. Actually, you could make the case that Automobile still exists, it just goes by the name Road and Track because the current issues of R&T are nothing like what the magazine was for so long.
I find the Nissan GTR to be very unattractive and wouldn't even consider the new Corvette. I think the styling is way too forced, the interior is hideous and it will appear dated quickly. It may be a good performer but I have zero confidence in anything coming out of GM regarding build quality or reliability.
I am not going to track the car, what I want is a car that embodies the true spirit of the GT - Gran Turismo. A fast, comfortable touring vehicle with adequate luggage capacity. I think the F type will fulfill that requirement and hope that I don't find the 380 HP V6 to be wanting in power.
I agree that life is short. I am 65, retired, own my home, have zero debt and made the maximum contributions to my 401K for the last 29 years so I have a pretty comfortable retirement account. I have no heirs so my goal is to spend all of my savings before I croak. Spending $100 to $125K on a sports car that will depreciate rapidly is OK with me, it won't create any financial hardship. It will however give me a lot of fun and pleasure. It won't be a daily driver but one that I will plan on maybe taking a month long road trip in driving the most scenic highways in America and enjoying the drive.
Regarding the GTR, a friend of mine has one (I forget what year but I think 2016 or newer), ever since driving my Pantera about a year ago he has wanted to buy one and about 3 weeks ago, I went with him down to Orange County to a specialist who had some cars for sale. It's about a 40 mile ride from our homes in the San Fernando Valley. I had never ridden in a GTR before, but after we got home I told him I would never ride in that P.O.S. again. It may be fast as hell, but the ride is choppy and terrible, the drivetrain and the shifts of the transmission feel like the whole car is breaking apart, it's noisy as hell (and not with a great engine noise)...it's certainly the most unsophisticated feeling modern performance car I have ever been in, and you couldn't give me one to ride in again. I was so stunned by how bad it was that I went back and read reviews to see if it was just me or did everyone see and feel the same things. Surprisingly, even in very positive reviews, every reviewer complained about the poor ride, the clunky shifts and the terrible sounds, but were so enthralled with the speed, they could overlook those faults. As they say, "that's like overlooking the white elephant in the room," it was that bad!!!
By the way, this friend sold his beautiful NSX about a week and a half ago and bought his Pantera the next day. Last Sunday, we drove our matching reds down to Malibu Country Mart which has auto get togethers every other Sunday. Picture below.
Panteras are awesome. They were awesome when new and still are! If I recall, in 1974 a Pantera cost north of $10,000.00 when a new Corvette cost $6,500.00
I couldn't swing $10k. I did love my 74 L82. I owned it for over 30 years.
Dwight, I'm in a similar situation where I own my home, have no debt, and have sufficient retirement assets. After a serious medical issue last year, where I wasn't sure I'd survive, the day after I got out of the hospital I put a deposit on a C8.
Having owned 5 Corvettes, I am sure I would have loved the C8, but I agree on the styling. The F-Type is simply beautiful and looks like it was designed by an artist whereas the C8 styling is too busy - it looks like it was styled by committee.
XMO,
We all had masks on (that's not us in the picture), in Los Angeles unless we were looting, burning, or maiming someone, we're required to wear masks in public or risk being arrested. I've owned my Pantera about 19 years. As crude as it is, it rides and sounds better than a GTR!
Thank you gentlemen, I will read the links this afternoon.
Possibly the lack of a good old fashioned magazine review has to do with the rapidly dwindling circulation numbers of periodicals of all types. I believe Peterson's Hot Rod magazine and a few others, staples in the motorhead community for more than 60 years are about to cease publication and I'm sure others will follow.
I was interested in a Porsche 911 but when I went on their website and started to build a car with various options, I was approaching $150K rapidly ! I was surprised not to say discouraged as my budget is closer to $100k. Although depending upon how well my investments do in the next few months I may just step up to the V8 model F Type instead of the V6.
Tastes vary... before my first F-Type, I drove R and S coupes and convertibles. I decided on a new 2017 S convertible, with every conceivable option, stickered just north of $105k. Loved the car, but was unwilling to pay a $10k premium for it at lease end. The R's were a little too raucous for my taste, fun for 10 or 15 minutes, but I didn't think I could live with it on a daily basis. Took a 4,500 mile trip (over 21 days) in it in 2018, and loved every minute of it. Drove it consistently in the 80's for most of the trip, was very comfortable (with 2 people), and averaged over 28 mpg (so range was approx 400 miles). You can't do that in an R. Overall, I think the S is a better balanced car, and the fun factor is still there, in spades. Again, tastes vary, but I prefer the exhaust note of the S to the R. After turning in the convert, I considered a C8, but can't get past the styling. So I searched for an S coupe, and ended up with the same year (2017) coupe with only 2,500 miles on it, for less than the residual on my convert. Original sticker was just over $100k, so it had essentially the same equipment as my convertible. Certainly buy what you like, but don't automatically assume you'll like the R better than the S. Try before you buy, either way, you won't be sorry. These are great cars. Happy hunting!
Has There Been A Road Test Published Recently?
