2019 Jaguar F-Type Reviews

When we last drove the Jaguar F-Type Convertible, it hustled substantial arse on some choice mountain roads. The Jaguar emitted noises like nothing we've heard this side of an AMG V8 or an Aston V12, and its sinewy stance drew more gapes per linear kilometre than anything in its class.But the tightly strung switchbacks worked against those wide hips, making it feel a little too big for those branches, and a slightly softer setup left it playing catch-up with the abilities of the Mercedes CLA45 AMG and Porsche Cayman.Since then, we've had the chance to drive the roofed version on the Motorland Aragona track and the emptied-out quarters between it and Barcelona. More than five kilometres long, the F1-approved Motorland and its surrounding vistas fleshed out what we'd missed from the F-Type equation. It's all about the body, as if you couldn't guess.Before the rain blew in, we'd decided the F-Type Coupe R is the most affable, most tossable Jaguar ever to pass through our grip. Adding a roof adds tremendously to its stability. If anything, it's more subliminally sexy than the roadster.And it still has the inestimable, intangible value of one of the best exhaust notes you can buy.The F-Type Coupe hasn't lost any of its visual extravagance in the short trip from the concept-car circuit to the real world. It made its mark as a C-X16 concept, and the very nearly identical shape that's emerged is impure, and riveting for it.Call it a do-over: The gills and grille slash through the front end, sharply retracting the oval inlet cut into a whole generation of Jaguar XK grand tourers. But they're largely the same as in the F-Type roadster.Where it's different from the roadster, obviously so, the Coupe nails down the essence of what a Jaguar should look like. The F-Type Coupe is a somewhat short car, and doesn't have the luxury of languid lines playing out as the XK had. (It's being retired after 2015, now that the F-Type is assuming its mantle). Adding a roofline could have abbreviated the F-Type's shape in ungainly ways, but it hasn't--it's only amplified those powerlifter haunches."This car is almost classical in its proportions," says Wayne Burgess, who worked out the winning details, like the tiniest flap of a decklid spoiler that mimics the modesty panel in a union suit. It rises at 70 mph to provide downforce, and lowers at below 50 mph.The unseen effect of the hardtop is with the body structure. The F-Type coupes get a specific roof beam for strength, which nets out a body that's said to be 80 percent stiffer -- a real accomplishment, given the F-Type's already stout glued-and-riveted aluminum body.We cruised for a couple hundred kilometers in a rich wake of crackling overrun, a hornet's nest of coupes slashing across Spain toward Motorland, flipping between F-Type Coupes in V6 and V8 spec, with solid or glass roofs, all with automatic transmissions -- still, after a year, the only gearbox you can have is one that keeps more to itself.You don't have to be an apologist to be happy with the supercharged V6 in the F-Type Coupe. Rated at 250kW of power and 450Nm pf torque from 3.0-litres, it'll run 0-100km/h mph sprints in about 5.1 seconds and scream to a 260km/h top end, Jaguar says.Pull into the F-Type S Coupe, and you'll get 280kW from an uprated version of the same six, good for 4.8 seconds of 0-100km/h time and a 275km/h top speed. With Jaguar's chosen ZF eight-speed “Quickshift” automatic transmission and paddle shifters, it's a tap and a firm foot to access what we gauged to be about 75 per cent of that accessible F-Type S speed, on more lonesome stretches of road.What you won't get is the more guttural bark of the V8, or the V8-only F-Type Coupe R's superior suspension tune. It's about now that we'd be remiss in not pointing out some truisms: the coupe is almost always better to drive than the convertible or cabriolet, and when it comes to engine displacement... bring it.Consider it brought, at 5.0 litres, 405kW (uprated 40kW from the V8 S roadster), and capable