2019 Jaguar F-Type SVR Road Test

Pros:
Bold, brash style and bold, brash manners are endearing — some of the time. Surprisingly great for long-distance drives. Power, intoxicating power, for days. Also surprisingly good fuel economy when given a chance to stretch out and impressive cargo capacity.

Cons:
That exhaust, though. Infotainment system still sourced from college kids in a garage. The throttle is touchy, and the carbon-ceramic brakes are a needless expense.

Bottom line:
The Jaguar F-Type SVR Coupe is madly entertaining and surprisingly livable thanks to a compliant suspension and decent fuel economy. Some rough edges give it personality, but for this price, we prefer execution to exuberance.

What we got
We liked the last Jaguar F-Type that we had in our long-term fleet so much that we wanted another crack at one. That car was bold, its lines were sumptuous, its orange-copper-ish color was outstanding, and it was just a thrill to drive, if you could get past some of its very real comfort and technology issues.

Since we had an F-Type R Coupe with a lusty V8 last time, maybe we should mix it up and try a supercharged six-cylinder? Or even the entry-level turbo four-cylinder?

Ah, no. It was time for bold action, so we went straight for the jugular and upped the ante with the highest-output V8 (575 hp) in the SVR trim. It was still bold, still sumptuous, and in an even more outstanding color, this one a vibrant, electric, pulsating blue. Really, really blue. With yellow brakes.

One of the biggest differences with this new SVR compared to our former long-termer is that it's all-wheel-drive. We loved that the last Jag was quite tail-happy and you could have some fun sliding out the back end if you wanted to. Would AWD tame those tendencies?

We were also curious whether updates had improved Jag's awful infotainment system, and whether the SVR would prove any more comfortable than the former R Coupe. We had a year to find out.

Performance

• "The SVR's break-in period covered a full 2,000 miles, so we had to wait a while to unleash all 575 horses. Assuming my colleagues were on their best behavior, I had the honor of the inaugural flooring, as the odometer clicked past 2,000 near the beginning of my random road trip up Highway 1. Quite simply, accelerating in this car with this powertrain (including the F-Type R's 550-hp version) is about the most fun you can have on four wheels. Pull out to pass on a two-lane and BOOM! You're gone. Twenty car lengths are devoured in what feels like a split second." — Josh Sadlier, director, content strategy




• "There's power everywhere with the SVR's supercharged V8. Whether it's at low rpm or high rpm, mashing the gas results in outlandishly rapid acceleration. It also results in quickly breaking the speed limit. As much as I love the power, I constantly find myself struggling to muster the restraint to keep this car at a legal speed. I'd need to get out in the open country or do a lot of high-performance track days in order to enjoy all the power our F-Type has on offer." — Brent Romans, senior editor, written content

• "I've had great experiences with V8-powered Jaguar F-Types in the past. At least for me, it's one of my favorite ways to blast through the canyons. How is our new F-Type on a racetrack, though? I got the opportunity to find out at Willow Springs Raceway. I've turned a couple hundred laps there, so I know that track well. As much as I love the F-Type on the road, I wasn't terribly impressed on track. My first lap bombing into Turn 1 got my attention. It's not that the rear wants to swap ends with the front, there's just this subtle, unsettling wiggle from left to right. After three-and-a-half sessions (20 minutes each), the tires had a lot of graining, and the midday heat was making them a little squirmy. It was certainly a fun time at the track, but I've had more fun in other cars." — Mark Takahashi, senior reviews editor




• "Does anybody really need carbon-ceramic brakes? Nobody does, unless regular track usage is in your plans. These track-day specials are grabby, cantankerous and squeaky in daily use. The bite point is way too digital. There's no subtlety or finesse here. I guess they match the overly touchy throttle. But two wrongs don't make a right." — Dan Edmunds, director, vehicle evaluation

• "These brakes are getting to be nearly as obnoxious as the exhaust, especially when driving through a neighborhood with a lot of stop signs. Light brake pedal pressure makes these things just screech. It's so high-pitched that I worry we might affect the migration patterns of bats." — Kurt Niebuhr, vehicle test editor




• "Oregon is well-known for its rainy weather. What is not well-known is that some of the roads, especially those near Mount Hood, have deep ruts where the water can pool, which is due to people using studded tires for winter driving. Yes, our F-Type has AWD, but it's also shod with summer tires. The Jag's Rain/Snow/Ice driving mode came in handy. It brings about a more gradual power delivery and reduces the chance of overwhelming the tires with too much power, which is quite easy to do. It gave the Jaguar a feeling of sure-footedness that it wouldn't have without the mode engaged." — Rex Tokeshi-Torres, vehicle testing technician

• "While doing [a final] skidpad test, our driver Kurt Niebuhr noticed the Jag's handling balance was unstable. In his test report, he wrote: 'Yeehaw. To my memory, the SVR feels very different from what I experienced in the original test. There was almost never a moment without considerable sawing at the steering wheel. Understeer transitioned to power on/off oversteer and back again. It feels as if the center and rear diffs are arguing with each other like kids in a back seat. Even with the ESC on, it was still a bit of a handful.'

  "One thought is that the tires are worn because of heat-cycling from the high-performance driving events we've done. Countering that plausibility is the fact that we replaced the rear tires recently, and that the fronts still have decent tread left. Maybe the combination of new rear tires and original fronts is messing with the AWD traction systems? Maybe the differentials need servicing? Since the yearlong test of our SVR is nearing its end, we're not likely to get a final answer here." — Brent Romans

Comfort

• "One thing that surprises about this Jag is how comfortable it is on the open road. From the look of it, you might think it'd be a hard-edge racing machine, but the truth is that the SVR remains every bit the Porsche 911 competitor on long hauls. Sure, there's mega road noise over coarse surfaces because that's what you get with mega-wide 20-inch tires, as 911 owners will confirm. But get on a well-maintained surface and this Jag eats up the miles, running at a lazy 1,600 rpm around 70 mph and absorbing impacts with unexpected compliance." — Josh Sadlier

• "The three-hour journey from L.A. to Pioneertown underlined the F-Type's credentials as an old-school grand tourer. The trunk's plenty big enough for a week away, even if you're a profligate packer. And the SVR's extravagant seats, complete with blue diamond-quilting, are exceptionally comfortable. If you're well over 6 feet tall as I am, these seats actually liberate a bit of extra cabin space, compared to the more heavily bolstered chairs in 'lesser' F-Types." — Alistair Weaver, editor-in-chief




• "Driving in stop-and-go traffic is par for the course in Los Angeles. While this is the least fun way to drive our Jaguar F-Type, it is at least bearable. The F-Type's suspension strikes a nice balance between sporty and comfortable, and the auto stop-start system is quick to engage and gives you a nice engine growl whenever it starts back up." — Ron Montoya, senior consumer advice editor

• "I loved our (former long-term) F-Type R Coupe. I took it on road trips, and I took it to track days. I sat in rush-hour traffic just enjoying the car without a care in the world. Those feelings have not transferred over to the SVR. After two days of driving six hours per day in the SVR to Arizona, I am in serious, debilitating pain. I can't sleep through the night. My back and my legs are aching constantly, only remedied by long periods of stretching and taking copious amounts of pain relievers. I will never take this car on a road trip again. The suspension is so firm, the tires are so unforgiving, and the seats are so tightly bolstered that it's practically undrivable for me on long trips. My slimmer colleagues seem to love it, so maybe that's the trick to enjoying this car. But for me, the combination of comfort issues on this version of the F-Type makes it a non-starter." — Travis Langness, reviews editor

