The F-Type SVR comes from Jaguar’s in-house Special Vehicle Operations division where they’ve tuned their impressive 5.0-liter supercharged V8 to produce 575 horsepower and 516 lb-ft of torque — this engine is capable of launching the F-Type from 0 – 60 mph in 3.5 seconds with a top speed of 200 mph!

Since it’s Summer in Southern California, and I have access to some of the most picturesque roads in the world, the convertible version of the F-Type SVR wins my favor over the coupe configuration.

Cruisin’ with the top down.

A post shared by Andrew Chen (@lagraffiti) on Jul 8, 2017 at 8:10pm PDT

Jaguar’s SVO engineers didn’t stop at just adding more horsepower though — weight savings and aerodynamics were also large areas of focus in their quest for ultimate performance. Exotic materials have been used to reduce unsprung weight in the wheels, exhaust system, suspension architecture, and braking system, for example.

Redesigned bodywork along with an active aerodynamic carbon fiber rear spoiler lower the drag and lift coefficient to keep the F-Type SVR planted firmly on the ground at high speeds.

Gettin’ tail happy! #SVR

A post shared by Andrew Chen (@lagraffiti) on Jul 8, 2017 at 4:48pm PDT

Of course, since it’s a Jaguar, the interior is loaded with luxury amenities and premium materials. The bucket seats look amazing with blue piping and contrast stitching, and are also very supportive in all the right places.

My favorite feature of the interior though has to be the switch for Dynamic mode. Pull back towards the checkered flag and you awaken the beast within the F-Type SVR — the rear wing deploys, the suspension stiffens, and the exhaust opens up to belt out one of the most satisfying roars I’ve ever heard.

While the F-Type SVR excels at high speeds, you don’t have to take it there to have a full experience. The supercharger provides plenty of low-end torque, and the exhaust delivers a ton of drama at around 3,000 RPM both on-throttle and off-throttle with its after-fire pops and burbles. There’s no recording or video that can properly convey the excitement coming from these Inconel Titanium tips. You have to experience it in person.

Ultra-high performance sports car, luxury grand-tourer, comfortable daily-driver — the 2017 Jaguar F-Type SVR convertible is all of these things and more. If people don’t see you coming first, they’ll definitely hear you as you leave them in the dust.

Visit JaguarUSA.com to learn more about the 2017/18 F-Type lineup.

The post Drivin’ L.A. with Andrew Chen: 2017 Jaguar F-Type SVR Convertible appeared first on FactoryTwoFour.

That seems strange to me, as the Jag succeeded the former and was toppled by the latter for the title world’s fastest production car. It could and did do over 210mph. It accelerated faster than the F40, a car that seems to be all things to all enthusiasts. On paper, everything is there for the Jag to always have been a darling of the collector car circuit, but for most of the twenty-five years since the car was introduced, customers seem to have met the XJ220 with a collective shrug of indifference.

Part of the blame lies in forces beyond Jaguar’s control – the XJ220 launched in the midst of the economic recession of the early 1990s, which helped keep customers at bay. This doesn’t quite explain the lukewarm reception for the car though, as all manufacturers were equally affected, and at any rate, prices should have shot up once the recession eased – but they didn’t, at least, not as much as they did for competing cars.

The usual explanation for the Jag’s poor showing in the minds and hearts of the collector audience is down to some questionable decision-making on the part of Jaguar. When the car was previewed, it was supposed to have a fiery V12 and blistering performance. However, due to the recession – and partly because Jaguar was not yet owned by the deep, deep pockets of Ford – the XJ220 arrived with a turbocharged V6. The body was made from aluminum at a time when carbon fiber was already the obvious way forward in the supercar class. On paper, both of those facts are a bit of a letdown. Pre-orders evaporated, and after two years, less than 300 were made.

That low production number – less than a quarter the number of F40s Ferrari churned out – ensured that the Jag couldn’t be ignored forever. This is especially so, since – despite the seemingly pedestrian cylinder count, the XJ220 was always the faster car. The 3.5 liter turbocharged V6 was a Group B rally engine. It made the Jag the fastest car, period, for an entire year until the McLaren F1 debuted in 1993. Even though the body wasn’t space-age, it didn’t lack drama. Today, the XJ220 is still a beautiful car to behold. It is seriously long, low, and wide – all textbook proportions for a supercar (though the front always did look a bit like a carp to me). Looks may be subjective, but there are no glaring errors in the way the car was styled.

It was really only a question of time before the world re-discovered the Jaguar XJ220, and though we might be in something of a collector car bubble, I think the surge in prices for the XJ220 is here to stay. Any commoner with a million dollars to blow can have a Ferrari F40, but you’ll probably be the only guy at the collector-car gathering with the ultimate Jaguar. If I had a spare quarter-million dollars lying around, I certainly wouldn’t hesitate – this thing’s got to qualify as some sort of collector-car investment.

The post The Classic Jaguar XJ220 appeared first on FactoryTwoFour.

For too long we’ve been shackled with boring motors, just tootling us along to our destinations. No wonder more and more people hate driving and are indifferent as to what car they buy. They’ve never driven anything but a washing machine, so why should they care? Well start caring, because fun cars are clearly back. The Jag has the looks to write the fun checks, and the chassis to cash them. Driving an F-Type is an exercise in wild abandon, even when you’re sitting still.

This is easily the best sounding car released this year. Easily. The C63 AMG comes close, but with the roof down and the sound that much more direct, the Jag takes it. And the motor generating that noise is no slouch either. The V8S that I drove far outpaced my abilities on every occasion. I never got close to finding this car’s limits.

The F-Type is far from just a racer though. Even at 20mph, this car is an event to be in. People look, babies cry, attractive people are interested in you. Everything those pill offers filling your spam box promise, this car delivers. Jaguar is on a bit of roll currently, and if this car is any indication the British marque has many more bright days ahead.

All of this is to say that the Jaguar F-Type V8S is cool, accomplished, and supremely talented. Much like Steve McQueen. He would have one in British racing green no doubt.

The post The 2014 Jaguar F-Type Brings the Cool appeared first on FactoryTwoFour.