We drive the 2018 Jaguar F-Type SVR

Curtis Moldrich Read more March 29, 2017

The Jaguar F-Type SVR is the fastest Jag you can buy right now, featuring some pretty impressive specs. A 0-60mph time of 3.5 seconds, a top speed of 200mph and 575 PS from a 5-litre V8 makes it fast on paper, but you’d come to that conclusion simply by looking at it.

By Curtis Moldrich

While other Jaguars look svelte and classy, the F-Type is a far more aggressive beast, harking back to the heritage of the E-Type, while adding its own modern twist.

The F-Type SVR goes one step further, and is adorned with a huge carbon-fibre wing and other aerodynamic surfaces that help it stick to the road.

jaguar_ftype_svr_gopro_2

Basically, it’s very nice – and therefore you can imagine my answer when Jaguar asked if I’d like to drive it around Rockingham’s infield circuit.

As much as I enjoy driving fast cars that I’ll never be able to afford around a track, there was an interesting tech element to this event too. A few months ago, Jaguar announced that the 2018 SVR would come with GoPro ReRun app integration, so it could effectively capture your best moments and then combine them with all the data you’d want to see – such as g-forces, speed, braking and throttle application and so on. This meant I’d get a souvenir from my track day, too.

https://youtube.com/watch?v=tS-8xhb2wYw

If you’re insterested to see what my driving skills were like, watch the video above from the camera attached to the rear of my car. As I was using a GoPro Hero Black 5, I’ve also been able to overlay the track layout, along with g-forces and speed.

Even with my less-than-ideal driving, you can see the sheer speed and capability of the new 2018 F-Type. And because of the car’s four-wheel drive, you can see just how confident I am with the throttle on corner exits. Taking a look at the speedometer, you get an idea of how extreme the acceleration is.

Driving the 2018 Jaguar F-Type SVR

After a sighting lap with an instructor, it was time to pair up with another tech journalis and do a few laps. There were four cars in a total: the first with an instructor at the wheel, and then three behind, full of journalists. After sitting in the passenger seat for the first run, it was time for me to get behind the wheel.

With one GoPro attached to the bonnet of the car, and my own GoPro attached to the rear, it was time to set off – and after only a light touch of the throttle, I realised what I was in for. Although the Jaguar F-Type SVR might be blessed with flowing lines and a sophisticated interior, there’s nothing subtle about its performance. Touching the throttle results in instantaneous movement and a growl of its four exhaust pipes. You’d be forgiven for thinking that you’ve been rear-ended – it’s that violent.

It takes a few corners to get used to this brute power, but after that, taming the F-Type SVR wasn’t difficult. The car I was driving is a four-wheel drive – although it’s available in two-wheel drive as well – and that means it could handle pretty much anything you can throw at it.

Slinging the F-Type around bends with slightly too much speed resulted in nothing more than a slight wiggle, and the worst thing that happened – to me, at least – was a smidge of understeer. The combination of four-wheel drive and huge downforce meant I could be particularly ambitious with the throttle when exiting the corners, too.

And then there are the brakes. There were several times when I – and certainly my passenger – approached a corner slightly worried about our speed, only for the SVR’s ceramic brakes to somehow scrub off velocity at an alarming rate. Ceramic brakes have two advantages: they’re extremely powerful, and their performance doesn’t fade over time. Both of those factors probably came into play.

Using ReRun

Unfortunately, I couldn’t get footage of my actual lap from the car’s GoPro ReRun app, due to some corrupted SD cards – not ideal. But you can see what it should have looked like in the video below.

In addition to speed and g-force – data you can always access on a GoPro Hero Black 5 camera – the ReRun app also provides information such as acceleration and brake inputs, so it’s almost like a racing-game replay. The ReRun app also adds Xbox-style “achievements” on the side of the footage, such as “hardest acceleration”, “sharp corner” and much more.

Basically, the F-Type SVR is an incredible car – but it should be for £110,000. And although it might look like an elegant British sports car, it’s brutal and yet somehow poised when you take it on the track.