Ive been thinking about what car I really own here. I was a Porsche guy for years and this car does not handle as well but is a hoot in many other capacities.


I was thinking that its actually quite similar to the sl63 at a considerably lower price point and with subtly better cornering. The sl seemed much heavier and ponderous on track. Both share a quieter gt-ish feel around town (never had that feel in the Carrera) but nothing comes close to the aural appeal of the ftype. Im also abig fan of torque. I was mixing it up a bit with an s4 this am and when we reached a light the driver put down his window and said "nice- that cars got a lot of *****"

 

Gosh, a C7 Corvette guy could have written this while comparing his car to an F type. I've been a Corvette guy my whole adult life (40+ years), but I just can't get past the C7's cosmetics and characteristically cramped interior, so I'm here (and elsewhere) now, checking out alternatives. The F type is far better looking and probably all-around nicer than the C7, though possibly trading off a bit of performance in the bargain...a trade that I'd be more than willing to make at this point in my life in order to have a nicer car.

 

Current c7 is a nice car and before even thinking jag I was on the z06 list until a current c7 owner told me about his frustration with rattles and build quality- if you haven't tested an r you should

 

I know an R is serious business, but I'd be stretching slightly for an S so an R is out of the question. Also, I must have a manual and would gladly trade performance to get it...even if I was "bucks up".

 

An F-16 fighter jet would be more fun for sure.

I felt the same way about the C7 Corvette, more HP but not in the same class as the F-Type. Over 50 % German content in the F: best of German engineering and British soul.

 

as long as that "soul" doesn't resurrect Lucas electronics

 

Comparison to Corvette is tricky. Objectively (or at least as objectively as you can be) the C7 is a better car, especially when you factor in price. The 2 non-objective factors style/design and brand/marque is where buyers go with the F-Type. Like the 911, the Corvette is just too common/familiar to be "wow". And many people just don't want a Porsche or Chevrolet...

 

I spent close to 6 months doing research into a number of different cars before I ended up deciding on the F-Type. To give you some context, I was specifically looking for a great looking convertible sports car that met my performance and handling requirements and worked within my budget target (which was $100K or less after tax & tags.) I was also planning to custom order and have it arrive by or before the 1st of September, as that is when my current lease expires. I didn't want a track car that could be taken on the street, but rather a great street car that could be taken on the track. At the end of the day I wanted a great looking high performance car that made a comfortable daily driver.

As part of my research, I did numerous test drives, watched pretty much every YouTube video and review I could find for the cars I was interested in, and read every web and print review I could get my hands on. I also spent several months in each of the car specific forums to read up on what the drivers of the cars had to say, both good and bad. Along the way I picked up a lot of useful tidbits of information and saw a number of comparisons that others had made between the cars on my list.

By the end of that process, I had removed a number of vehicles from my list (including the Z4, SL/SLK, 370Z, Miata, Audi TT-S/RS, Lotus Elise, Alfa 4C), and narrowed my choices down to the following:

• Corvette C7 (Z51 or Z06)
• Porsche Boxster GTS
• Jaguar F-Type V6 S
• Porsche 911 Carrera S/4S Cabrio (used)

All of those are great cars, and each pretty much fit my requirements in several ways.

I wasn't able to test drive the Z51 or Z06 model Corvette, so I had to drop that car. On paper it seemed like the best of the bunch, though the forums were full of complaints on build quality and overheating issues, which didn't help.

I really liked the driving experience of the Jag... it wasn't as precise as the Boxster, but it was more powerful. I also felt it had the better sound and look. Overall I came away feeling that it was a lot more fun to drive. My wife preferred the level of comfort in the Jag more than the Boxster too, so that pretty much clinched it.

I was planning to order a V6S but at the time, the orders were falling behind schedule and no dealer could guarantee getting me a car before my lease expired. I also had no luck finding a a 2016 model on the floor with all the options I wanted (like torque vectoring and AWD.) I ended up going with the R model as a local dealer had a 2016 model that had just come in with all the options I wanted, plus they were willing to work with me on price. After test driving it, I was sold. Yes, I ended up exceeding my budget plan, but ended up with a lot more car too. Plus my wife is happy. Had it not worked out, I probably would have ended up with a Boxster GTS.