Interior

• "One thing I'd change about the F-Type is the placement of its throttle pedal. It's too close to the driver. I wish I could at least adjust it deeper into the footwell to accommodate my gangly leg. I had the driver's seat slid all the way back against the bulkhead (it's a two-seater, remember), which enabled my left leg to stretch out adequately to the dead pedal, but my right leg had to stay perpetually bent in order to keep my foot on the gas. It made for a weirdly lopsided driving position. At 6-foot-1, I'm not so far off the charts that Jaguar doesn't have to worry about freaks like me. Put the throttle on roughly the same plane as the dead pedal and this wouldn't be a problem." — Josh Sadlier

• "Our Jag has an odd-looking climate control interface. It looks like dual-zone automatic climate control, but it isn't. It's single-zone, yet there are two temperature control knobs. Both knobs control the temperature for the entire cabin. Turns out, dual-zone climate control is optional on this $138,000 range-topping sports car. And our car didn't have that option ticked." — Jason Kavanagh, senior road test engineer

Cargo space

• "You don't really think of cargo space when considering an F-Type versus its competition, but it's worth noting that it excels in this area. I was able to fit a pair of overnight bags and a vertical laundry basket in the cargo area of our F-Type. I had some room to spare and probably could've fit a couple grocery bags, too. This would not be possible in a Porsche 911." — Ron Montoya

• "Sports cars as overlanders? If the roads are twisty and paved, why not? The Jaguar's trunk was big enough to hold my camping gear. Hearing the V8 burble and pop through the mountains drew laughter from my co-driver and caravan-mates alike, and the all-wheel drive helped get me up a sandy driveway to the campsite. Obviously, a sports car isn't the ideal overlanding partner, but the Jaguar's comfortable seats, excellent torque and all-wheel drive really help cover the miles on unfamiliar roads." — Calvin Kim, vehicle test engineer

• "While packing for a vacation to Oregon, my wife forgot that we were taking a small coupe instead of an SUV. The look on her face was priceless when she stepped outside. What is usually effortless in almost any SUV becomes a game of Tetris in the F-Type. Thankfully, it's a hatchback! We had two soft duffel bags, two computer backpacks, one hard carry-on suitcase, a camera tripod, an umbrella, a bunch of snacks, and two pairs of running shoes. It took a little bit of tweaking and reconfiguring, but we got everything to fit, with even a little bit of wiggle room to spare." — Rex Tokeshi-Torres

Audio and technology

• "Outward visibility isn't the best in the F-Type, so our car's rearview camera and optional parking sensors definitely come in handy. I wouldn't mind having the blind-spot monitoring system, too. Our car doesn't have it, but it's a $500 option." — Brent Romans

• "Ugh. Sometimes it takes the F-Type's rearview camera so long to boot up that it doesn't even work while I'm maneuvering out of a parking space. But in today's case, it booted right up and then froze, which meant I couldn't access anything in the infotainment system. I didn't have time to pull over and reboot the system. Having no audio made for an unusually quiet and pensive ride into work. I wouldn't mind living with the Jag's technological quirks because I enjoy driving the thing so much, but if you're looking for cutting-edge tech in your fancy sports car, you could do better." — Josh Sadlier

Miscellaneous

• "Our F-Type's automatically folding door handles look nifty. They pop out when you unlock the car and hide away after you lock it, almost disappearing in the blue paint when you're driving. You can also press the handle in with your hand to lock the car instead of fumbling with the key fob, but this leads to a minor inconvenience when you want to shut the door. If you use the door handle to avoid getting fingerprints on the door, the handle thinks you're trying to lock the car and honks the horn twice to tell you that the door's open. And it is open — because you're trying to shut it. So you have to use the door handle and accept that there will be fingerprints. It's a small oddity, but one most people can live with." — Carlos Lago, manager, feature content

• "Being a Brit abroad, I've developed a natural affinity for our long-term Jaguar F-Type SVR. It's a car with an Anglo-Saxon sense of humor. The engine note, for example, is so ludicrously and self-consciously over the top that it never fails to make me smile. Unlike so many high-performance cars that focus on engineering purity, the Jag is fun at walking speeds, which is just as well when you live in L.A." — Alistair Weaver

• "There are two reasons to buy the F-Type SVR: the engine and the styling. This car otherwise leaves me a bit cold, just as our old F-Type R did. It's an awful lot of flash and noise, but the cabin has some chintzy touches, the steering is rather mute, and there's an unsettled, bump-sensitive nature to its handling. And what's with the dopey, tacked-on-looking wing? It looks relentlessly cheesy on this handsome car." — Jason Kavanagh

• "If you worked in a zoo, even the most exotic squirrel monkey or wallaroo would be just run-of-the-mill after a month or so. That's how it is in Los Angeles when it comes to fancy cars. It takes an extra-special ride to catch and hold the attention of road-weary Angelenos. This Jaguar is that type of car. Credit the beautiful blue paint and the Jag's gorgeous lines, credit the exhaust roar, or credit the fact that the F-Type is still a rare sight here." — Matt Jones, senior manager, insights

• "'Wow, your neighbors must really love this car,' said my friend as the SVR's engine snapped, crackled and popped its way to life. As much as I love the F-Type's insane exhaust note, I wish there was a silencer mode for those late-night/early morning starts. I never feel more self-conscious in a car than I do when leaving my house in the SVR at 5:30 a.m. It's the suburban equivalent of a rooster crowing at the break of dawn." — Cameron Rogers, reviews editor

• "Ugh, this car is so obnoxious. I enjoy fun, fast cars like everyone here, but I wish the Jag was equipped with a silencer button. Yes, its roar may be fun to activate on occasion. But must it be every time you start it up, accelerate from a green light or just accelerate, period? Our F-Type sounds like you're driving angry all the time." — Caroline Pardilla, senior copy editor

MPG

• "I've now taken the SVR on two notable road trips in the short time we've had it. Here's what I wrote after my most recent trip: 'Onboard mpg meter appears sorely mistaken.' Why? Well, the odometer said 416.9 miles (a new range record!), and the computer told me I'd been averaging 27.7 mpg. But the pump didn't click off until after 17.246 gallons had gone in. Do the math on that and you'll see that the actual number is 24.2 mpg. I noticed inflated figures on my earlier trip, too. Not a big deal in a near-supercar, obviously, but if you're gonna have an mpg meter, might as well make it more accurate than this." — Josh Sadlier

• "After lunch, I drove the SVR to the Luxor garage [in Las Vegas] for photos, then before filling up for the drive home, I texted editor Brent Romans with news that I'd demolished his previous-best record of 24.2 mpg, at least according to the SVR's onboard estimate of 29.2 mpg. He reminded me that the Jag's calculator was typically a whopping 15%-20% optimistic. In the end, the true fill came out to 25.6 mpg. Fuel economy was even better on the return trip, at 26.2 mpg, and the whole round trip resulted in 25.9 mpg. And that was with the air conditioning cranked while keeping pace with traffic." — Cameron Rogers

Maintenance & repairs
Regular maintenance

• "The impact [with the pothole] was so violent I thought it broke the car. It made me wince. Seconds later, right on cue, the telltale tire pressure monitor piped up. Yeah, of course that happened. It's past midnight in a sketchy area, and I'm in a six-digit sports car painted an eyeball-searing hue. I carefully nursed the car into a U-turn to the nearest streetlight. The driver-side front tire was dead flat. The tire had deflated fully within scant seconds of the impact, if not instantaneously.

  "This Jag does not have run-flat tires or a spare, only an inflator kit, and that wasn't going to cut it here. My only recourse was roadside assistance. The call went smoothly and a tow truck was dispatched. Off the Jag went to the nearest dealer to wait for the night.