of 0-100km/hh launches in 4.0 seconds, and a 300km/h top end.It all lines up according to gospel here -- and gospel truly is the analogue for what the F-Type Coupe R's vocal chops are capable of emoting through its active-exhaust system. We never mind the boggling numbers on tap for a few longish stints while running roughshod through rural Spain, just to listen. Even more so than in the roadster, the V-8 is nearly impossible to ignore. Minus the distractions of sun and breezes and gawkers caught mid-gape, the Coupe fills with the resonating throb of that thundering V-8, even when it's just waking up.Clever thing: when you push the orange-tinted metal start button, the F-Type Coupe R runs rowdily up to near its redline. Imagine four of those going off at a time in the pit lane of an F1-worthy road course. From the get-go, that chorus signals these Coupe R Jags are totally down for what's up at the Motorland track.The carillon rings out as we sling the Coupe R around Motorland, running it to redline down the mile-long straight, backing off sharply to cut through some supremely technical passages. The Coupe R is the best shoe of the F-Type family, no doubt. The springs are a few percent stiffer at each corner, and the fast-acting adaptive shocks are a lot less permissive (on the road, the F-Type couldn't feel more pleasant).The Coupe R simply does a better job of shearing off corners and gathering itself more quickly than any of the F-Type roadsters we've driven. There's no weight difference, V-8 to V-8, but the revised body structure and retuned dampers resolve some of the niggling convertible issues, like a mild side-to-side rocking that never felt quite settled on our Georgia drive last year. It's flatter, and happier, and in its element on a wide, freshly paved track with a few corners carbon-copied from our secret corner of Appalachia.A half-dozen laps are all it takes to understand what's going on at Aragon, big blitzes of full-on power, slashed and burned with big stabs of optionally fitted carbon-ceramic brakes, some leaning on the Coupe R's electronic torque vectoring to tighten a line here and there. The fast throttle wants to be in the game all the time; the stability control's sport mode is mapped out to be playfully loose with the tail. It'll give you more yaw angle than you can use, before it reins in the Coupe R from situations where it might otherwise rotate with Olympic speed.You could spend hours getting used to the Motorland surface and the crapload of nuances of its spookier turns, and that's a testament to the car's transparent nature.What you won't spend a lot of time doing in any F-Type, Coupe or roadster, is packing. It's an object to be coveted, not to be projected upon with a bunch of futile practical notions. Two golf bags might nestle in longways behind the front seats, but the Coupe R doesn't strike us as the golfing type, anyway. A roll-on bag and two smaller camera bags wholly consumed a cargo hold we'd call shallow to its face.That's simply fine, says designer Burgess. The Coupe is "designed to be a little selfish."We're perfectly okay with selfish. We'd pass on the base coupe, forgoing a college diploma or two for a child to be named later (these things usually sort themselves out), if we could hang on to the aural delight and invigorating handling of the F-Type R Coupe.Now that the F-Type Coupe has finally arrived, it's every bit the sportscar we’d hoped it would be.www.motorauthority.com 

the Jaguar F-Type convertible, which reached us downunder in August 2013, is argued by many as being the true replacement for the E-Type.

It's been 38 years since the last E-Type rolled off the production line, but Jaguar has finally returned to what it says is the company's "two-seat convertible sports car heartland".

Jaguar again is on the prowl, lithe as always, more fierce than ever.

You've probably seen and heard a lot about the new Jaguar F-Type but how would it compare on a track battle against arguably the most capable convertible sports car money can buy?

