I hate the idea that I only can choose all wheel drive when my lease is up on my 2015 R coupe. It just seems that Jaguar's philosophy in the United States is completely backwards. The XJR is rearwheel drive only, but the F type R is all-wheel-drive only.

We should have a choice for the F type R, especially since a lot of people have this as a second car.

Now if we can only get rid of electric steering. I drove the all-wheel-drive R coupe and the rear drive 2015 R coupe on the race track, and the electric steering is just a little too light....annoying.

Hopefully, they recalibrate the electric steering, and offer rear drive in the United States for the F-Type R.

 

Why not just buy out your car at the end of the lease? You'll get everything you want.

 

Can't speak for the OP, but some of us always like/want the newest model possible, the "latest and greatest". The infotainment systems are almost always better (better support for smartphone, better navigation, etc.). A few new features/amenities are almost always useful. And if it's a significant redesign it makes the old model look, well, old.

I do agree that the AWD only move in the US is a mistake. RWD should still be an option. For someone living in CA and the F-Type being a weekend car that sees no rain/snow, I'm just not interested in AWD. Unless the 2018 AWD is GTR/Turbo S like (meaning that it's just an absolute track monster that needs the AWD system to really fulfill its mission) I just feel the AWD is not really suited for the F-Type in its current form.

 

i also am upset, but not for the same reasons

it seems ramping up awd production for US markets, has delayed my rwd build a full 5 months from placing the order, and i wont get my my16 rwd till december

 

The RWD V8 appears to be unable to use the available torque due to traction issues. Why then would having a car that can accelerate more quickly be an issue? Burn outs are fun, but...

 

I drive the RWD R everyday, and traction is not an issue once you learn the car....

I drove both the RWD and AWD R coupes on the track and I'm telling you that the RWD was more fun....felt lighter, more direct, and the hydraulic steering is superior.

 

are you certain the steering feel is due to the eps? It could also be due to the additional 160 lbs right over and the application of power to the front wheels through the turns.

 

Ihoboy: You make a good point . . . It could be because of the AWD, but I don't think the extra weight would make it feel lighter though.

However, even at slow speed, it just feels lighter. Coming out of an XFR (which I absolutely loved/love), I was loving the heavier steering feel of my F-Type R. Now, they are reverting back to a lighter feel with the EPS. :-/

 

It should feel lighter at slow speed and get progressively heavier as speed increases.

 

I've had eps for the past 13 years, so the eps on the '16 F feels fantastic. When I test drove the'15, I noted the response was a bit slow right at center position. Not so on the '16. I think it's just what you get used to.

 

Yeah, you're probably right that it depends on what you're used to.....

I think the slowness in transition that you noticed on the 2015 R was based on the 2016 combo of the lightness of the eps and the AWD together.

 

I was comparing the '15 S RWD with the '16 S RWD. A tad less road feel, but more immediate response on the '16.