  "I was convinced that the wheel was bent in the process, such was the intensity of the impact. Thankfully, I was wrong; the wheel survived unscathed. Our F-Type drives just as it did before it encountered the crater. Twenty-inch wheels with low-profile tires are susceptible to precisely these kinds of road hazards, but it's nice to know that Jaguar's wheels are quite robust." — Jason Kavanagh




• "We took the F-Type SVR to Hornburg Jaguar in Santa Monica for its first scheduled service. This service calls for an oil change and inspection, which are covered under Jaguar's EliteCare free maintenance plan. The dealership also retuned the powertrain ECU, which, according to the invoice, supported an 'H225 evaporative leak monitor' update.

  "Normally, this should have concluded our story. But two weeks later, when we took the F-Type to our testing facility to get final performance numbers, we noticed plumes of white smoke coming out of the exhaust pipes after lapping the skidpad. Excessive engine oil seemed a likely culprit, and the in-car electronic oil gauge confirmed our theory: It showed an 'Overfilled' message.

  "We took the SVR back to Hornburg. Their analysis was that the oil level was just fine. The technician wrote that they checked diagnostics and 'observed engine oil level OK at 6.6 liters.' They also 'performed an engine cold start and observed no white smoke coming out of the exhaust' and 'performed road testing and observed vehicle operating as designed at this time.'

  "Mysterious, but maybe we burned off the excess oil during our testing. We'll know more if we go back to our testing facility." — Brent Romans

Service campaigns:
None.

Fuel economy and resale value
Observed fuel economy:
We didn't go into this test expecting much, as you do with a 575-hp supercharged V8 that would spend many of its miles commuting in slow-'n-go stoplight sprinting.

After more than 19,000 miles, the F-Type SVR returned 17 mpg combined. The Jag's EPA rating is 18 mpg combined (15 city/23 highway), so we consider it a victory to hold it that close to the official rating, especially given the kind of driving habits this car encourages. No one was hypermiling this thing, but it goes to show that the SVR is capable of some consumptive restraint when it has a chance to stretch its legs on an open highway. Several long-distance road trips at consistent speeds helped us here.

Our best yield from a single tank of fuel was 26.2 mpg, which exceeded the highway rating by a commendable margin. Our worst tank fill came in at 13.4 mpg. We also managed to wring 416.9 miles out of a single tank, yet another burnishing of the SVR's grand touring credentials.

Average lifetime mpg: 17
EPA mpg rating: 18 combined (15 city/23 highway)
Best fill mpg: 26.2
Best range: 416.9 miles
Final odometer: 19,521 miles

Resale and depreciation:
Our long-term Jaguar F-Type SVR Coupe topped out at $138,292, including destination charge, and we still left options on the table. Ours came with some doozies, though, including the carbon-ceramic brake package that tacked on $12,240. Most of us would probably argue it's an unnecessary expense for most owners unless you really, really, really plan to do a lot of high-performance track driving.

After nearly 20,000 miles, the SVR's Edmunds True Market Value comes out to $106,843 if you were to trade it to a dealer. That's a staggering loss of $31,449 in just one year, but it's actually only about 23% depreciation. That's just a few points higher than our fleet average of around 20%, so not terrible. You'd probably do even better in a private-party sale.

Edmunds Used-Car Inventory and Appraisal Tools

The manufacturer provided Edmunds this vehicle for the purposes of evaluation.

Where Did We Drive It?
Vegas, baby, Vegas! Reviews Editor Cameron Rogers drove our 2019 Jaguar F-Type SVR to Sin City last month to replicate a trip he made in our 2015 F-Type test car. You can read his account of the trip in a stand-alone update published previous to this one.

What else? Well, we brought the Jag in for its first scheduled service (!) in June even as we're nearing the end of our yearlong test with this 575-horsepower sports car. This service should have been uneventful, but we encountered a mysterious case of possible engine oil overfilling. The details follow.

What Kind of Fuel Economy Did It Get?
Cameron's trip to Vegas resulted in a new fill-up high for us: 26.2 mpg. That beats the previous record of 24.2 mpg. Lifetime, we're still getting around 17 mpg. Would you be happy with that as an owner? I think I would.

Average lifetime mpg: 17
EPA mpg rating: 18 combined (15 city/23 highway)
Best fill mpg: 26.2
Best range: 416.9 miles
Current odometer: 19,112 miles

Maintenance and Upkeep
We took the F-Type SVR in to Hornburg Jaguar in Santa Monica, California, for its first scheduled service this month. This service calls for an oil change and inspection and is covered under Jaguar's EliteCare free maintenance plan. The dealership also replaced the powertrain ECU, which, according to the invoice, supported an "H225 evaporative leak monitor" update.

Normally, this should have concluded our story. But a couple of weeks later we took the F-Type to our testing facility to get some final acceleration and skidpad numbers that we could use to compare to the ones we measured when we first got the car. While there, one of our team members noticed plumes of white smoke coming out of the exhaust pipes after lapping the skidpad. Cue up a Scooby Doo "Ruh roh."

Excessive engine oil seemed a likely culprit. We used the in-car electronic oil gauge to confirm our theory: It showed an "Overfilled" message. It didn't tell us by how much it was overfilled, however.

Soon after we took our SVR back to Hornburg Jaguar and told the folks there that they seemed to have put too much oil in during the service. They agreed to check it out. Alas, their analysis was that the oil level was just fine.

The technician wrote on the invoice: "Checked level on instrument display and showed 'OK.' Performed PF diag, retrieved engine oil level = checked OK at 1.7 gallons. Used JLR master dongle and observed engine oil level OK at 6.6 liters. Performed engine cold start and observed no white smoke coming out of the exhaust at this time. Performed road testing and observed vehicle operating as designed at this time."

Mysterious, eh? Maybe we burned off the excessive oil during our testing. We'll know more if we go back to our testing facility. There's one final issue: While doing the skidpad test, our driver, Vehicle Test Editor Kurt Niebuhr, noticed the Jag's handling balance was unstable.

Here's what he wrote in our test report: "Yee haw. To my memory the SVR feels very different from what I experienced in the original test. There was almost never a moment without considerable sawing at the steering wheel. Understeer transitioned to power on/off oversteer and back again. It feels as if the center and rear diffs are arguing with each other like kids in a back seat. Even with the ESC on, it was still a bit of a handful. With it off, I nearly dropped a wheel off the pavement during a lap. It might have been fun if I wasn't worried about hitting something."

I'm at a loss to explain that. One thought is that the tires are worn or suboptimal because of heat cycling from the high-performance driving events we've done. However, countering that plausibility would be the fact that we replaced the rear tires recently, and the fronts have decent tread left. Or maybe the combination of the new rear tires and original fronts is the culprit for messing with the AWD traction systems? Maybe the differentials need servicing? Since our yearlong test of our SVR is nearing its conclusion, I'm not sure we're going to get a final answer here.

Longtime blog readers might remember the time I drove our former Jaguar F-Type R long-term car to Las Vegas for a burger. It was a heckuva drive, due to the considerable raw driving time and the F-Type R's stiffly sprung suspension and uncomfortable seats. Even so, I'll remember the trip forever for the sheer silliness of it all.

Once we took in the F-Type SVR, I knew I wanted to return for round two. As time slipped away and the F-Type neared the end of its one-year stay with us, I felt the pressure to clear my schedule and head north for my annual pilgrimage to Holsteins.

But first, a few things about the SVR: Unlike some of my colleagues, I find it more comfortable and easier to drive than the less hardcore F-Type R. There doesn't seem to be any mechanical reason for this. The suspension is the same, and the SVR's tires are 10mm wider, but the ride feels far less brittle. The SVR's seats are also a marked improvement. The padding feels plusher, and there's no annoying vertical stripe running down the center of the seat.

I left my house at 7:15 a.m., hoping to arrive near Holsteins' opening time of 11 a.m. Last time I brought a friend, but I flew solo for this mission. To pass the time during the eight-hour round-trip journey, I loaded my phone with podcasts.