The brawny British sports car is back from the dead, thanks to Jaguar and its impressive new F-Type roadster. It's taken 40 years for the cat car company to find the cash and commitment to re-join the Porsche players, but it's done the job right.Say what you like about the styling, or the supercharged V6 and V8 engines fitted old-school in the nose, but the F is a rorty romp to drive and a car that grows on you with every passing kilometre. And the soundtrack from both engines is fantastic.The prices are not great, starting at $139,000 in Australia, and the F-Type is a bit chunky despite its alloy construction, but all my doubts are erased during a fast blast out of Pamplona during a personal running of the bulls. I'm not draped in white, and I don't have a red scarf around my neck, but nothing can catch me this morning and the F-Type smears me with a smile that won't quit.The first of the new Fs lands in Australia in August and it's likely there will be a queue - especially for the mid-range car, the F-Type V6 S that balances everything the best and makes the most compelling case to reject a Boxster S or 911 Cabrio for something boldly British.The pricing is not as sharp as some people had hoped, but the showroom stickers sit exactly where Jaguar always said they would be. That means the $139,000 opener for the regular F-Type is pitched between the Boxster and 911 numbers, and closer to the lesser of the Porsches.Standard equipment is exactly as you would expect, from aircon and 18-inch alloys to sports suspension and brakes, electric leather seats with suede facings and twin exhaust pipes.Skip up to the V6 S from $171,400 and you also get an active sport exhaust, 19-inch alloys, a limited-slip differential and full leather seats. The top-line V8 S adds four exhaust pipes under the tail, 20-inch alloys, an electronic active differential and more.There is a giant touchscreen in the dashboard, punchy Meridian sound in all cars. To put the prices into perspective, a Boxster S starts at $133,000 and a 911 Cabrio from $254,600. And Jaguar has also gone all working class with the F-Type, including free scheduled servicing for three years or 100,000 kilometres.The starting point for the F-Type is an all-alloy body with what Jaguar calls a Z-fold canvas roof, which does its work in 12 seconds at up to 50km/h.So the basic structure is very, very strong and quite light - not just a coupe that's had its top chopped - and the engines are all supercharged, and hooked to Jaguar's regular eight-speed automatic with heavy re-tuning for manual-style sports shifts.The engine numbers are 250kW and 450Nm for 0-100km/h in 5.3 and 9.0 litres/100km in the starter car, rising to 280/460 and 4.9/9.1 in the V6 S and then 364/625 and 4.3/11.1 in the V8 S.The cars come with satnav and plenty of cabin fun stuff, but the basics are old-school with fully-independent suspension, big brakes at each corner, and rear-wheel drive with wide tyres. Jaguar has even rejected electric power steering because it says its variable hydraulic system gives better feel, although the cars all have stop-start systems for a little better efficiency.You have to sit the F-Type alongside its predecessors to really understand it. Yes, it's chunky - and, for me, a bit like a more-muscular Honda S2000 - and it sits away from the other members of the current Jaguar family.But that has been the Jaguar way in the past and it looks right beside the C-Type roadster and D-Type Le Mans racer. In this company, the classic E-Type looks way too dainty and - call it sacrilege - and out of place.The shape is tightly drawn, the cabin is roomy with some nice design touches - including a passenger grab handle on the centre console - there is reasonable boot space and the folding top is well integrated into the design. It also sits nicely away without forcing Jaguar to include a heavy folding metal roof.No-one at Jaguar talks ANCAP scores because "this is a limited-run sports car" and it is not likely to be crashed through the full battery of tests. But the structure is strong, there are four airbags and built-in rollover protection, and the usual ABS-ESP electronic systems are backed-up by classy dynamics that makes it tough to get into trouble.You can talk all you like, and fire up endless facts and figures, but the only thing that counts for a sports car is how it drives. And the F-Type is a great drive. My first experience of the F-Type is not as emotional as a dropping into a Porsche, but the brawny Brit really stars with things like blacked-out wheels and the right sports car colours. But when the V6 engine starts cracking up towards the redline I'm hooked.You sit right down in the car and there is terrific wind protection with the top down. With the roof in place you might as well be riding in a coupe. Over two days we begin in the basic car, then move to the V6 S for track and road driving, then graduate to the V8 S on the second morning.It's a smart move by Jaguar - no surprise there - because the cars get quicker and more involving as you gain experience. That also means you can push harder and find more to enjoy, and exploit.The basic F-Type impresses with its rigid chassis and an engine that just does the job. It needs a rev but the gearbox is terrific, slurring around the Spanish cities like a regular auto but delivering rifle-crack manual shifts when you unleash the sports programs in the car's electronics.The V6 S is the