The 2014 Jaguar F-Type brings enormous expectations. It’s being explained by the car company as “The most important Jaguar in the last fifty years.” So, no pressure at all…
To sample the new sports car in the ideal surroundings, clear of the vagaries of winter weather, we were sent to the Navarra region of Spain to explore the 3 F-Type variants in the land of bull-running and Jambón.
The goal with this sultry drop-top is clear: lure buyers away from the German establishment and return Jaguar to its sporting heritage. Being blunt, Jaguar has specifically focused on competitors like the mighty Porsche 911 and Audi R8.
From sex entice road presence, technology and track prowess, these aren’t necessarily the cars to defeat, but rather to fit. The question remains, is the F-Type that car?
On first sight, you salivate in its presence. Your right foot twitches at the idea of mashing the throttle upon an open stretch of Spanish tarmac together with the top down. It’s this; the emotion the F-Type exudes – even when stationary – that will bring new buyers into a Jaguar showroom. And that’s exactly what they want. Jaguar estimated 90% of buyers won’t be existing customers.
You’ve got three choices: the F-Type, F-Type S and F-Type V8 S. The base model gets a 340hp 3.-liter supercharged V6 and is priced at $69895. Stepping into the F-Type S offers you a 40hp bump to 380 in the same motor, along with a price jump to $81895. And finally the V8 S sits atop the fleet with a 495hp 5.-liter supercharged V8 that maytimes during the 5.1, 4.8 and 4.2sec respectively for the three models, along with incremental top speeds of 161, 171 and 186mph.
In case the appearance and specification doesn’t tempt you, then Jaguar has priced each configuration 25% below the expense of the equivalent 911. Obviously Jaguar has a soft spot for Porsche, and we can’t blame them.
Driving around Pamplona, we weren’t expecting to be mesmerised on the country roads within the V6. How often does basics model leave you grinning? However the supercharged V6 engine has great power, plenty of torque (332 lb-ft to be exact) and an exhaust note that delights you due to the Active Exhaust option on our test car.
And it’s noticeable, the steering is 10% quicker than any Jag before it. The body structure is also stiffer and lighter than any previous Jaguar, and the Adaptive Dynamics damping system we sampled in the V6 S was more aggressive than ever before.
And although 340hp isn’t much by today’s standards, the F-Type’s eagerness is helped with the excellent eight-speed ZF transmission with what Jaguar calls Quickshift.
Don’t obtain your briefs in the bunch, there isn’t a manual offering. That doesn’t surprise us any more. And the number of F-Type buyers who’d opt for this is undoubtedly small. Quickshift lives as much as its name, proving you don’t want a dual-clutch system to shift rapidly or smoothly. In both full auto or manual mode (we preferred the paddles to theis another sweet ride. The 3.-liter is sharply responsive due to the roots-style blower providing instant boost whenever you hit the gas. Bigger brakes were another welcome addition on this model.
In fact, the V6 S was an amazing package. On the Circuito de Navarra, flying on the main straight at 140mph was effortless; a dab of the stoppers set you up for a slight right into a tight second-gear hairpin; the F-Type responding precisely to your commands. This car fits you like a Speedo.
The Jaguar engineering team continually emphasized the F-Type’s “Connected Feel.” It’s about proportional, precise and “immediate response to driver inputs.” And throwing the V6 S around the technical Navarra Circuit, their vision was undeniably evident.
The V6 S also gets a mechanical limited-slip diff. So whether power-on or even in transition, this can be one Cat that’s delighted to shake its tail, thanks in part to the 50/50 weight distribution.
This was the F-Type you can compare straight to the 911 Carrera. Is probably more of a road car by nature, though without driving them together, the F-Type certainly holds its own.
2014 jaguar f type v8 s quad tip exhaust
2014 jaguar f type v8 s front end
2014 jaguar f type v8 s side view top down
It’s not light, tipping the scales at 3521 lb for the V6 and 3671 lb for your V8 S, despite its aluminum construction. So while acceleration was awesome in each model, tossing so much weight around will never feel ideal when compared to the 3274 lb Porsche 911 Carrera S Cabriolet PDK.
