In Part 1, I shared a bunch of pictures and tried to put into words how much fun it was to slog a bunch of Land Rover vehicles over hills, into mud, ruts, and sand. In Part 2, I’ll be attempting the same thing, only on the Jaguar side, where I actually got to drive a Jaguar F-Type S Convertible around Summit Point Motorsports’ Jefferson Circuit.
As much fun as off-roading was, I have to admit that I am – and truthfully have always been – a fan of speed. Fast cars have always held my interest, especially when I get to drive them. I love driving my truck off road and in the snow, but clear weather allows for faster corners and more hooliganism behind the wheel. What better place than on a race track, to exercise those speed demons, then?
After our off-road excursion in the Range Rovers, it was time to strap into the new Jaguar F-Type. There were several to choose from, ranging from base model coupes to S-model convertibles. I chose an S-model convertible as my steed, and climbed aboard as the passenger. My instructor for the day was Dave, an instructor at Summit Point, and he was quite adept at flogging the F-Type around the seven corners of the Jefferson Circuit.
The Summit Point instructors had teamed up with Davy Jones from Jaguar’s Performance Driving Academy, to escort all of us around the track. After explaining the new cat’s controls, including paddle shifters and the car’s sport mode, we were off for a warm-up lap, both for the car and the driver. Along the way, my instructor showed me the general speed and placement of the car for successfully navigating each corner.
Following the warm-up lap, I switched seats with Dave, and we were off to the races. While my driving laps could in no way be considered at the limit, I had also never been on a race track before, so it was all new to me. The proper driving line on a race track just isn’t where you think it is, especially when you’re not carrying full speed into it. This is nothing like the years of virtual racing I’ve done in video games. The car did show me that it was more than capable, with enough power to keep things interesting (blasting down the straights was simply too much fun), the brakes were there to scrub speed with aplomb, and the steering kept you pointed in the right direction. This was a drama-free drive, even in sport mode, which allowed more rear slip than normal, and tightened up the rest of the car. What’s amazing was that this was the 380-horsepower F-Type S, not the V8-powered F-Type R. I can imagine how things might get out of hand in a heartbeat in that beast.
Punching the throttle on the F-Type S, with the active exhaust system, led to all sorts of devilish noises being emitted from the twin tailpipes, a loud blat that sounds more like a V-8 than a V-6. From the sidelines, it’s a startling noise, never failing to get everyone’s attention. The steering is weighted nicely, giving enough feedback to keep the driver out of trouble – should they pay attention to it. The brakes were simply unflappable. After an entire session of driving them, both by the instructors and event participants, there was no fade, no warping, just stopping. Another nice touch was that detailing staff were on hand any time a car came back into pit lane, using a California Duster to clean brake and tire dust off the sides of the car. At the end of my driving session, my instructor said to me, “Ten or fifteen more minutes out on the track and I’ll have you lapping it a lot faster.” High praise, indeed, for this first-timer.
Once we’d all had a chance to drive the cars around the track, those of us who were willing – or daring enough – got passenger-seat time for actual hot laps, where the instructor was driving along right at the limits. If you like cars, thrills, and being just a little bit scared, find a way to go to one of these events. When an experienced driver is piloting the car you’re in around a race track at full tilt, you feel like at any minute, the car could careen off the side at any moment. Every time you go into a corner, you feel the driver waited too long, and you’re just going to plow right off the track into the grass. Nope. As close as we got to corner entry and exit cones (placed there for participants, not the instructors), we never hit one. If I get the chance to do it again, I’m definitely bringing my GoPro (in all the hustle of getting ready to go, it was forgotten) to record the experience. (Ahem, Mike Blackburn!)
Upon exiting the F-Type one last time, I almost wished I had the requisite $65k+ it would take to bring one of these new Jaguars home. While it certainly wasn’t a normal test drive, it hit all the right buttons. Comfortable seats with plenty of bolstering for sideways fun, enough power to play without the temptation of going to jail, with solid brakes and steering as icing on a drop-top cake. The Jaguar F-Type should put people on notice, that the traditionally staid company wants to share its racing pedigree with its customers, and the F-Type is a great start to that. Available as a coupe or convertible, with 340 horsepower for the base model, 380 for the S, and a whopping 550 if you pony up for the F-Type R with its supercharged V8, the F-Type family from Jaguar has a little something for everyone. Add in superb fit and finish, great material and color choices, and a slew of performance and luxury amenities, and Jaguar’s got a winner on their hands.
Once everyone in our session had completed both the Jaguar and Land Rover courses, the sales staff were on hand to explain the intricacies of the cars a little further, going through specifications and options available. Then the catering truck showed up for the event’s finale, with some tasty BBQ. While eating, several of us discussed the different vehicles we drove, what we liked about one or the other, and all wished we could turn around and start it all over again. All in all, it was a very fun event, and I look forward to going again (and of course, reliving the event by writing it up to share with you).
My sincere thanks to all the staff, and especially Mike Blackburn, my friend and salesman at Rosenthal Jaguar/Land Rover, for inviting me and showing his dealership’s latest sheet metal offerings.
by John Suit
Special thanks to Mike Blackburn of Rosenthal Jaguar/Land Rover, General Manager Roger Wildermuth for putting on the event, as well as the rest of the Rosenthal and Summit Point Motorsports Staff that worked hard to ensure that everyone had a fun, safe time!
Great review! Would it be ok to post this to our facebook page?