In any case, comparison wise, I think all of the vehicles I mentioned above are comparable to the F-Type in one way or another. I think the closest comparisons in the price range are the Boxster/Cayman and the C7 Corvette (Z51 or Z06). If you're looking to compare on looks and performance, you'll need to expand the budget to include 911, Ferrari California, the MB SLS/AMG GT, and some of the Aston Martin's (though I consider those more GT cars.)

 

I can't say there's anything I've owned/driven that's quite like the F-Type. My VR4 is as close as any, although it probably compares more directly to a 'vette. With mod's & Apexi, the VR4 is a bit more powerful than the S. Both have tight steering and good brakes; both have adjustable suspension and exhaust. But, with 20+ years of newer technology, the Jag has the edge on all counts. The VR4 has a stick / the Jag has rag top. Both are fun.

 

My requirements were a bit stricter than Merlin's, I think, and the F-Type was at the top of my price range.

I didn't want a convertible - long hair sucks with the top down - so I was limited to hard-top coupes. I wanted MY 2015-2016. A solid coupe with plenty of power - I'd have preferred lighter, but it's liveable as is. Comfort was important as well.

I looked at pretty much every price range
Anything with under 300hp I didn't bother looking at - I wanted a monster of a motor. If I'd been looking at all sporty cars (not just hardtops), That would have knocked out the TTS, Miata, Elise, Alfa, FRS, BRZ, SLK, and the lower packages of Porsches.

That left me with the 370Z, the F-Type, Corvette C7, Porsche Cayman S+, the Lexus RC, and strangely a little Hyundai called the Genesis Coupe. I briefly added the Tesla S, but I reminded myself of its downsides, including just being far too common now.

I never got to see the Hyundai, but bang for your buck it is the king. With an MSRP around 27k, it's a killer deal as you only pay $77.60/hp. It's pushing almost 350hp and 300 ft-lbs, putting it pretty close to the F-Type in power, torque, and weight. The exterior isn't bad, but it's a bit plain (which you'd expect from a Hyundai). The interior looks like a Hyundai, and I feel like you're getting what you pay for there.

The Corvette is a pretty killer deal. At $55,000 base for 460hp, it's pushing $119.60/hp. About 1/3 again as much as the Hyundai. The engine sounds absolutely gorgeous, and for a naturally aspirated machine, it's pretty potent. Unfortunately, the stuff that I liked about this car ended with the engine. Nothing was where I expected it to be. The seats weren't comfortable, and it felt like I was sitting down straight-legged.

I wanted to try the Lexus RC350, but I just didn't fit - it was also a four-seater, which put it at the outside edge of what I was looking for. I'm almost 6', and that seat did not go far enough back for me to get into it comfortably - disappointing. Wt $43,000 with a low 306hp, the engine is a terrible deal. $140/hp.

I skipped on the Cayman because my mother-in-law had owned one previously, and I wanted something special - it looks like the S and above models are good, but the base model is underpowered, despite the low weight. With a 500lb advantage, it's certainly tempting though. I suspect it's the closest thing out there to the F-Type in general, I just didn't want it (I'm picky, what can I say?) $63,800 vs. 325hp for $/hp of $197.31.

The 370Z is a great car for its price. For $29900 base, you get 332hp - a steal. $90.06/hp. The torque is certainly a bit lacking, and for a sports car, it rides like a boat. The suspension was pretty squishy, and even the tech package wasn't all that special. It also failed on the comfort scale. The seats weren't very adjustable and lacked ingrained comfort, resulting in a car that has lots of promise but not as much follow-through. Still, It's a great deal and I almost ended up with one just because of that. My wife vetoed it after sitting in the F-Type though.

The F-Type is heavier than the Porsche, and it isn't a great deal from a power to price perspective. At $66000 base, you pay $194.12 per pony. It's almost as ludicrous as the Cayman in that regard. As others have said, it's got some serious soul, it's comfortable, the suspension is good, and it *just feels right*. While the other cars were competitors on paper, they certainly weren't in person.

The 370Z and Corvette are also ridiculously common at this point, making them far less exciting and special.

Every vehicle listed here is a competitor for the F-Type in at least some way. They're similar in power or at least power to weight, or they have similar comfort characteristics, better engines in some cases, certainly better deals in others. None of them are the same, and that's the thing - they're all their own vehicles, so none are really "like" each other. If you're looking at it entirely from an engine and cost perspective, the Hyundais, Corvettes, and 370s have it, but they don't have the build quality, the soul, or the strength of character that the Jag has.