Yet Jaguar went to great lengths to produce a lightweight convertible, while seemingly sacrificing nothing in terms of overall structural rigidity or style. The fabric roof can be opened or closed at speeds up to 30mph, taking just 12sec in either direction.
The trunk is composite, despite the fact that like the XK and XJ, the F-Type carries a bonded-and-riveted aluminum body and structure panels.
The car hosts 141 aluminum pressings, 18 high-pressure die-castings and 24 extrusions, saving roughly 77 lb across a comparable steel structure. Jaguar even launched a new alloy called AC170 to form the wonderful clamshell hood. It’s pressed several times and can withstand more shaping and sharper angles than regular aluminum.
While the F-F and kind-Type S were impressive packages, we yearned for time with the V8 S. And whenever it happened, the chassis immediately felt up to the work of a 115hp boost from yourthrough the 19″””” found on the V6 S, and an even larger brakes with 15″””” front rotors and 14.8″””” rears, here is the top dog.
Quad exhaust tips spit, burble and pop similar to a Le Mans car, and through the quiet streets of Pamplona we were tempted to hold first gear in the slow sections to scare the birds and wake the residents with what may be one of the most sensual but violent factory exhaust notes we’ve had the pleasure of hearing.
Through all the models, the interior remains consistently sophisticated yet simple. They’re supportive for each type of driving, although the seats were taken for the XKR-S and we’d recommend the power controls.
The central air vents rise when needed, keeping visibility ahead as clear as possible. Finally, jaguar abandoned its rotary gear selection knob in favor of a much more traditional lever that’s predictably easy to use.
While it’s undoubtedly a small car with a compact interior, the F-Type is really a fine location to spend 30 laps or 300 miles.
The wonderful F-Type marks a truly exciting time for your British brand. Jaguar expects a 33% split between the three models but, as you might imagine, the V8 S gets our vote when it goes on sale over the summer. There is also a wide variety of personalization options when choosing a car, allowing you to alter interior and exterior finishes and colors, etc. However, each model is well equipped as standard and all possess a premium feel, with the F-Type V6 not sacrificing anything compared to the V8 S, except in terms of mechanical ability. The corporationGo ahead, take another look at the photos, specifically the engine “bay,” then browse through the spec list and reread the title for the third or fourth time. Now, let’s get down to business here. First and foremost, putting a V-6 into an Insight is downright wacky. Converting an Insight to rear-wheel drive is just crazy. Creating a one-off, mid-engine Insight is pure madness! No less than that’s the things i thought initially when i first laid eyes upon Mini Tec’s Frank-Insight build. Little did I understand, the build wasn’t even finished when this occurs; they had visions of a snarling turbo setup on the horizon.
Last summer, I’d run into Mini Tec’s website, superfastminis.com, while helping a colleague research swap options for early model Minis. Clicking with the site, I stumbled upon a massive inventory of Mini Tec custom-built components committed to making the art of swapping a VTEC powerplant into a Mini both safe and simple. Front, rear, and all of-wheel-drive conversion alternatives are the norm around this shop, nevertheless i was quickly pulled clear of any and all thoughts of Minis when I noticed the blue Insight you see pictured. A good look revealed an Acura TL swap sitting in the chest cavity of your once anemic gas sipper, and I immediately sent an email to get more information about this one-of-a-kind build.
The first question is, of course, “How do you develop something like this? ”
Mini Tec states, “Approximately 2 yrs ago, a possible customer inquired of the feasibility of fitting the complete first-generation Insight Hybrid system into a Classic Mini. We were intrigued, so we acquired a wrecked 2000 Insight donor and began dismantling it. When we removed battery pack, we discovered a tremendous vacancy aft the seat area. Previous experience with mid/rear engine cars gave us an idea. We’d been reading about J-series swaps in Honda Tuning, but considered the J too heavy and tall for the Mini. After a little quick measurements, we knew the J had found a new home. Using information from Honda Tuning, forums, and Don at RPM Systems, we decided on a ’03 TL engine with a ’04 Accord V-6 tranny and stock TL ECU.”