Listening to music via satellite radio or downloaded songs is fine, but the Jag's Meridian surround-sound system just isn't all that great. It doesn't make music feel alive and full. But compared to the base system, it's still worth the $870 upgrade. Then again, the F-Type, especially the SVR, is more concerned with sports-car things. Very well.

The trip east across CA-60 and north on Interstate 15 proved largely uneventful. It was a Friday morning and traffic was mostly clear, with only some slowdown on the Cajon Pass, the main grade between Los Angeles and the desert valley. I worried that prolonged traffic would nuke my attempt to set the Jag's best fuel economy of our year-long test (a secondary reason for this trip), but as it turned out, I needn't have worried.

I arrived in Vegas at 11:15, parked at the Aria (I qualify for free parking at MGM properties) and walked 15 minutes to Holsteins. I was seated promptly and ordered my go-to: The Gold Standard. The service was solid as usual, but the burger was another story.

Last time around, I claimed the Gold Standard to be one of the best burgers I'd ever had. But I've noticed a gradual decline in the burger's quality in the handful of times I've been since, and that trend continues, unfortunately. If we get another F-Type in the fleet someday, I'll need to find another restaurant to make the trip worthwhile.

After lunch, I drove the SVR to the Luxor garage for photos that mirrored those taken of the F-Type R. Then before filling up for the drive home, I texted editor Brent Romans with the news that I'd demolished his previous-best record of 24.2 mpg, at least according to the SVR's onboard estimate of 29.2 mpg. He reminded me that the Jag's calculator was typically a whopping 15-20% optimistic. Cue sad trombone.

In the end, I prevailed when the true fill came out to 25.6 mpg. For comparison, my trip in the F-Type R — a car with 25 less horsepower, two fewer driven wheels, and a passenger riding along — yielded 23.3 mpg.

Fuel economy was even better on the return trip, at 26.2 mpg (the F-Type R did it at 22.7 mpg), and the whole round-trip resulted in 25.9 mpg. And that was with the air conditioning cranked while keeping pace with traffic.

Where Did We Drive It?
May was a busy month for our 2019 Jaguar F-Type SVR. Vehicle Testing Technician Rex Tokeshi-Torres drove the F-Type on its longest trip yet: Los Angeles to Oregon and back. Earlier in the month, Senior Vehicle Test Engineer Jason Kavanagh used our F-Type for a track day charity event that helped raise money for JDRF, a leading organization for Type 1 diabetes research.

Does the Jag handle long-distance cruising and maximum attack driving with equal aplomb?

What Kind of Fuel Economy Did It Get?
In May, the Jag averaged 19.9 mpg after nearly 3,300 miles. Rex noted that he was initially "impressed with the mpg in the F-Type SVR." Based on the Jag's in-car meter, it looked like he was getting around 28 mpg on a couple of fill-ups on his drive to Oregon.

But we've found that our F-Type's meter consistently overestimates actual fuel economy by about 15% to 20%. Actual fuel economy on those tanks was around 23 mpg. Still pretty good, but our prior 24.2-mpg tank still holds the best fill record.

Average lifetime mpg: 17
EPA mpg rating: 18 combined (15 city/23 highway)
Best fill mpg: 24.2
Best range: 416.9 miles
Current odometer: 17,462 miles

Maintenance and Upkeep
None.

Logbook Highlights

Performance
"I used our F-Type SVR for a JDRF.org charity track drive. On track, the F-Type is roundly competent. There's plenty of traction coming out of low-speed corners. This car is fast by nearly any measure, and it is entirely unfazed by speeds deep in the triple digits. When turning, it remains stable and planted. However, under hard braking, the nose squirms and hunts like a pig sniffing out truffles.

"Selecting Track mode does more to limit throttle-on oversteer than I expected. It conservatively manages the power as you accelerate away from an apex. Still, this is a pretty sharp drive for such a heavy sports car. I had the confidence to edge it right up to the curbs even when driving it at full kill.

"As fast as the Jag is, the comparison to a McLaren 720S driven by another attendee was startling. Yes, the 720S costs more than double the SVR, but the 720S straight-up mauled the Jag as we entered the banking. It wasn't even a contest. Anyway, the tires and brakes held up fine (I was cognizant of the fact that I needed to drive the Jag home later), and I didn't encounter any fade." — Jason Kavanagh, senior vehicle test engineer

"The Jaguar totally felt at home when I drove it through the scenic Columbia River Gorge. The weather cooperated so it was a great day just to enjoy a nice, rhythmic drive. Our F-Type dances around curves, hugs the tighter ones real close, and makes one chuckle with its crackling and burbling exhaust. Open the windows, let the fresh air in and simply enjoy the drive." — Rex Tokeshi-Torres, vehicle testing technician

"Oregon is well-known for its rainy weather. What is not well-known is that some of the roads, especially those near Mount Hood, have deep ruts where the water can pool, which is due to people using studded tires for winter driving. Yes, our F-Type has AWD, but it's also shod with summer tires. All-wheel drive isn't some magic cure-all for every driving situation, so you have to be mindful of your situation.

"The Jag's Rain/Snow/Ice driving mode came in handy. It brings about a more gradual power delivery and reduces the chance of overwhelming the tires with too much power (which is quite easy to do in the Jag). It gave the Jaguar a feeling of sure-footedness that it wouldn't have without the mode engaged. Even with the mode engaged, the F-Type's rear end still got skittish every now and then. And during one major rain, it got downright scary.

"That 1-hour, 45-minute rainy trek was a long one. Traction and stability control can help, but ultimately you're the one responsible. Be alert and always in control." — Rex Tokeshi-Torres

Comfort
"Performance bucket seats aren't known to be the most comfortable things to sit on during a long road trip. I also know that my co-worker Travis can't stand the seats in our Jag. But honestly, I felt different about it. I wouldn't call our Jag plush, but it wasn't uncomfortable either. By the fifth hour on the trip [to Oregon], my left leg did get a little restless and slightly numb, but I moved the seat back slightly, shifted my weight, and it was fine. Being that they are performance buckets, they felt good and supportive on mountain roads during switchbacks and long curves." — Rex Tokeshi-Torres

Utility
"While packing for our vacation to Oregon, my wife forgot that we were taking a small coupe instead of an SUV. The look on her face was priceless when she stepped outside — you know, that jaw-on-the-floor look. What is usually effortless in almost any SUV becomes a game of Tetris in the F-Type. Thankfully, it's a hatchback!

"We had two soft duffel bags, two computer backpacks, one hard carry-on suitcase, a camera tripod, an umbrella, a bunch of snacks, and two pairs of running shoes for working out. It took a little bit of tweaking and reconfiguring, but we got everything to fit and even had a little bit of wiggle room to spare." — Rex Tokeshi-Torres

Technology-Audio
"It is nice to know that Jaguar is mindful of how long you are on the road, but the F-Type's 'Take a Break' notification can go pound sand. You actually get two of these reminders. The first one is a white-colored notice that comes on after driving nonstop for three hours. Thankfully, you can remove it by pressing the OK button on the steering wheel. It'll go away for an hour. But that's when the second one, a persistent yellow one, pops up. The only way to get rid of that one is to either stop the car or go through the instrument panel menu and deactivate it. I chose the latter. " — Rex Tokeshi-Torres

Miscellaneous
"When a long-term test car's departure draws nigh, I always reflect on how my feelings have changed since it arrived. In the SVR's case, my appreciation has grown substantially over time. Initially, I dismissed it as a silly boy-racer thing that should at least offer a manual transmission to go with its wings, strakes and gills. But after probably a few thousand miles in the driver's seat — I've driven this thing all over the state — I gotta admit, I'm smitten.