Goldilocks car, just right in every way, with an engine that gives everything you need - especially with the active sports exhaust delivering a cracking soundtrack to the action - a chassis with limited-slip assistance for turns, and great brakes and a very supple ride.The V8 S delivers almost supercar-style straight-line performance that is intoxicating, and sure to win people across from Porsche, but the downside is extra weight in the nose that upsets the chassis balance. It's not bad, but keen drivers will notice the deterioration in front-end grip and a need to pre-plan any quick cornering."My favourite is the V6 S, because it all works so well together," Jaguar's chief test driver, Mike Cross, tells me during a special Carsguide tuition session. "In the V8, you need a lot of talent or a lot of road."What's not to like? The steering wheel is not very sports car, with too many 21st century fiddly buttons, there's not much boot space and the pricing means a lot of Jaguar wannabes won't be able to afford an F-Type.But the more time I spend with the F-Type the more I like it. And, yes, it's even a car I could come to love as a V6 S. The chassis is always incredibly well balanced, you can brake late and hard without worry, and all three engines provide enough crack to get you going. The V6 S is easiest to keep in the sweet spot, either fast or slow, and the V8 is the right choice for long-legged touring.The F-Type is a real sports car in every way, yet you can also sit back and cruise in traffic and even dribble through stop-start commuters without the car getting grumpy. It's impossible to give a final verdict after such an exhilarating Spanish preview drive, because Jaguar has presented the car in the best possible way and there are no Porsches - or even AMG droptop Benzes or costly Aston Martins or Maseratis - for comparison work.But the F-Type is a landmark car, a special car that is a fantastically rewarding drive, and certain to be a success. I'm giving it four stars for now, with space to lift the grade once I have driven it at home in Australia.It's been a long time coming, but the F-Type is worth the wait.

To understand the brawny new F-Type Jaguar you have to forget the classic E-Type. The new beast is a throwback to the D-Type racer than dominated at Le Mans in the 1950s, not a revival of the style-driven sweetie from the sixties.It's tough and tightly-drawn, all about making an impact and going fast.Jaguar has been missing a sports car from its lineup for just on four decades, but the success with the mid-sized XF and XJ limousine have provided the cash and credentials to finally get back to the sharp end of its business. And it's way, way more focussed than the lardy old XK . . .The F-Type is great news for sports car shoppers, since it is capable of going toe-to-toe with Porsche and makes Aston Martin's roadsters look dated and irrelevant.It's not cheap, with a starting sticker of $139,000 for the basic supercharged V6 model and a top-end whack of $202,300 for the V8-powered S, but it is good value when you look at the Boxster S and 911 Cabrio which are its obvious rivals.The F-Type is strictly a two-seat convertible, packing everything from aircon and satnav to leather seats and alloy wheels that range from 18 to 20 inches. Its old-school folding canvas top does the job in 12 seconds at speeds up to 50km/h -- But 50 is just the start for a car which has been developed for fun runs on the world's favourite roads.It's a classic roadster with the engine in the nose, and eight-speed automatic gearbox in the middle - but tuned by Jaguar and ZF to give manual-style shift feel and timing - and drive to the back wheels.The engines start with the  3-litre supercharged V6 that makes 250 kiloWatts for a claimed 0-100km/h time of 5.3 seconds, then the V6-powered S jumps to 280 kiloWatts and 4.9 seconds, with the supercharged 5-litre petrol V8 producing 364 kiloWatts for a sprint time of 4.3 seconds. The V6 S has a mechanical limited-slip differential and the V8 gets an electronic diff in the tail. There are no diesels and no fours.Jaguar has done lots of honing and fine tuning, right down to switchable driving modes and active exhausts - twin tips on the V6s, four pipes for the V8 - that cut loose a banshee howl under acceleration and a fireworks performance of cracks and bangs on twisty roads.The look of the F-Type has become familiar over the past two years and, in some ways, it's a bit like a Honda S2000 that's been in the gym. At least, that's my first impression.But after two days I can see that it's another new direction for Jaguar's design team under Ian Callum, who refuses to be predictable or boring.But the F-Type is all about driving, so here we go. The V6 is a nice car with a comfy cabin and enough power and grip for most drivers. The V6 S lifts the bar and is the Goldilocks car - just right - with real stonk in the engine room, the trick differential to drive you round corners, and the genuine speed that makes track laps in Spain both fast and rewarding.The V8 S is something else again. It's a bit heavy in the nose, which means you have to think before you turn, but the punch is truly supercar fun. And the noise . . .The F-Type is sure to be a success and Jaguar is already working on a coupe that will allow it to unleash an RS model that will be truly special. But, for now, the F is great, Jaguar is back in the sports car business, and the world seems right.