In need of an authentic car that belongs to them for the transplant, the crew took to Craigslist and ultimately came up with a salvage-titled ’02 with “minor flood damage.” Mini Tec adds, “The seller told us water only entered the floorboard area, and a quick inspection found no evidence otherwise. So, for a mere $1,800, we brought the car returning to the shop for disassembly.” Peeling back the layers, it was apparent that the Insight has been completely submerged in muddy water at some point as mud reared its ugly face on top of the headliner, hood insulation, and everywhere else. Prior to the fabrication magic began, a total teardown was in order.along with the complete rear suspension. We then transferred it to the jig rack and located the engine/tranny by matching the intermediate shaft with the axle centerline, then centering and squaring it.”
With all the engine in position, the suspension was tackled (see sidebar), and the wiring nightmare that is certainly almost customary with a once completely flooded vehicle began-and painfully carried on for quite some time. Having plenty of knowledge about Honda-based swaps, the shop found the engine and support wiring were child’s play. There were lots of wiring roadblocks along the way, however. Mini Tec states, “We had to replace wiper motors, window motors, all relays and fuses-even some switches. We learned a life lesson: never deal on a flood car! We spent as much time in the flood problems as we did on the swap! ”
With the wiring mess a subject put to rest, the TL Type S engine was fired up and the maiden voyage underway. The torque of the V-6 combined with the lightweight “slippery” chassis was incredible. Further testing revealed that with Mini Tec’s engine mounting and suspension strategies performing so well, even above the performance level of the TL swap, the chassis could indeed handle more. Some back and forth conversations with Don of RPM Systems, and both parties agreed that a turbocharged V-6 is the next step. A J35 Odyssey engine with a custom turbo kit overseen by an AEM EMS at just 8 pounds of boost belted out 400 rear wheel horsepower! At the svelte 2,200 pounds, the power-to-weight ratio is out of the world, and yes, they upgraded the factory brakes at all four corners.
Mini Tec says they’ve found a solid balance with the car and have a few more changes to make; namely a longer final drive, front caster adjustment, and some additional downforce. In the safety department, a new cage, harness, and proper seats will add some additional confidence when the hammer is dropped. Few are as far outside the box as Mini Tec’s mid-engine, rear-wheel-drive, turbo V-6 Frank-Insight, even though we’ve seen several unique projects pass through the web pages of Honda Tuning, a few of which reside within the pages of this very issue!ten years
Dream car
Ferrari 458 Italia
Inspiration for this build
Speed Nut
Future builds
More Insight changes
Suspension Fabrication
The act of converting a once gas-miserly front engine, front-wheel-drive commuter into the fire-breathing, mid-engine monster that you now see will not be one to be taken lightly. Beyond the extensive planning and extremely talented fabrication skills, the guys at Mini Tec have a ton of real-world experience under their belts. Adapting their hands-on experience from the industry of custom Minis to the otherworldly Honda Insight project, particularly the suspension department, was important to the project’s success. They explain, “Having previously developed a rear drive hub and trailing arm for the rear engine Mini, we used a similar design with the Insight. With the existing framerails in the rear, we had an issue with placement of the spring and damper, so we decided on a seesaw-type arm that pivots in the center by using a QA1 rock spherical bearing, along with a mount bolted directly into the stock trailing arm location. We used a 5-inch coilover shock mounted just aft of the seats on the forward end from the arm, having a hub about the rearward side. The rear suspension is entirely adjustable for camber, alignment, ride height, spring rebound, rate and compression.” That’s right, by using the compression- and rebound-adjustable coilover shocks jointly with cam-bolt adjustable hubs and transverse-mounted parallel stabilizer bars with adjustable rod ends. When Mini Tec takes on a project, they cover their bases.
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