Not a lot of people are sold at the idea of what Jaguar truly stands for. A true British thoroughbred, Jaguars of the past were regarded as one of the most elegant and covetable pieces of automobile ingenuity. Today, things have modernized but the ethos remains the same.
Even though Jaguar’s time in the US hasn’t been the best, the British carmaker chose to introduce this gorgeous piece of sheet metal anyway. A successor to the E-Type, Jaguar launched the F-Type as a livable sports car that nestled the best of both worlds: a comfortable GT that offered an engaging drive.
When the folks at Jaguar opened the doors to their SVO division, things started to get even more interesting. However, with the recently launched 2021 F-type facelift, JLR has brought an end to the SVR model. With the used market showing incredible promise, the F-Type SVR is one very attractive package.
At an average price of around $70,000, the F-Type SVR with its rich pedigree is a criminally underrated sports car.
F-Type SVR: Embodies The Jaguar Ethos
Though the SVR was intended as a track weapon, it was equally capable of long-distance commutes. One of the important positives of the Jaguar F-Type was its ability to provide the best of both worlds and the SVR stayed very close to that philosophy. Much like its regular sibling, the F-type was seriously comfortable thanks to its impressively crafted interiors and plush seats.
Helping out with its mile-munching capabilities was a fairly compliant suspension, which was heavily revised and came with helper springs for a cozier ride. The SVR came with all the amenities you’d expect from a proper GT such as smartphone connectivity, a Meridian sound system, a standard panoramic roof, heated seats, and steering among many more.
F-Type SVR: Jaguar SVO Goes All-In
The learnings from their rather bespoke Project 7 helped develop a lot of the SVR. For instance, the car when equipped with all the carbon-fiber bits offers a net weight saving of around 110 pounds. Part of this lightweight exercise is the Inconel exhaust that not only sounds amazing but also helps cut down weight by 35 pounds. Being an SVO brainchild, the F-Type in its SVR guise is certainly an agile feline.
The driving experience is that of a typical European sports car where precision handling and progressive power delivery help place the car wherever you’d like. The all-wheel-drive does help put the power down but, the Jag is one of very few all-wheel-powered sports cars that love to move sideways. Couple these with an intoxicating exhaust note and you have yourself an angry cat.
Aside from all this, the SVR comes with improved aerodynamic efficiency. Helping the Jaguar stay glued to the ground is a slightly pronounced front splitter and a rather obvious active rear wing. Along with these, the engine now stays a lot cooler than its cheaper brethren; revised air intakes up front help feed the radiators better and improved brake cooling increases braking efficiency. Also, part of the previously mentioned carbon-bits is a set of four ceramic discs that offer better fade resistance.
Jaguar F-Type SVR: A Supercharged V8 Inside
A proper British muscle car, this was the first Jaguar to roll out with an SVR badge. The highlight of the SVR is its 5.0-liter Supercharged V8. Unlike the V8 S and R, the F-type SVR made 575 horsepower instead of 550, just like the Project 7. Project 7 was the first Jaguar developed by the team and the SVR has borrowed a few bits. Torque produced is 516 lb-ft and the unit saw power being sent through an 8-speed ZF automatic. All-wheel-drive was standard in the SVR along with several revisions to the suspension, tires, and aerodynamics.
Performance of the SVR stood at 3.3 seconds from 0 to 60 mph while top speed saw 200 mph for the coupe and 195 mph for the convertible. Also part of the package is an Inconel exhaust that thunders upon startup. Nowadays, such intoxicating vocals are not something common, and considering where things are headed it’s most certainly a dying breed.
F-Type SVR: Cheaper Than A Track-Spec Camaro ZL1
Let's cut to the chase, the Jaguar SVR makes 575 horsepower while the Camaro ZL1 makes 650, which is not the end of the world. Though the Jag’s a bit down on power, it’s far more refined inside than the stripped-out Camaro. The drop in power is compensated by an all-wheel-drive system that’s tail-happy as opposed to the RWD Camaro. A fully loaded Chevy Camaro ZL1 would set you back $79,000 or thereabouts while a Jaguar F-Type SVR averages $70,000 in the pre-owned market.
Moreover, if you consider performance, the Chevy Camaro ZL1 clocks 60 in 3.5 seconds whereas the underpowered Jaguar F-Type SVR does it in 3.3 seconds. Considering that the Jaguar brings in elegance, muscle, and beauty all in one package, it’s hard to overlook how much of a bargain it has become over the years. We'd definitely side with the SVR provided $70,000 was at hand. That said, the market's pretty broad and you could find yourself driving off with a better deal.
Sources: Jaguar, YouTube