What defines a sports car? Is it an arbitrary set of numbers--weight limits, 0-110km/h times, lateral g forces? Or is it something more emotional, something that can't easily be quantified? I tend to think it's the latter, and the 2014 Jaguar F-Type presents a convincing case in support of that tendency.Running strictly by the numbers, the F-Type falls a lot closer to the Grand Tourer class than it does to any classical (or even fairly modern) definition of a “sports car.” But behind the wheel, the F-Type's spirit, the feeling it evokes in the driver, rails against classification with 1800kg tourers.Weighing in at 1,597 to 1,665 kg, with a footprint that's 6 per cent larger than the 2013 Porsche 911's, the F-Type is no minimalist enthusiast's machine. With up to 364kW on tap -- and 250kW in its least-powerful form -- it's also not a lesson in momentum maintenance and apex speeds.But between the balanced street-tuned suspension, throaty exhaust notes, abundant torque, balanced chassis, and massive grip, the F-Type ultimately validates Jaguar's claims of a return to the sports car game--whatever the numbers say, whatever the time lapse since the last one.There are three main flavours to the 2014 F-Type: the base model, named simply “F-Type,” the F-Type S, and the F-Type V8 S. Between the three, the primary differences are engine output or type; optional equipment availability; and suspension configuration. The base F-Type sports a supercharged 3.0-litre V-6 engine rated at 250 kW. Good for 5.1-second 0-60 mph (0 to 97 km/h) runs and a top speed of 161 mph (259 km/h), the base F-Type comes standard with 18-inch wheels and cloth seats. It's the lightest of the group, weighing 1,597 kg, but it misses out on the Adaptive Dynamic Suspension system, which improves not only ride quality, but handling, in the V6 S and V8 S, where it's standard.The base F-Type also misses out on Jaguar's very well-tuned performance electronics system, available only on the S and V8 S. With a Configurable Dynamics option offering control over throttle and transmission response, steering weight, and suspension settings (for Adaptive Dynamics-equipped cars), the F-Type lets you tailor the car's driving feel to fit your uses.Jaguar F-Type with heritage cars. But what's it like behind the wheel? In base form, the F-Type is quick, but not particularly inspiring. The low-end torque is good, but, given the car's weight, not great. Once you muscle past the 3,500-rpm mark, however, things liven up greatly.If you've opted for the two-mode exhaust system (our test car was fitted with it) the sound wakes up even more, right around the same transition point. Going from quiet and understated (if a bit pedestrian) the sound comes alive, giving even the base F-Type a pleasant bark, particularly on upshifts and downshifts.When it's time to wipe away the perma-grin installed by straight-line pedal mashing and start turning corners, the F-Type is equally happy to oblige. Well, mostly, anyway. In base form the F-Type gets Continental ContiSportContact2 “max performance” summer tires.Those tires are good, but, ultimately, not great. Grip is fine, and the tires are communicative in the auditory sense, but there's little feedback returned through the wheel. Part of the blame there lies with the Jaguar's steering, however. As a non-electric power steering setup, you might think there are no good excuses for less-than-awesome feel.You'd be right, but that doesn't mean that's what you get with the F-Type. In fact, you get decidedly non-awesome, rather numb steering feel with the F-Type, particularly in base form. Part of the blame for this shortfall also undoubtedly lies in the F-Type's not-so-trim weight.Even approaching 50/50 weight distribution--with passengers, again--that means there's the better part of a ton over the front contact patches. Mid-engine and rear-engine cars (and light front engine cars) are often lauded for their steering feel--feel that is, in part, due to the relatively lightly loaded front axles, and, consequently, tires.2014 Jaguar F-Type first drive. It's not all bad news when it comes to steering, however; steering weight is good, and the variable ratio is quick and intuitive--the cars reactions are nearly as quick as the driver's.The inherent balance of the F-Type, from