"As I've said before, the suspension is surprisingly compliant, and this car loves high-speed touring. It's a delightful combination of sports car and GT, at once doing justice to its XJS and XK ancestors and capably competing head to head with the Porsche 911. Throw in the instantaneous throttle response of the supercharged V8 — try to find that in any current 911 save the GT3 — and the SVR's (or just regular R's) greatness seems undeniable. I love it. For me, it's right up there with the best all-around performance cars on the market." — Josh Sadlier, director, content strategy

Where Did We Drive It?
Think of a vehicle you'd like to take on a camping trip. Jeep Wrangler? Toyota 4Runner? Subaru Outback? Well, my colleague Calvin Kim decided to use our 2019 Jaguar F-Type SVR. It wouldn't be my first choice, but he came away pleasantly surprised.

You can read his comments, plus some other assorted observations from our team, in this month's update. Oh, we've got a must-"hear" Jaguar-produced F-Type SVR video for you, too.

What Kind of Fuel Economy Did It Get?
We averaged 16.7 mpg over approximately 1,200 miles, a sliver better than the Jag's standing lifetime average.

Average lifetime mpg: 16.6
EPA mpg rating: 18 combined (15 city/23 highway)
Best fill mpg: 24.2
Best range: 416.9 miles
Current odometer: 13,925 miles

Maintenance and Upkeep
I mentioned in the last update that our F-Type's rear tires were looking pretty worn. In April, we got some new rubber. Here's what vehicle testing technician Rex Tokeshi-Torres said about it:

"The Jaguar's rear tires are sizable: 305/30 R20. We're getting ready to do a charity event where the SVR will be driven at a racetrack with a banked oval. That means new tires are a must. We bought new rears from Tire Rack and called up our local tire shop, Stokes Tires, to put them on. Then the question was: Will two rear tires fit in the Jag? Yep. I was able to fit one in the cargo area — definitely won't fit two — with the other one riding shotgun."

Logbook Highlights

Performance
"'See it. Hear it. Feel it. Drive it. F-Type SVR With Titanium Active Sport Exhaust.'

"This is what Jaguar says in this auditory odyssey that is the Jaguar SVR. Put some headphones on and close your eyes. Or maybe stream this quick video to your home theater system. Whatever you do, just take a moment to listen.

"Impressive, isn't it?

"Jaguar has invested some serious time, energy and effort (and love) to create an inanimate object capable of such gloriously visceral racket." — Matt Jones, senior consumer advice editor

Utility
"Sports cars as overlanders? If the roads are twisty and paved, why not? The Jaguar's trunk was big enough to hold my camping gear. Hearing the V8 burble and pop through the mountains drew laughter from my co-driver and caravan-mates alike, and the all-wheel drive helped get me up a sandy driveway to the campsite.

"Obviously a sports car isn't the ideal overlanding partner, but the Jaguar's comfortable seats, excellent torque and all-wheel drive really help cover the miles on unfamiliar roads." — Calvin Kim, vehicle test engineer

Comfort
"Like any typical sports car, the F-Type has seats that are low to the ground. Getting in and out requires the use of your core. Once you're in the seat, however, the driver's seat has a broad range of adjustability and just the right amount of bolstering to make it supportive when you're driving hard and comfortable when you're just cruising on the highway." — Calvin Kim

Interior
"There are many things to like about the F-Type SVR, but I don't know if I could buy one. Not least of all because I couldn't afford it — but maybe 10 years down the road as a used car? — but because I don't fit. At 6-foot-4, I'm taller than most people, but I'm not gargantuan and I barely have any hair left on top of my head.

"Even so, I need another inch of room in the seat height adjustment or a slightly raised roof to sit in the Jag without brushing against the headliner. For reference, I have enough headroom in Porsche's 911, Boxster and Cayman, along with other sports cars such as the Corvette and Mercedes-Benz AMG GT." — Cameron Rogers, reviews editor

Technology-Audio
"Backing out of a parking space in an F-Type feels like a leap of faith due to its wide rear roof pillars, making the available cross-traffic sensors (a $500 option) a must-have in my book. Our F-Type doesn't have them, unfortunately. It only has parking assist, which is still helpful but doesn't quite solve the visibility issue." — Ron Montoya, senior consumer advice editor

Miscellaneous
"I had the Jag for a night and never got to experience the beauty of its engine at high speeds because of all the traffic. Still, it was an experience driving such a head-turner. That Ultra Blue is a stunner." — Kathleen Clonts, copy chief

"I've said a lot of nice things about our F-Type SVR during its stay, but now let me tell you the top reason why I probably wouldn't buy one myself. It's the front-end styling. I just can't get excited about it. The rear view is phenomenal, and I love the profile, too. It's one of the best-looking cars on the road from both angles. But from the front? I see too much Nissan 350Z.

"It's totally meh, especially for a car that's trying to compete with 911s and Corvettes. Notably, the F-Type isn't the first Jaguar to have this problem; the XK that preceded it had goofy Ford Taurus headlights that were out of sync with its generally seductive curves.

"I'd hoped that model was an aberration and the next Jag super-coupe would get back to looking great from all angles. No such luck." — Josh Sadlier, senior manager, content strategy

Where Did We Drive It?
Our 2019 Jaguar F-Type SVR looks cool, sounds great and launches with the ferocity of a starving lion let loose on a gimpy antelope. Interestingly, this Jag differs from the feline version of the jaguar, which would rather sneak up on you and pounce. But for this kind of car, I'll take gas-fueled crescendo over stealth all day long.

But would you rather have the F-Type do all that with rear-wheel drive? Our staff has mixed opinions. Our man Langness weighs in on the difference in long-distance comfort between this SVR and our former F-Type R Coupe. Plus, we've got some maintenance issues to attend to.

What Kind of Fuel Economy Did It Get?
March was the second consecutive month that the Jaguar's fuel efficiency increased. The lifetime average is now up to 16.6 mpg, which is another 0.2-mpg gain. Might we make it up to 17 mpg by May?

I do find the optimism of the Jag's in-car mpg meter to be humorous. Compared to our actual measured fuel economy at the pump, it consistently registers, on average, about 17 percent higher. You'd think it'd be more accurate.

Average lifetime mpg: 16.6
EPA mpg rating: 18 combined (15 city/23 highway)
Best fill mpg: 24.2
Best range: 416.9 miles
Current odometer: 12,643 miles

Maintenance and Upkeep
A recall is out on the 2019 Jaguar F-Type. It states: "Jaguar Land Rover North America, LLC (Jaguar) is recalling certain 2019 Jaguar F-Pace, F-Type, and XJ vehicles equipped with V6 or V8 gasoline engines. The crankshaft pulley retaining bolt may have been improperly manufactured, possibly causing the crankshaft pulley bolt to fracture, potentially resulting in engine failure."

We've yet to address this issue but will certainly have it checked out soon.

Also, after about 12,000 miles on our F-Type, the rear tires are pretty worn. According to my tire depth gauge, the shallowest depth is between 3/32 and 4/32 of an inch. That's not quite down to the wear bars, but it's close. We'll likely be getting new rear tires soon. The front tires still have plenty of tread.

Logbook Highlights

Performance
"I agree with Kurt's comment from February about the noise coming from the Jag's carbon-ceramic brakes. They are really screechy now, and they weren't like this the last time I drove the car back in November. I understand that carbon ceramics are known to be this way, but I wonder if there's something the dealer could do to fix or reduce the noise when we bring the car in for its upcoming service." — Brent Romans, senior editor, written content

"My co-worker Travis Langness noted in a prior commentary that he liked the V8-powered F-Type more when it was rear-wheel-drive. I get where he's coming from. Smoky burnouts and power slides are cool. But there are advantages to having all-wheel drive. For one, you can utilize the motor's prodigious power much easier. Just mash the gas and you're immediately at full afterburner.

