FAST FACTS
* Model: 2015 Jaguar F-Type R Coupe* Exterior color: Polaris white* Interior color: Jet black* Engine: 5.0-liter supercharged V-8* Horsepower: 550* Transmission: Eight-speed automatic* Fuel economy: 23 mpg highway, 18 mpg city* Dealer: Jaguar Chattanooga* Price (as tested): $105,513
Some things demand second helpings. Things like mashed potatoes, sweet tea and Jaguar sports cars.
A few months ago we shared our impressions of the Jaguar F-Type convertible, the first new two-seater from the British car company in 50 years. Looking back, our report on the F-Type roadster might have been a bit gushy. But that is what the F-Type line is designed to do: seduce buyers with the sexiest car curves on Earth.
For some months now, we have been under the spell of the coupe (hard-top) version of the F-Type which, if anything, is even more fetching than the roadster (convertible). Every time we walked through the showroom of Jaguar Chattanooga, the F-Type Coupe called our name.
Alas, we could no longer resist.
Earlier this week, James Vandermerwe, general manager of Jaguar Chattanooga, handed us the keys to a 2015 F-Type R Coupe, which has a 550-horsepower, supercharged V-8 under the hood. The New York Times delightfully compared the crackling exhaust note of the F-Type R Coupe to "gargling with nitroglycerin."
"Keep it all day," Vandermerwe said.
And, oh, we would have, had it not been for a snow storm bearing down on Chattanooga. You don't want to risk an insanely-powerful $105,000 sports car like the F-Type R Coupe on icy roads. That would be like using a Picasso painting as an umbrella.
STYLING AND FEATURES
The F-Type is a purpose-built piece with two goals: to turn heads and to turn fast laps at the track. It succeeds at both.
Fine automobiles are meant to be seen in three dimensions, so photographs don't quite do them justice. While the convertible is gorgeous, it's a bit unfinished. To our eyes, the F-Type requires a roof-line to tie together its best features.
The sculpted hood of the coupe, with its improbable length and nostril-like air intakes, sets the tone for the rest of the car. Walk up to the F-Type R Coupe and your eyes will be drawn to the fighter-jet inspired grille, flanked by dual air intakes on both sides. The swept headlamp assemblies are recessed into the lines of the hood like a race car's. The low roof line enhances the liquid elegance of the F-Type's design and tapers into the one of the most brilliantly executed rear-end designs in the business.
The F-Type R Coupe's rear wheel-wells flare out like the thighs of an Olympics sprinter. Underneath those sheet-metal bulges are black, 20-inch Cyclone alloy wheels, with bright-red brake calipers showing through. (For about $13,500 more -- the price of a Kia Soul -- you can add carbon-ceramic brakes.)
Inside, the two-passenger F-Type R Coupe envelops its occupants with snug-fitting seats that feature adjustable side bolsters, a must for the high G-force cornering you'll want to do. All the finishes are luxury quality -- as you would expect in a six-figure automobile -- and include classy, carbon-fiber accents
Standard amenities on the F-Type R Coupe include heated seats and steering wheel, a 770-watt Meridian sound system, and a touch screen with navigation and backup sensors. Options on our tester include a powered tailgate ($750), a panoramic glass sunroof ($1,200), the cyclone wheels ($1,000) and a safety package ($2,100) that features a rear parking camera and blind-spot monitors.
The coupe offers about 11 square feet of trunk space, just enough to pack clothes for a long weekend at the beach.
DRIVING IMPRESSIONS
So, how powerful is the F-Type R Coupe? Well, if you point it facing East and floor the accelerator, it might make the Earth spin backwards.
Your first hint that there's something wild under the hood is the beastly exhaust note that growls at you when you activate the coupe's start button. Under normal acceleration, the engine note is more like a purr. But give it a little gas, and it builds quickly into a roar. The symphonic exhaust is part of the charm of the F-Type R Coupe. If you are annoyed by ostentatious power, you might want to look at another vehicle.
The V-8 powered F-Type R Coupe will sprint from zero-to-60 miles per hour in a blistering 3.5 seconds. When a motorist edged a little too close during our test drive on Highway 153 on Wednesday, I juice the F-Type and the gawker suddenly became a tiny dot in my rear-view mirror.
The F-Type R Coupe is the most powerful production Jaguar ever built, but for those who want a little less horsepower, there's a supercharged V-6 F-Type Coupe that makes 340 horsepower -- still plenty of engine. All-wheel-drive is available on the V-6 model.
At 70 miles per hour, a rear wing deploys and reduces lift by 264 pounds. It retracts when the speed drops to 50 mph. The F-Type's door handles are recessed into the sheet metal so they don't catch air.
BOTTOM LINE
For $65,000 (about twice the average price of a new vehicle sold in the United States last year) you can own one of the most beautiful automobiles ever designed. For about $100,000 you can own the deluxe version, the F-Type R Coupe, which layers on a performance package that has Porsche looking over its shoulder.
Buying an F-Type is never a value proposition. It's about owning a spectacular automobile that will make you smile every time you open the garage.
Contact Mark Kennedy at mkennedy@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6645. Follow him on Twitter @TFPCOLUMNIST. Subscribe to his Facebook updates at www.facebook.com/mkennedycolumnist.