its spring and damper rates to its near 50/50 weight balance (again, with passengers), the F-Type is well-poised. It's just a bit less communicative about what's going on with the front end than we'd like to see in a sports car.Stepping up to the middle of the F-Type range, you have the $81,000 US (Australian pricing is still to be revealed) F-Type S. Not to be confused with the F-Type V8 S, the F-Type S is powered by essentially the same 3.0-litre supercharged V-6 engine, just in a higher state of tune, the (V-6) S is good for 279 kW and 4.8-second 0-60 mph (0 to 97 km/h) runs.Best of all, the extra power and torque in V6 S trim relieves the car of its sub-3,500-rpm dead spot and gives it a lively, quick feeling in all conditions. The bark, too, is sharper. Uncork the F-Type V6 S in Dynamic Mode with the “googly eyes” dual-mode exhaust button switched on, and I challenge you not to smile. Most will break out in giggles.In F-Type V6 S form, Pirelli PZero tires on larger 19-inch wheels take over grip duty--and the improvement is immediately noticeable. Steering communication is more abundant thanks to less sidewall flex, though, overall, feedback remains muted.But the chassis itself appreciates the extra grip and readily puts it to use. The communication lacking through the steering wheel is made up for by the input coming back through the seat and pedals; in cornering, the balance of the car is easily discernible.Power out of a corner and you'll sense the impending tail-out attitude just before it happens; hammer the brakes and the car dives just enough, maintaining stability while slowing with force. The Adaptive Dynamics suspension system takes much of the credit here, too, offering up to 500 adjustments per second to adapt to the driver's inputs and the road itself.Modern adaptive damper systems have come a long, long way from their rather recent origins, and the F-Type's system is among the most seamless. That chassis is 30 per cent stiffer in key lateral sections than any other Jaguar, ever. It's also almost entirely aluminium. And it's clear that Jaguar's engineers have spent a lot of time tuning and refining both ride and handling.The only question we have is why it's so heavy--especially given the abundant use of aluminium. Unfortunately, under direct questioning, Jaguar's engineers weren't able to give a good reason. But the F-Type is, by sports car standards, heavy. In V6 S form, it weighs 1,614 kg. That's more than 135 kg heavier than the 2013 Porsche 911 Carrera S Cabriolet. And the 911 has 15 more kilowatts. And a back seat.There's more to the F-Type yet, however: the $92,000 US V8 S. Powered by the familiar 5.0-litre supercharged V-8 found (in similar form) in other Jaguar products, the F-Type V8 S generates a stout 364 kW. Tipping the scales at 1,665 kg, it's also the heaviest F-Type, but 68 kg heavier than the base model is a relatively small penalty to pay for all of those ponies.Surprisingly, at least to me, the V8 S doesn't feel any less nimble or ready to run than the V6 S. The extra weight—51 kg in this case -is simply too little to notice; there's no additional penalty in feel.That leaves the throaty V-8 engine to add a definite element of awesome, roared by its quad-tipped exhaust and then immediately seen on the rapidly rotating speedo needle. Jaguar quotes the 80-120 km/h acceleration time of the F-Type V8 S at just 2.5 seconds--a full second quicker than the base F-Type. I believe it.I also believe the V8 S's 300 km/h top speed--very quick indeed for a sub-$100,000 US convertible. It's surprisingly easy to get a significant fraction of the way there without realising it, too. With its abundant power and speed, the F-Type V8 S can almost feel more like a compact grand tourer than a sports car, particularly once the road opens up and straightens out.In this scenario, it has the composure and pace of a dedicated continent-crosser. But as soon as the curves return and the sight lines shorten, it perks its ears, eager for the challenge. Because of these V-8 factors, we also believe Jaguar's estimate of about half of U.S. buyers opting for the top-of-the-line F-Type V8 S, the rest split fairly evenly between the base and V6 S models.The F-Type has been almost universally acclaimed as a beautiful car. Why? It has