"Plus, AWD makes the Jag all-weather capable. Well, maybe not fully all-weather capable. I wouldn't want to drive on snow with the summer tires. But from the standpoint of doing the above — mashing the gas in the rain — you can get a lot more out of the F-Type with AWD." — Brent Romans

Comfort
"I loved our old F-Type R Coupe. I took it on road trips, and I took it to track days. I sat in rush-hour traffic just enjoying the car without a care in the world. Those feelings have not transferred over to the SVR.

"After two days of driving six hours per day in the SVR to Arizona (the General Patton Memorial Museum outside of Indio, California, is pictured), I am in serious, debilitating pain. I can't sleep through the night. My back and my legs are aching constantly, only remedied by long periods of stretching and taking copious amounts of pain relievers. I will never take this car on a road trip again.

"The suspension is so firm, the tires are so unforgiving and the seats are so tightly bolstered that it's practically undrivable for me on long trips. My slimmer colleagues seem to love it, so maybe that's the trick to enjoying this car. But for me, the combination of comfort issues on this version of the F-Type makes it a non-starter." — Travis Langness, reviews editor

 Miscellaneous
"I was curious what the oil level of our F-Type was so I went through the process to find out. Like a lot of new cars, the F-Type V8 has an electronic monitor. Either you like these or you don't, I guess. But as I quickly learned, you can't just randomly bring up the oil level display in the gauge cluster. Doing so will likely result in a display of 'Not available.'

"After reading up about this issue in the owner's manual, I realized there's a specific process you have to go through. You need to make sure: 1) The engine is hot, 2) you're parked, 3) the engine is turned off, 4) the accessory mode is on, 5) you're on level ground, and 6) you've waited at least 10 minutes since shutting the engine off.

"After a couple of aborted attempts, I finally got the oil reading, which showed we're good on oil. Well, glad we got that settled!" — Brent Romans

Where Did We Drive It?
My co-workers Kurt Niebuhr and Josh Sadlier had the 2019 Jaguar F-Type SVR for most of the month. Josh drove from Los Angeles to California's Central Coast, near Paso Robles, which contributed to the February tally of about 1,150 miles. He found he's willing to overlook some of the Jag's British eccentricities, while Kurt grew concerned about the impact of the F-Type's brakes on the local bat population.

What Kind of Fuel Economy Did It Get?
The apocalypse could very well be near; our Jag's lifetime fuel economy is up! OK, so it's only up 0.2 mpg, but it's still an increase compared to where we were at the end of January. Clearly, Kurt and Josh weren't driving the F-Type hard enough.

Average lifetime mpg: 16.4
EPA mpg rating: 18 combined (15 city/23 highway)
Best fill mpg: 24.2
Best range: 416.9 miles
Current odometer: 11,229 miles

Maintenance and Upkeep
None.

Logbook Highlights

Performance
"These brakes are getting to be nearly as obnoxious as the exhaust, especially when driving through a neighborhood with a lot of stop signs. Light brake pedal pressure makes these things just screech. It's so high-pitched that I worry we might affect the migration patterns of bats." — Kurt Niebuhr, vehicle test editor

"Every time I get into the SVR, it seems faster than I remember. This car just moves. I can't imagine ever wanting more than its 575 horses can provide. The V8 is refined, too, revving out to redline with a velvety scream and nary a wayward vibration. A luxury performance coupe can be a great way to escape the daily grind, and this Jag does it more thrillingly than just about any other." — Josh Sadlier, senior manager, content strategy

Comfort
"I continue to appreciate the SVR's surprisingly supple suspension. Sure, there's impact harshness from the huge wheels and low-profile tires, but in terms of shock absorption and general ride compliance, this Jag is more of a grand-touring car than a hard-edged sports car. I'll take that trade-off every time.

"I've road-tripped our Jag to a number of faraway destinations by now, and I've never felt like the car was beating me up. On the contrary, it loves the open road and cruises in comfort. I'd call it a British Corvette, except I'm afraid the Brits would take that the wrong way." — Josh Sadlier

Interior
"If there's one major way to improve not only the interior of a car but the driving experience as well, it's bolting in a good steering wheel. And I think the Jag needs a new one, stat. To me, the spokes are too thick — all that silver plastic stuff does not need to be there — and the whole steering wheel looks a little frumpy because the hub is lower than the center of the wheel and simply too big. Any Golf, a lowly BMW 430i, the 911, and even a Leaf all have decidedly better steering wheels.

"While I'm on the topic of the steering wheel needing to go, the shift paddles need to be repositioned as well. They're too close to the outside of the rim. As such, you can't slot your fingers under the paddles, and they interfere with your hand when you try and grip the wheel at 9 and 3, or thereabouts." — Kurt Niebuhr

Technology
"I'm very forgiving of flaws in things I really like, and so it is with the Jag's infotainment system. It's pretty flawed, as we've noted many times, but the car's so great that I mostly don't care. I couldn't resist snapping a photo, however, when the system got epically confused about the length of my playlist. As you can see in the photo, it's telling me that my 22-song playlist contains 501 hours and 59 minutes of music. (The correct answer is closer to 90 minutes.)

"It has also lost the ability to count the time for the current song; although it says 0:00 on the right, the song had been playing for a while. Eh, just a little British eccentricity, right? That's probably how I'd look at it as an owner, unless the thing legitimately broke and I had to pay to fix it. But in this day and age, it's certainly fair to expect more on the technology front." — Josh Sadlier

Where Did We Drive It?
"The impact was so violent I thought it broke the car." This quote is from Jason Kavanagh's report about driving over a hidden pothole in the middle of the night. Care to guess what happened next? You can read about in this month's 2019 Jaguar F-Type SVR update.

What Kind of Fuel Economy Did It Get?
We're holding steady at a 16 mpg average. Moving on.

Average lifetime mpg: 16.2
EPA mpg rating: 18 combined (15 city/23 highway)
Best fill mpg: 24.2
Best range: 416.9 miles
Current odometer: 9,728 miles

Maintenance and Upkeep
"The impact was so violent I thought it broke the car. It made me wince. Seconds later, right on cue, the telltale tire pressure monitor piped up. Yeah, of course that happened. It's past midnight in a sketchy area, and I'm in a six-digit sports car painted an eyeball-searing hue.

"I carefully nursed the car into a U-turn to the nearest streetlight. The driver-side front tire was dead flat. Now I could see the culprit: a moderately deep and wide pothole with an immoderately square-edged exit that laid in wait in the middle of an unlit intersection. The tire had deflated fully within scant seconds of the impact, if not instantaneously.

"Unfortunately for me, this car does not have run-flat tires or a spare. There's only an inflator kit, and that wasn't going to cut it here. My only recourse was roadside assistance. The call went smoothly and a tow truck was dispatched. Being in a major metropolitan area, I was confident it would arrive well in advance of the quoted time. Sure enough, within 45 minutes the tow truck arrived. Off the Jag went to the nearest dealer to wait for the night.

