2015 Jaguar F-Type Coupe
Just when we thought Jaguar had knocked it out of the park with the F-Type Roadster, comes this F-Type Coupe. Swinging deeper into the baseball analogies, Jaguar is driving this 2-seat fastback deep into the gap of their lineup making it a perfect 2-for-2, and upping their batting average with another high performance hit. In the process, going from wild card hopeful to a division leader. So let’s look at the highlights.
You might think the 2015 Jaguar F-Type R Coupe is the more practical version of the wonderful F-type V8 S Roadster. Wrong! We think it’s really more like its evil twin.
If there’s such a thing as a go-against-the-grain British muscle car, this is it.
Now, engine choices are the same as the Roadster, with one slight difference. The supercharged V6 offerings carry over at 340 and 380-horsepower.
As for the V8, the supercharged 5.0-liter in the F-type V8 S was by no means underpowered, but Jag felt the Coupe could use more ponies, so it now rates 550-horsepower and 502 lb-ft. of torque. That’s a very healthy increase of 55-horsepower and 42 lb-ft.
Jag claims that’s enough to be the fastest Jaguar ever. And, with its all-aluminum structure, it is also the stiffest “cat” yet.
As for that practicality we mentioned, the cargo area is good for 11 cubic-ft., almost half again the roadster’s.
The aluminum body that hides the cargo space is beautifully executed. The front end is virtually the same as the Roadster, but the sweeping lines at the rear are as dynamic as anything on the road. A fixed-panel glass roof is an option.
That stiffer structure called for a stiffer suspension to be bolted to it. Add in Adaptive Dynamics, an active rear differential, and brake Torque Vectoring, and you’ve got a sweet handling 2-seater that’s a joy to behold and drive.
Even in relaxed cruising the Coupe feels tossable; ready to be a willing companion for any length adventure. All of our crew had high praise for its effortless performance, sharp handling, and the wonderful sounds that it makes; though some found the loud and aggressive exhaust note to have a fake aura to it, like it was trying a bit too hard.
The 8-speed Quickshift automatic transmission is the same as in the Roadster, but has updated software, helping it feel a whole lot more direct.
At our test track, it’s hard to say which experience we enjoyed more, listening to this cat growl at the line, or feeling it pounce off of it.
If all of the stars align just right and you find decent traction, you can hit 60 in 4.0-seconds, or perhaps less. And you can clear the quarter mile in 12.0 at 122 miles-per-hour.
Steering is very quick and the chassis super nimble, but with this many ponies punching the rears into action, oversteer is always in the wings; though the electronic differential tries its best to keep it hidden.
Push harder and it begs for more. You needle together corners like a bead stringer hopped up on Red Bull. Like any true performance car, higher speeds is where this F-Type Coupe feels most at home. Electronic intervention seeps in fairly quickly, but it does so almost seamlessly, helping more than holding you back.
The Coupe R’s standard Super Performance Braking System brought our car to a halt in just 110-feet from 60. You can upgrade to carbon ceramics, but we doubt they’ll provide the extra 12-grand’s worth of results.
Whether on track or road, the Coupe just feels better than the Roadster, but not so much so that it feels like an entirely different car; just a better version, even if it’s not the quietest car on the street. We knew the coupe was coming from the F-type’s beginnings, but it was hard for us to imagine that it would turn out this great.
Praises were not quite as high for the interior; beautiful to look at, but not the most intuitive to use, and things get cramped if you’re gifted with much height over 6-feet. Oh, well, nothing is perfect.
Government Fuel Economy Ratings are 16-City, 23-Highway, and 18-Combined. Our average of 22.8 miles-per-gallon of Premium exceeded expectations.
The base Coupe is actually $4,000 less than the Convertible at $65,925. However our R Coupe is at the top of the heap starting at $99,925.
So, if the F-type Roadster was a home run, than the 2015 Jaguar F-Type R Coupe is truly a grand slam! We can easily see the Coupe quickly outselling the Roadster. It’s amazing what a small company can do with a bunch of cash for development, designers with a true sense of history, and engineers with an open mind. Jaguar is certainly aiming to please, and this one is way outta the park!
Specifications
- Engine: 5.0 liter
- Horsepower: 550
- Torque: 502 lb-ft.
