CAR REVIEW: Jaguar F-Type R convertible electrifies across state lines

On paper, the Jaguar F-Type R convertible isn’t exactly the ideal car to take on an 800-mile round trip vacation. The electric-folding roof leaves just eight-cubic feet of trunk space, not great for hauling a long weekend’s worth of luggage. Passengers will also feel squeezed in the tight cabin, which leaves little room for the 200-miles-into-the-trip body stretch. Its five-liter V8 is also thirsty, and premium gas was nudging the $5-per-gallon mark during my road trip to the Gulf Coast.

But practicality and economic factors be damned.

When the retractable roof is folded away to reveal a brilliant blue sky and miles of oceanside views, the outside temperature gauge reads a comfortable 75 degrees, 575-hp is on tap and an intoxicating, sonorous V8 serves as the road trip playlist, there is perhaps no other car I’d rather be driving.

David Shepherd Photographer

Sure, there are high-horsepower, sporty coupe convertibles out there that are more pragmatic, economical, spacious and perhaps even more nimble. But the F-Type R stirs the soul like no other.

The R’s summoning of sentiment begins with its beautifully sculpted styling. Jaguar incorporated some appearance tweaks for 2021, including narrow, horizontal headlights to replace the forward-facing units of yesteryear, the grille has grown slightly and the front vents have been updated. There are a few additional minor changes, but what remains is the F-Type’s gorgeous appearance.

This is not a car for introverts. The big cat garners attention everywhere it goes, even while parked. There was the man outside a grocery store that commented on its “sexy lines” in an accent thicker than southern Alabama humidity, or the apparent bachelorette party group who stopped me in my tracks to comment on the Jag’s stunning looks.  

David Shepherd Photographer

Even out of sight, the F-Type will let those around know you have arrived.

The firecracker-like pops on overrun have been slightly restrained with a retuned exhaust, but the R remains one of the most aurally pleasing voices available today. It will still crackle, bang and burble its way through the rev range regardless of whether you put its active exhaust into its de-facto “loud” mode. Above 5,000 rpm, the R truly opens the floodgates and produces a V8 roar that can reanimate dead tissue — the kind of noise that will have you driving in circles just to hear it again. I know because that’s exactly what I did.

With its striking looks and stunning song, the F-Type just hits the right buttons to stir emotions. Of course, having 575 horsepower and notable handling certainly helps the cause.

The previous top-tier version of the F-Type — the SVR — is no more, but its five-liter, supercharged V8 is now slotted in the front of the R. The V8 is a gem, providing the kind of walloping torque that can save you a trip to the chiropractor. After the initial grunt, it continues to charge to the redline with consistent power, feeling sharpest above 4,000 rpm. Or maybe I just wanted it to be that way so I’d have an excuse to keep my foot down and hear it sing.

An eight-speed automatic further motivates the F-Type to soar by holding the Jag in higher revs during spirited driving. Left to its own devices, gear changes are rapid and smooth in all driving situations. There are paddle shifters, but the transitions can be a bit jerky when they are employed. However, those paddles served as convenient audio boosters, allowing me to build revs around town at lower speeds just to hear the symphony from the R’s exhaust.

All R models come with all-wheel drive and will hustle from a stop to 60 in 3.6 seconds, a point my wife will not contest after we found ourselves a few long, empty highway entrance ramps. On the first of these runs, the Jag induced a harrowing yelp from dearly beloved as I mashed the noisy pedal into the floor and headed, rapidly, for the next state.

Our trip took us along rural highways surrounded by either dense pine forests or neatly manicured farmlands. With sparse traffic and views of the road ahead that stretched on for miles, your brain practically begs you slam your fight foot down, fill your ears with the V8’s sonorous growl and see how fast the big cat can fly.

These straight stretches of highway don’t do well to test the R’s acuity in corners, but in my limited time on back roads, the F-Type proved to have legitimate agility. With all-wheel drive, the R had levels of grip that bolster a 575-hp coupe. The brakes (carbon ceramic versions are optional) were effective and natural to modulate. Quick steering made the R easy to throw through bends, but the responses were perhaps too fast, leading to some mid-corner corrections.

When the journey calms down, the R’s sporty suspension is still on the stiff side, but not the break-your-back rigidity of some coupe convertibles (looking at you, AMG GT).

Decent ride quality made for an acceptable comfort level along my journey to the seaside, but the F-Type’s cabin is cramped, and those who are tall might find issue with the bulkhead limiting seat travel farther away from the pedals.

While the R’s plush interior was awash with leather, faux-suede and upscale trim pieces, it does have a dated overall appearance. The 10-inch touchscreen system is also a bit archaic and washes out in even slight sunlight, quite the nuisance when it’s paired with a retractable roof.

The F-Type R convertible has its follies, and there are perhaps better overall high-performance coupe convertibles that are even more prolific corner carvers, or those that are more practical or economical. But the Jag’s specialty is fueling emotion. With its striking appearance, thunderous bellows and a roof that doubles as skyline, the R excels in what can’t be expressed in hard numbers — the internal joy it dispels when you are behind the wheel. It is almost visceral, this warm, fuzzy and electrifying feeling.

It is that sheer driving sensation that actually makes it the ideal road-tripper.

Pros and cons

Pros: Brutal power, beautifully sculpted, magnificent V8 soundtrack, legitimate corner carver

Cons: Tight cabin and limited cargo space, plush interior appears dated, sportier convertible coupes available

Overall: There may be better convertible coupes out there, but none stir the soul like the F-Type R.

Starting price: $107,050

MPG figures (city/highway/combined): (16/24/18)