headlights, a grille, fenders and flares, just like every other car. Because of the proportion and shape of those elements; because of the organic curves and ratios; because of the attention to detail. But also because of something less easily quantified, some essence that is uniquely Jaguar.Jaguar Director of Design, Ian Callum, admits there are few direct cues to Jaguar's illustrious sports car past--in fact, the idea was to design in an entirely new direction, but with the ethos that inspired those past designs.That ethos was put in place by Jaguar founder William Lyons; its core tenet: to do something new, original. In that, the F-Type succeeds, even while it relates to Jaguar's other new cars, particularly the XK. Inside, the idea was to capture the spirit, if not the detail, of the earlier cars as well. While the cockpit is entirely modern in look and feel, the choice of a shift lever (or joystick) instead of the round dial selector found in other Jags, as well as the shape and location of the knobs and toggles along the centre stack, were all chosen to give an impression of mechanical simplicity--despite the advanced electronics they control. The interior, like the rest of the car, is also extensively customisable. While the design is exquisite, somehow quintessentially Jaguar yet also new and modern, how does the package that design's wrapped around stack up? The answer: Fairly well--though there are a few issues.Trunk space, for one, is minimal. Even apart from the space stolen by design to stow the Z-fold soft top, the floor of the trunk is quite high, and the suspension towers intrude at the sides. The result is a space that's barely suitable even for smaller bags, and not deep enough to contain much in the way of a real suitcase--a potential issue for those wanting a weekend getaway car.The cockpit, too, is a bit short on space. In a car with a footprint 6 per cent larger than the 911--which offers a backseat and a reasonable front trunk--you'd expect ample leg room. Not so. In fact, the shortage of leg room requires a more vertical seating position (at least for taller drivers) than is truly comfortable, as the seatback runs into the rear bulkhead.For passengers, it's worse, as the floorboard doesn't extend as far forward as it does for the driver's pedals. Knee room is tight, as well, making for a bit of discomfort for long-legged drivers (like myself) on longer drives. The rest of the cockpit, however, is as spacious as it should be--shoulder, hip, and headroom are good.The seats, in particular the upgraded leather-wrapped sport seats, are fantastic. Adjustable side bolsters and lumbar support make for a highly tunable seating position, from relaxed and cruising to snug and sporty.The biggest issue with the F-Type, for some, will be the lack of a manual transmission. The eight-speed Quickshift transmission in the F-Type is a rather athletic take on the slushbox concept, with quickened shifts and a 100-per cent lockup that skips the torque converter once out of first gear. But it's clearly not a manual--and not a dual-clutch either.The Quickshift's actual gear changes are quick, indeed--on the order of dual-clutch quick--but there's a lag between driver request (via paddle or centre console joystick) and transmission action. It's a noticeable lag, even in Dynamic Mode.In some cases, the transmission simply doesn't respond, perhaps thinking better of your ill-informed manual shift point. Whatever it is, it's a touch balky and difficult to use in manual mode. Fortunately, it's quite good in fully automatic mode.So good, in fact, in Dynamic Mode, that you're unlikely to wring anything more from the car shifting on your own except frustration. When left to its own devices, the Quickshift in the F-Type downshifts intelligently, upshifts quickly, and avoids interfering in corners thanks to its Corner Recognition software.The question I started out with--the question that remained with me through much of the day and a half driving the 2014 F-Type--is whether the car can truly be called a sports car. The answer, raw and subjective as it is: it can. It's not a minimalist, pure execution of the theme, but it's a sports car. A luxurious, (mostly) comfortable, beautiful, powerful sports car. And that sound. Oh, the sound.www.motorauthority.com