"I was convinced that the wheel was bent in the process, such was the intensity of the impact. Thankfully, I was wrong; the wheel survived unscathed. Our F-Type drives just as it did before it encountered the crater. Twenty-inch wheels with low-profile tires are susceptible to precisely these kinds of road hazards, but it's nice to know that Jaguar's wheels are quite robust." — Jason Kavanagh, senior vehicle test engineer

Logbook Highlights

Performance
"Ugh, this car is so obnoxious. Now, I enjoy fun, fast cars like everyone here but I agree with Josh when he said in the December update that he wished the Jag was equipped with a silencer button. Yes, its roar may be fun to activate on occasion. But must it be every time you start it up, accelerate from a green light or just accelerate period? Our F-Type sounds like you're driving angry all the time." — Caroline Pardilla, senior copy editor

Technology
"With the road and wind noise and the engine so loud, I really question the point of having a radio in this car. You can't hear a thing unless you're blasting it, which I'd rather not do for safety reasons (need to be able to hear sirens and horns). So that means I can't enjoy podcasts, audiobooks or carefully crafted playlists. My frustration is further exacerbated by the lack of knobs, which makes switching between stations difficult when I'm trying to keep my eyes on the road. In the end, the radio stays off, leaving the roar of the engine as the only source of entertainment." — Caroline Pardilla

Comfort
"As a vehicle to get to a hiking trailhead, our Jaguar F-Type isn't ideal. It's not very comfortable and the pedal box is small; you aren't getting big hiking shoes in there. But after the hike, when you have open roads ahead and glorious weather is all around you, it's most excellent. There's gobs of power available everywhere in the rev range, and the steering is excellent. I'd happily keep one of these in our fleet in perpetuity if possible." — Travis Langness, reviews editor

Where Did We Drive It?
We drove barely 500 miles in our $138,000 Jaguar F-Type SVR last month. Now, there were some extenuating circumstances here that kept us from driving it the full month. But considering we typically aim for driving our long-term test cars 20,000 miles over the course of a year, we're now seriously behind on the F-Type. We've had it for six months and have only driven it 8,600 miles.

Fortunately, there's still plenty of time left to rack up some miles.

What Kind of Fuel Economy Did It Get?
There's nothing new to report here. We're holding steady at a 16 mpg average.

Average lifetime mpg: 16.2
EPA mpg rating: 18 combined (15 city/23 highway)
Best fill mpg: 24.2
Best range: 416.9 miles
Current odometer: 8,602 miles

Maintenance and Upkeep
None.

Logbook Highlights

Performance
"I've noticed a little squeal coming from the brakes lately. Thinking back, it seems it all started after I took it to the racetrack in October. It's only evident on the driver-side front wheel. It's not all that surprising since the pads take a beating lap after lap. It's not that big of a deal, but I still wonder if the issue should be addressed by the dealer or not. Stay tuned." — Mark Takahashi, senior reviews editor

"Like most of my colleagues, I suspect, I continue to wish there were a 'silencer' button for the SVR's preposterous exhaust system. Sometimes I love the noises it makes — it's always fun to introduce a new passenger to the crackles and pops by repeatedly accelerating past 4,000 rpm in manual mode and lifting off. Well, at least I think it's fun. And when you're by yourself on a rural road, yeah, it's a hoot. Obviously.

"But let me give you an example of when I wished I could opt out of the craziness. One Sunday morning, I found a great spot right outside an East L.A. burrito joint in a quiet part of town. I went inside, devoured my chile relleno burrito (La Azteca Tortilleria — you gotta try it), walked out to the Jag and thought to myself, 'Ah, hell. Now I have to start this thing up!'

"If you've never heard an F-Type V8 start up, just know that it's really obnoxious and loud. You have to picture a bunch of people waiting in line outside the restaurant and others sitting at tables on the sidewalk, chatting away and munching on their meals. Suddenly, a mere 10 feet away, they hear: KAPOWPERBLAMRAWWWWR! Yes, that was me. Yes, the bright blue car with the wing on the back.

"In that moment, I really didn't want to be that guy. Hey, Jag engineers, how about a button for when you don't want to be that guy?" — Josh Sadlier, senior manager, content strategy

Technology-Audio
"Ugh. Sometimes it takes the F-Type's rearview camera so long to boot up that it doesn't even work while I'm maneuvering out of a parking space. But in today's case, it booted right up and then froze, which meant I couldn't access anything in the infotainment system. I was running 'almost late,' as usual, so I didn't have time to pull over and reboot the system. Having no audio made for an unusually quiet and pensive ride into work.

"Personally, I wouldn't mind living with the Jag's technological quirks because I enjoy driving the thing so much, but if you're looking for cutting-edge tech in your fancy sports car, you could do better." — Josh Sadlier

"I've railed against the infotainment systems in both Jaguar and Land Rover vehicles since they're pretty much identical. As on our long-term Discovery, I've given up on using the USB connection to my iPhone in the Jag. Sometimes it works, but most of the time it doesn't. Often, it'll start playing for a moment, then stop. Sometimes, the entire system freezes. It's infuriating in any car and even more unforgivable in one costing more than $100,000. My only workaround is to connect via streaming Bluetooth, which means I can't charge the phone through the USB jack. Instead, I'd have to use a USB adapter for the 12-volt power outlet, and that looks cheap.

"Part of me holds out hope that it can be fixed with a software update, but since this has been an issue for a while and with different vehicles, I think not. That's too bad because otherwise I like the cars and SUVs Land Rover and Jaguar have been putting out." — Mark Takahashi

Miscellaneous
"About a week ago, I very nearly bought the 2000 Jaguar XKR pictured here. As you can see in the background, I used our long-term F-Type SVR to check it out. Meee-owww! That XKR is a beautiful thing. I was under its spell, so much so that I ignored the trashed upholstery on the driver's seat and the rattling noise at part-throttle after a cold start (likely indicating a pressing need for new timing-chain tensioners, a $3,000 job) and made the man an offer on the spot. If he had come down another $1,500, I'd currently have an 18-year-old Jag on my hands that I wouldn't know what to do with. It's so pretty, however. And fast!

"Stepping out of the SVR, I figured the older car would feel shaky and ponderous. But it was quite the contrary. I came away thinking that this original XKR is pretty high up in the pantheon of great GT cars. It's modern enough to feel capable yet old enough to have plenty of period charm. It had 23,000 miles on it, and it could have been mine. Gah! Now I'm feeling non-buyer's remorse, and it hurts. But the whole experience gave me a renewed appreciation for the heritage of our SVR. Remember, the Jaguar GT lineage goes: E-Type, XJS, XK8/XKR and now F-Type. Not quite 911-level stuff perhaps, but still what I'd call noble descent."— Josh Sadlier

Where Did We Drive It?
We kept our 2019 Jaguar F-Type SVR local this month, and the resulting comments report on how our F-Type fares as a daily companion. Wondering how useful the Jag's trunk is, for instance, or whether those carbon-ceramic brakes are worth getting even if you don't plan to do track days? My co-workers have some answers.

What Kind of Fuel Economy Did It Get?
You expect single-digit fuel economy with this car, but we actually got through November with respectable efficiency. Over 1,200 miles, we averaged 17.6 mpg. That's better than our lifetime average and pretty close to the EPA's estimate. Heck, that's not far off from the 20 mpg lifetime average of our (admittedly underperforming) long-term Infiniti QX50 right now.

Average lifetime mpg: 16.2
EPA mpg rating: 18 combined (15 city/23 highway)
Best fill mpg: 24.2
Best range: 416.9 miles
Current odometer: 8,126 miles

Maintenance and Upkeep
None.