(Sidenote, apparently these forums don't handle the less-than sign very well, do they...)

 

"What else is like the F-Type?" asks plmmd. I'm not sure what F-Type he has, but if we're talking about the S RWD I'll nominate the SLK55 AMG as the closest competitor based on three criteria: level of luxury, price and performance. See on this topic the comparo presented in the "Head 2 Head" series at:

[URL="www.youtube.com/watch?v=P42VZScnduY"]

When the vid was posted a year ago the prices were further apart. Now that the MY2016 has made many former options standard on the Jag, the prices are within a few thousand of each other, the SLK being the less pricey of the two. The faster as well, albeit not by much: 0-60 in 4.2 sec, 1/4 mi in 12.6 sec @ 113.3 mph vs. 0-60 in 4.4 sec, 1/4 mi. in 13.0 sec @ 108.7 mph.

Sure, much of what Jonny Lieberman says is just silly. He doesn't like the SLK's high side sills (can't hang your arm on 'em). He finds the SLK's interior to be "old school," "yesterday's fish," etc., missing entirely M-B's design objective—brilliantly achieved, in my view—which was a retro look. The SLK's brakes are "good," says Lieberman, but "nowhere near as good" as the Jag's. Yet his own road test shows the Jag stopping in 108 feet, and the SLK in 107. Though he correctly notes that F-Types are "heavy cars," he overstates the Jag's weight by about 250 pounds. "The much lighter SLK" is actually within a few pounds of the Jag S convertible tested.

But if you can get past Lieberman's annoyingly goony persona, there are amid the blather some interesting comments. In the end, despite his oft-noted admiration for AMG engineering, he gives the nod to the Jag. As he puts it: "Just look at it. And listen to it... It's just righteous."

I agree, which is why, in about a month, an F-Type S coupe will have replaced the 2013 SLK55 currently in my garage.

Things I'll miss: everything AMG, in particular the 415 hp V8 and the suspension. And the retractable hardtop. Things that will console me in the Jag: the sound effects, the drop-dead beauty of the beast, the unabashedly recreational instrumentation, the configurable Dynamic Mode...

Two great cars. Life is good.

 

I have the 16 r awd and have driven quite few amgs at the track at AMG school (several levels) I really liked the balance of the c black best then the e63- the sl seemed a bit ponderous vs the e. The s /ml/g/cls im not sure why they exist except to show the world how you can spend money. Sorta like the XJ r's they had at Monticello - sounded like a nascar race when they drove by but when behind the wheel really was just a big powerful plundering sedan. The slk amg seemed a bit underpowered but that was few years ago in slk55 trim

 

Interesting, I would have expected the e63 to be even more tail happy then the F-Type.

 

Given the other cars on people's lists above, I'm surprised no one cross-shopped the Viper.

 

The Viper is in a class all by itself. It's not comfortable, doesn't have a particularly pleasing exhaust note, is not reliable by modern standards, and is otherwise very unrefined. I can't imagine using one for any kind of street-duty other than going to "cars and coffee."

Having said all of the above, it can clock very good track times.

 

Looks way too funky for me. I respect the rawness of the car, what it stands for, but it just looks way too much like a clown shoe.

 

The car users a German ZF transmission, which is a large chunk of the car and it's "parts" content. ZF transmission make their way into a ton of cars from all around the world, it doesn't exactly mean the car has "German" engineering, style, or quality...

 

I can't argue the quality, as I had major issues with both my Vipers, but I can tell you that it's no big deal using them as daily drivers; did it with both a Gen II and a Gen III.


Just seemed interesting that people were cross-shopping the 'Vette and not the Viper since the Viper is a much better performer than the 'Vette and has a similar, if not better, level of quality.

 

I would be shocked if that's the case. The Viper certainly wasn't a better performer when comparing the previous generation, and the C6 generation (including the Z06) had incredibly high reliability ratings. Perhaps things have changed, but I doubt it.

2006 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 vs. 2006 Dodge Viper SRT10 Comparison Tests - Page 3 - Car and Driver

 

I pretty much forgot the Viper was still in production. It certainly would not have been in my search list. The Corvette was in my price range, while the base Viper would not be... And this is why I have a base coupe, not an S.