- 0-60 mph: 4.0 seconds
- 1/4 mile: 12.0 seconds @ 122 mph
- EPA: 16 mpg city/ 23 mpg highway
2024 Polestar 2
More Range And More Power For The Polestar 2
Volvo is well on their way to making the transition to an all-electric brand, but their sister-brand Polestar is already there. Now, we’ve spent lots of time in their all-wheel drive, five-door Polestar 2, having tested it in 2021, and a year later when a two-wheel drive version arrived. But, EV updates are coming quickly. So, let us be your guide for all that’s new with the Polestar 2.
While we are driving more EVs than ever, we’ve also been spending a lot of time recently circling back to ones we’ve previously tested. As in this new era of electrified vehicles, significant updates are arriving quickly, with R&D investments increasing and retrofitting them easier than ever. This is often done through software updates that can even be accomplished over the air. For 2024, the Polestar 2 has indeed gotten some software updates, but some physical ones as well.
Clearly aimed directly at Tesla’s Model 3 when it arrived; the Polestar 2’s build quality was vastly better, but range definitely came up short. So, addressing that was priority No. 1; and for ’24 the Polestar can travel up to 20% farther than before while consuming 9% less energy, and when it comes time to charge it back up, it can do that 34% faster too.
Range in the Single Motor version increases from a max of 270 to 320 miles thanks to a larger 82-kWh battery pack, and that solitary motor now powers the rear wheels, not the front wheels. It’s also bigger, coming in at 220 kW compared to the previous 170 kW front-wheel drive version, going from 231 to 299 horsepower.
Dual Motors keep the same 78-kWh battery, but still sees a boost from 260 to 276 miles and takes advantage of the larger rear motor for a new combined 310-kW output with 421 horsepower. Our test car has the added Performance Pack, which uses an additional 35 kW to deliver 455 horsepower and 546 lb-ft of torque, though max range drops to just 247 miles.
The new battery in rear-drive 2s will also charge faster, now accepting up to 205 kW for an 80% charge in 20 minutes; max for dual-motors stays at 155 kW, which puts an 80% charge at 34 minutes. Using 32 kWh of electricity per 100 miles, the Dual Motor earns a good efficiency rating.
The [Polestar] 2 has always been one of the most enjoyable EVs to drive, even more so now with that additional power coming from the rear motor.
Unfortunately, extremely cold temperatures kept us from seeing that increased range, as we were only on pace for about 194 miles in our test.
The 2 has always been one of the most enjoyable EVs to drive, even more so now with that additional power coming from the rear motor. And especially when equipped with the Performance Pack as it not only includes more power, but adds 20-inch forged wheels, upgraded brakes, and adjustable Ohlins Dual Flow Valve performance dampers. It greatly improves handling prowess without affecting ride quality, and is easily worth the $5,500 charge if you at all enjoy driving.
Even on a 20-degree track day there was plenty of grip through our handling course. No understeer or oversteer, and lots of feedback through the wheel. There was a nice, strong launch off the line that properly planted us firmly in the seat, and rocketed us to 60 in 4.5 seconds. Power delivery stayed pretty intense up until about 80 mph when there was a definite tapering off. Still, it was a 13.4-second quarter-mile at 102 mph; smooth, quiet, and stable the whole way.
When this car debuted, its Google-based infotainment setup was a novelty, but since then, more and more manufacturers are just “Googling it” so it doesn’t seem out of place at all. The wireless phone charger is easy to access, and there’s a great Harmon/Kardon sound system and panoramic sunroof to enhance the in-cabin experience. Exteriors have also been enhanced with a smooth grille insert and new wheel choices.
Hatchback practicality means 14.3 cu-ft of easy to access cargo space with split-folding seatbacks for longer items and expanding the space to 38.7 cu-ft. Plus, there’s even a sizeable storage bin up front under the hood.
Single Motor Polestar 2 pricing now starts at $51,300, with Dual Motors starting at $56,700; topping out at $64,400.
For a car manufacturer that hasn’t even been around for a decade yet, Polestar has kept itself busy, totally transforming their latest model in just a few years, making the 2024 Polestar 2 even more appealing. They are certainly off to a good start, and with a host of Polestars just over the horizon, including some all-important utility vehicles, this star will be shining even brighter.
Specifications
As Tested
- Motor Setup: Dual Motor
- Horsepower: 455
- 0-60 mph: 4.5 seconds
- EPA Range: 247 miles
- Efficiency : 32 kWh / 100 miles
- Battery Size: 78-kWh
- Torque: 546 lb-ft
- 1/4 Mile: 13.4 seconds at 102 mph
- MW Test Loop: ~ 194 miles
- Peak Charging Rate: 155 kW