British gentleman sports car test drive Jaguar F-TYPE

When it comes to English gentlemen, most people's first reaction may be those who wear high-definition suits, have meticulous hairstyles and beards, and have gentle manners. But in fact, many English gentlemen are very proud and unruly at heart, especially those young gentlemen, who have a restless heart under the elegant appearance. Just like the new Jaguar F-TYPE in front of us, its appearance has become more elegant, but its heart is still hot.

This new F-TYPE, which seems to have changed a lot, is actually only a mid-term redesigned model, but Jaguar designers have devoted a lot of efforts to make the new F-TYPE continue the reputation of the most beautiful Jaguar in active service. The new F-TYPE completely changed the shape and position of headlights. It used to be placed on both sides above the hood, but now it is moved down to both sides of the air intake grille. The shape also changed from the original vertical position to a more slender and narrow horizontal position. J-type daytime running lights symbolizing Jaguar brand are still kept in the lamp group, and the lighting configuration is also upgraded accordingly. The area of the air intake grille has also become larger. The middle net adopts a honeycomb composed of countless hexagons. Look carefully, there is a shape similar to the air intake under each hexagon, which is unique and makes the air intake grille look more three-dimensional. This series of changes makes the visual center of gravity of the front of the new F-TYPE lower, and also extends the lateral visual width. It can be said that the front of the new F-TYPE is more in line with the positioning of sports cars, and compared with the lovely and fierce front shape in the past, the new F-TYPE is more in line with the elegant British design style in my eyes.

If someone praises the change of the front shape, then the practice of keeping the side of the car body as it is must be supported by all those who like F-TYPE. The slender and elegant side lines are definitely the most attractive point in F-TYPE design. The long front and short back plus the beautiful slip-back shape can be described as an excellent continuation of the E-type classic shape. It is not only the most beautiful car in Jaguar history, but also the aesthetic degree in the whole automobile history. If I had to choose between the F-TYPE hardtop version and the F-TYPE convertible version, I would definitely choose the hardtop version for the simple reason that the convertible is cool, but I like the elegant slip back best.

The rear of the car also retains the essence of the old F-TYPE. The taillights have been fine-tuned and flatter. The exhaust style with * * in the middle and the large-size black diffuser bring a good sense of movement to the new F-TYPE, but at the same time it will not be exaggerated, and the scale control is just right.

Entering the car, luxury and elegance are the core of interior design. Instead of using carbon fiber and other materials that are conducive to setting off the sports atmosphere, it is wrapped in leather that is within reach. The interior of the new F-TYPE remains basically unchanged. The main upgrade is that the dashboard is upgraded to a new 12.3-inch LCD screen, which can display more contents. At the same time, the central control panel has also been upgraded to 10 inch, which can support the interconnection function of Apple CarPlay and Baidu CarLife mobile phones.

The new F-TYPE has two power specifications, namely P300 with a 2.0-liter inline four-cylinder turbocharged engine and P380 with a 3.0-liter V6 supercharged engine. As for the V8 model, it will not be introduced. This time, we test drive the P380. The 3.0-liter V6 supercharged engine can output the maximum power of 380 HP at 6250 rpm, which is the origin of P380. The peak torque is 460 Nm, which can reach 4500-5000 rpm. This power reserve is sufficient, but in most cases, this F-TYPE is as elegant as it looks.

In the standard mode, the power output of the engine is very linear, which is one of the benefits of mechanical supercharging, and there will be no obvious explosion point and lag like turbocharging. Matching the engine is an 8-speed automatic gearbox from ZF, which has good riding comfort and shifting speed, and will actively raise the gear to the highest in daily driving, which is conducive to improving driving comfort and fuel economy. Generally speaking, as long as the throttle is properly controlled, this little leopard is still very docile.

But don't think that F-TYPE only has this skill. Even in the state of standard mode +D gear, you can immediately enter the combat state with one foot full throttle. Of course, if you want more aggressive driving performance, then use dynamic mode +S gear. At this time, it will have the most acute dynamic response, and every displacement under its feet will get a positive response from the vehicle. When the throttle is fully open, the speed will always approach the red line before upshifting. 5. The accelerated performance of1sec is not really fast in the same level, but F-TYPE also has its own characteristics, that is, sound waves.

F-TYPE's voice is definitely one of its most fascinating places. The rich and high-pitched voice is absolutely unique in the same class, even compared with many sports cars with a million or more. It's like a machine gun when collecting oil. The tempering sound is very representative. It is said that it took Jaguar nearly two years to adjust the exhaust sound. I once discussed a topic with my friends. If a certain acceleration needs to be sacrificed in order to get a more beautiful sound, my answer is absolutely yes, because in my opinion, a sports car or a high-performance car is better off without a beautiful sound.

In fact, F-TYPE also has its own unique views on the adjustment of chassis suspension. Unlike many sports cars that sacrifice a lot of comfort in pursuit of better handling, F-TYPE has achieved a good balance between sportiness and comfort, which can filter out subtle vibrations and make F-TYPE more suitable for daily driving.

Another major adjustment of the new F-TYPE is that P380 has only one option for all-wheel drive, and only P300 has rear drive, which is a pity, especially for many people who love to wander on the edge of the limit or like to drift. However, the benefits are obvious. During the test drive of the F-TYPE, there was a heavy rain. On the road full of stagnant water, even if you start at full speed, there will be no risk, and running on the mountain road will be more secure. This is good news for most people, because not everyone can easily drive a rear-drive sports car close to 400 horsepower.

Maybe many people like to rank sports cars by track lap times. If this is the standard, it may be difficult for F-TYPE to be among the best, because there are many track athletes among its competitors. However, for Jaguar, their positioning of the F-TYPE is definitely not like this. Its design is extremely elegant, the car is very luxurious and it is quite comfortable to drive. Most of the time, it acts like a perfect and gentle English gentleman. When you want to be presumptuous, it also has enough power to take you to enjoy driving.

In a word, I want to say: Maybe the F-TYPE is not perfect, but it is definitely one of the most wonderful models.

This article comes from car home, the author of the car manufacturer, and does not represent car home's position.