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TONE STYLE
You don’t have to drop
100k to have fun
Don’t let the evil British villains in the Jaguar
commercial fool you: you don’t really need 550
hp to enjoy the F-TYPE. While we didn’t have
any of the $65,000 base model cars with a
meager 340hp V6 at our disposal, the 380hp
supercharged V6, priced around $75,000 with
a few options is still no slouch, getting from
0–60 at 5.1 seconds and having a top speed
of 172mph. This should be good for all but
those needing to leave the scene in the most
fiendish manner. Interestingly enough, the V6
felt a bit better in the convertible, even though it
specs the same in the coupe and all of the auto
journalists present made the same observation.
Again, the folks at Jaguar made the
comparison to the iconic Porsche 911, as if it
were the benchmark they are striving for. And
again, after having driven more than a few 911s
since the convertible launch and now, I maintain
that they are entirely different automobiles. If I
were in the income bracket to afford it, I’d have
both in my garage.
Obvious comparisons
The current Carrera is more capable at the
limit —and as good as the 8-speed ZF auto
box is, Porsche’s PDK is still the one to beat,
offering a connection to the road like no other.
When driving in more subdued situations, the
Jaguar gets the nod, being way more sporty
than a Mercedes SL or BMW Z4, yet more
posh than the current 911. (continued)
122 TONE AUDIO NO.64
July 2014 123