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2018 Jaguar F-Type Review by Jon Rosner +VIDEO


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Poetry in motion

Special Feature from Jon Rosner

Top down the 2018 Jaguar F-Type was a delight... the distinct lines, the roar of the exhaust notes bouncing back from the canyon walls flying down Mulholland Drive in Malibu, CA.

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Lithe loveliness, expansive leather thrones perfect to sink into; tip the throttle a little just for fun.

Massive brakes draw the car down from speed when lopping along. A flashing thought, you realize that you are using a few too many molecules to explain to the local constabulary.

The F-Type carved the canyons with total aplomb. It just felt like the Jaguar was the kind of car that you would just want to get into and drive, somewhere, anywhere, just for fun. Sort of like the idea that life is a ride and when you get to your destination, well, your there. But how you get there, whether there is a smile on your face, that is what the F-Type feels like its saying: smile, enjoy your life.




Prices for the F-Type start at $59,900, with a $63,850 base for the convertible. Engines range from 296 to 575 horsepower and go from sublime to the radical SVR, which does naught to 60 in 3.5 seconds and offers a top speed of 200 in coupe form (195 MPH if you choose the rag top version.) If you stick with the sublime, there’s a reward. 23 City and 30 Highway rating. “Yes the kids are out of college, they each have good jobs. If they want help moving again they can go visit U-Haul. Their mother and I just wanted to buy a car we could truly enjoy. And besides that, it gets better gas mileage than our old four-cylinder Toyota Camry Wagon did.”

Jaguar’s have always been aspirational vehicles, the prize for when you want to reward yourself. Cruising anywhere in the F-Type convertible definitely gave me that sense of warmth and happiness that just feels truly satisfying.