Motor Trend has 2 sets of lap times for the F-Type Coupe R and the Convertible V8S, one at their Motown Mile and the other at Laguna Seca. The V8S was faster than the R at both tracks. Granted, it wasn't under the same conditions (different dates a year apart) but nevertheless it was very surprising. On paper the R weighs basically the same but has more power and torque, firmer suspension and a stiffer chassis. Just too can't put the power down?

Then I came across this old (January 2014) Evo article on a prototype Coupe R. The article says the Coupe R did the Nurburgring in 7:39 while the Convertible V8S took 7:54, a full 15 seconds slower. This I expected. So, what can we conclude/speculate?

• Jaguar significantly changed the Coupe R prototype for production, making it slower than the V8S?
• Nurburgring favors the Coupe R while the Motown Mile and Laguna Seca favors the Convertible V8S?
• Motor Trend was not able to drive the Coupe R at its limits?
• Motor Trend got a "bad" Coupe R for testing?

Thoughts? I don't really care for Ring time or lap times per se, just more curious about the relative performance of the convertible vs coupe when there's turning involved. We already know the Coupe is better in all other aspects



Full Evo article: http://www.goodtobebadcat.com/2014/1...ring-time.html

 

I have read that the US and UK/Euro cars have different engine tunes?

As a pure drivers car the Coupe R is the one to have. I like my Vert since its sunny here and I spend my life until a year ago living in rain and cloud. But if I were driving on tracks often I'd have a Coupe every time. We can have a drag race at the Jaguar Performance event and I would expect your R to win, however I am a beast behind the wheel

 

Well, where actual lap times exist, the V8S seems to be holding its own.

I'm not sure that a "rumored" time that has never actually been substantiated is worth all that much.

Oh - and from the driver's seat you categorically can't beat the sound of the V8S with the top down.

 

That's true, haven't seen video or other concrete time evidence except what the Jag engineers are telling the magazines.

 

Did they test an R with the Panoramic roof? It has to weigh quite a bit more, and it's in the wrong place.

 

Hey guys. There is an article out there by Car and Driver for a lap time on an XE Salon, 4 dr at Nurburgring of SEVEN MINUTES FOURTEEN SECONDS. The XE SV weighs 150 pounds MORE than an F Type R. This car has Michelin Cup 2 tires and it was lowered .6 inches and thad a few downforce bits. 7:14 Nurburgring time. ...The engine for the XE SV is tuned a little bit tighter with a HP of 592 instead of 575 but with identical torque figure of 516 lb/ft. Jaguar made 300 XE SV salons. Ive seen a couple of numbers for the F Type R at Nurburgring BOTH of which are ridiculously lHIGH (7:39 and 7:54). Clearly a properly set up F Type with Michelins should be able to come close to this time. This would be especially so if it were lowered half an inch and a lower pulley added to the engine. So, there is that to digest. And the Car and Driver Lightning lap driver of the Jaguar F Type reported time looks like hes taken it out for a Sunday drive. I'm thinking the posted 'Ring times for the R are half cocked and incorrect. Just an FYI. 7:14 for a car that weighs 4200 lbs with the same drive train indicates the F Type is quite a bit quicker than the current 'Ring times suggest. Furhter the XE, with just a slight tweak of the tune for the engine matched the 0-60 mph time for the F Type R of 11.6 and 121 mph. For comparison of that 7:14 number recall that the 2025 Ford Mustang GDT, an absolute track monster rocket ship is currently 6:58 at the 'Ring. F Types are quick . Especially when one compares them to a plain vanilla Porsche 718 or an S version. Better still, Porsche is going electric with the 718 cars in the US this year. WHICH, incidentally , sounds eerily like Jaguar's electric pivot for 2025-2026. Yes the first Jaguar all electric (post I Pace) is a salon, however I'll bet Jaguar is going to put out a superb electric grand tourer before this is all over.

2022 Jaguar F Type R and a male Berne doodle .

 

You’re referring to the Project 8 XE, which was quite a beast. Also, this thread is 10+ years old.

 

Weather plays a huge role in performance. Especially on FI cars and tires.

 

Surprised that nobody asked if it was the same driver, driver skills can vary widely.

 

I agree completely about the driver. Nissan set a blistering time with the GTR, it pissed Porsche so much they bought a GTR and their driver couldn't match Nissans drivers time. That track is so big that driver skill plays a huge role in the final lap time.

 

Yawn....

 

I have every confidence that if you put the coupe and convertible on the same track with the same driver in the same conditions on the same day that the coupe takes it. What’s being suggested here makes little to no sense given what we know about convertibles relative to coupe counterparts. I have seen it mentioned in several reviews that there is a lot of cowl shake in the F-type convertible relative to the coupe.

Not that any of this matters anyway given that these are “old man”-type GT oriented cars, not track cars ;-0

 

You don’t just have good taste in cars… It would seem that you also have great taste in dogs. Handsome guy/girl there ;-0

 

As another data point...

0-60 & 1/4 Mile Times

It shows the R with a .3 second edge in both 0-60 and 1/4 mile.
(No claims on driver, track, weather, etc)

 

Not that any of this matters anyway given that these are “old man”-type GT oriented cars, not track cars ;-0[/QUOTE]

That's why I tell friends and family that the F is my "Late Life Crisis Car". When you have a mid-life crisis you get divorced and buy a red Corvette. I'm in my late 60's. I'm not getting divorced, but I wanted a comfortable beast of a car, and the Jag fills the bill with comfort and power.

 

I hear ya man. I looked at a reasonably wide spectrum of cars before going with an F-type. I was 49 when I picked this thing up and I know with certainty that it was the perfect choice for me.

The other car that rang my bell a lot would have been an Aston Martin Vantage, but one of those unfortunately would have been too rich for my blood.

 

The Aston is a rich man's F-Type.

 

I was tempted by the Vantage also, but here too found it to be beyond my reach. I weighed options and thought "New F-Type or used Vantage? Hmmm. Do I really want to have an out-of-warranty Aston Martin as my sole car?"

 

Those Vantages are special cars but parts prices make Jaguar parts prices look affordable in relative terms…Which is scary because we all know Jag parts aren’t what you’d call a bargain ;-o

The 2009 v8 vantage my buddy has is to die for. Timeless. His has been so reliable too. Those cars from that generation have proven to be very reliable. And the sound is just to die for. Far better than any F-type of any year in my view.

The brand new Vantage is the stuff dreams are made of. How can Aston be making the best cars in their history right now while Jag on the other extreme is in the toilet ;-0 Something feels very off.

 

Yeah, the latest facelifted Vantage is quite something. Pretty cool that they went the opposite direction compared to Jaguar with the front end design and went for larger headlights similar to the original F-Type design now that they facelifted it. If there was a second generation of the F-Type it should have looked something like the Vantage.

It's the only new car that feels comparable to the F-Type and one of the very few new cars out there that are exciting and have some character. Just too bad about the absolutely ridiculous pricing and I wonder if they'll be able to shift enough of them. Maserati seem to have shot themselves in the foot with the pricing of the latest Gran Turismo and I hope Aston haven't done the same.