Logbook Highlights

Performance

"There's power everywhere with the SVR's supercharged V8. Whether it's at low rpm or high rpm, mashing the gas results in outlandishly rapid acceleration. It also results in quickly breaking the speed limit. As much as I love the power, I constantly find myself struggling to muster the restraint to keep this car at legal speed. I'd need to get out in the open country or do a lot of high-performance track days in order to enjoy all the power our F-Type has on offer." — Brent Romans, senior editor, written content

"I know this thing has gobs of horsepower. But for that very reason, it doesn't need a hair-trigger throttle. I don't mind it when I'm driving alone, but a recent passenger of mine complained about the jerky response in traffic and got mildly carsick as a result. What to do? Snow mode! It dulls the response enough to make for better drivability in congested freeway traffic." — Dan Edmunds, director of vehicle testing

"Does anybody really need carbon-ceramic brakes? Nobody does, unless regular track usage is in your plans. (And I'd wager that we're still back at pretty much nobody.) These track-day specials are grabby, cantankerous and squeaky in daily use. The bite point is way too digital. There's no subtlety or finesse here. I guess they match the overly touchy throttle. But two wrongs don't make a right." — Dan Edmunds

"Normally, I'd really love a road trip up the coast in a pumped-up sports car like our F-Type SVR. But I'm still struggling to love this blue monster. I keep thinking back to our orange 2015 F-Type R coupe. It was way more my speed. I loved that color a lot more than the blue of our SVR. It also had rear-wheel drive, which you can't get with a V8-powered F-Type anymore. Also: This one just seems too high-strung. It's not as comfortable on the open highway. Any time I drive our SVR, all I can think of is how I liked our 2015 F-Type more." — Travis Langness, reviews editor

Interior
"What's up with the climate system? There are two temperature adjust knobs, but they are permanently in sync mode. My wife, who was riding along with me, wanted super-cold air, and I didn't. She read the manual to see if there was something we could do. The manual showed that there should be a virtual button on the touchscreen to sync or unsync the climate temps. Oddly, that button is missing on our SVR." — Dan Edmunds

Comfort
"I mostly agree with Josh's comment last month about the Jag being an agreeable car to drive long distances. For me, I'm impressed most with the compliant ride quality and supportive driver's seat. However, it's not a quiet car. There's a lot of road noise. After a few hours of highway driving, my ears have had enough." — Brent Romans

Technology
"Outward visibility isn't the best in the F-Type, so our car's rearview camera and optional parking sensors definitely come in handy. I wouldn't mind having the optional blind-spot monitoring system, too. Our car doesn't have it, but it's a $500 option." — Brent Romans

Cargo Space
"The F-Type's cargo area is a decent size for a sports car. I recently took an overnight trip in the Jag and threw a couple of duffel bags back there. A load of grocery bags will fit, too. The hatchback is power-operated, which is a nice touch. Overall, this helps the F-Type's daily driver capability. It reminds me of the Chevrolet Corvette in this regard." — Brent Romans

Miscellaneous
"I've got a mixed opinion regarding the way Jaguar sells its F-Type. On the one hand, I think it's neat that there are affordable versions of the car. The four-cylinder version starts at around $60,000, and the various V6-powered F-Types run from the $70,000 to the $85,000 range. It's a relatively affordable way to get a distinctive-looking sports car.

"However, I think the existence of these less expensive versions lessens the exclusivity of the V8-powered F-Types. Admittedly, this is mostly a vanity issue. But to the uninitiated masses, our SVR won't appear to be any different than a base four-cylinder car." — Brent Romans

"One of the clearest design changes on this SVR (compared to our old long-term R coupe) is the really aggressive fender vents up front. For me, they really disturb the clean and otherwise attractive lines of this car. I can live with the big front spoiler and the gaping-mouth grille. But the big, long slash through the front fenders is a deal-breaker for me in the styling department." — Travis Langness

"For various reasons, I ended up with the SVR for a full week. That meant I had to get into a daily-driver groove with it (we usually swap cars every day or two). Of course, I've driven our Jag all over the place, but road trips to Big Sur and the Eastern Sierra are hardly the same as commuting to and from Santa Monica in rush-hour traffic. Takeaways? More than anything, the F-Type is surprisingly user-friendly.

"It's small and ultra-nimble, of course, with enough power to get out of its own way and everyone else's way, too. But it's also got great seats, straightforward ergonomics (aside from the sometimes befuddling infotainment screen) and an easygoing nature when you're bumper-to-bumper. I always feel too conspicuous driving this particular model, but I could totally see daily-driving an ordinary F-Type without the big wing and baby-blue paint." — Josh Sadlier, senior manager, content strategy

Where Did We Drive It?
If you got to drive our 2019 Jaguar F-Type SVR for a month, what would you do with it? Take a scenic road trip? Let it loose at a high-performance track event? Show it off to your neighbors? Conveniently, we did all three in September. Mark Takahashi took the Jaguar for some hot laps at Willow Springs Raceway, Josh Sadlier headed up to Mammoth, California, for about a 700-mile road trip, and the rest of us simply basked in the glory of pretending to own a boisterous 575-horsepower sports car.

What Kind of Fuel Economy Did It Get?
We set all sorts of fuel economy records this month. The following are specific entries about fuel economy from Mark and Josh.

"Willow Springs Raceway is about 90 minutes outside of L.A. It's all highway for me and in the pre-dawn hours, I averaged about 20 mpg, which is between the EPA combined and highway estimates. Not bad considering how much I love hearing the engine and exhaust.

"I fueled up in Rosamond and arrived on track with a few miles on the trip meter. After two 20-minute sessions running the car pretty hard, I had about 63 miles on the trip meter, and the fuel gauge needle was hovering just above a quarter tank. Rather than head back into town between sessions, I decided to splurge on $7-a-gallon gas at the track. The pump shut off at 6.4 gallons, which figures to 5.1 mpg.

"That's a new personal best (or worst, depending on how you look at it). My old Lotus Elise averaged 7 mpg at the same track, but that car weighed half as much and had about 30 percent of the Jag's power. Figuring I could maybe get to 100 miles on fumes, I wonder how far the Model 3 would go, on track, on a single charge." — Mark Takahashi, senior reviews editor

"I've now taken the SVR on two notable road trips in the short time we've had it. Here's what I wrote in the fuel log after I got back from my most recent trip, a weekend jaunt to Mammoth Lakes: 'Onboard mpg meter appears sorely mistaken.' Why? Well, the odometer said 416.9 miles (a new range record!), and the computer told me I'd been averaging 27.7 mpg.

"But the pump didn't click off until 17.246 gallons had gone in. And if you do the advanced math on that, you'll see that the actual number is 24.2 mpg. I noticed inflated figures on my earlier trip, too. You find yourself thinking, 'Wow, this thing's got 575 hp, and it's doing almost 30 miles per gallon!' And then you realize later that it was doing considerably worse. Not a big deal in a near-supercar, obviously, but if you're gonna have an mpg meter, might as well make it more accurate than this." — Josh Sadlier, senior manager, content strategy

Average lifetime mpg: 16
EPA mpg rating: 18 combined (15 city/23 highway)
Best fill mpg: 24.2
Best range: 416.9 miles
Current odometer: 6,752 miles

Maintenance and Upkeep
None.

Logbook Highlights

Performance
"I've had great experiences with V8-powered Jaguar F-Types in the past (check out the coverage of our 2015 long-termer). At least for me, it's one of my favorite ways to blast through the canyons. How is our new F-Type on a racetrack, though?

"I got the opportunity to find out at Willow Springs Raceway (the big track, not Streets). I've turned a couple hundred laps there in my dearly departed track car and about half a lap on my motorcycle three years ago (ouch), so I know that track well.

"As much as I love the F-Type on the road, I wasn't terribly impressed on track. Kurt warned me beforehand that the Jag makes a slight rear-end shimmy under heavy braking, and he was right. My first lap bombing into Turn One got my attention. It's not that the rear wants to swap ends with the front — there's just this subtle, unsettling wiggle from left to right.

"Then there's the traction and stability control system. Cresting the rise onto the back straight, the car gets really light. Through that section and a few seconds longer, the traction control prevented me from squeezing in more power. I was in Dynamic mode and wasn't all that interested in disabling traction/stability control with that aforementioned wiggle. Plus, I was asked to bring the car back with ample tire tread. The system's intervention made it difficult (but not impossible) to pass slower traffic before the big lunge into Turn Eight.

"Once the traction control allows for full throttle application, the F-Type really pulls. Before dropping the anchor with the car's fade-free carbon-ceramic brakes, I glanced at the speedometer at the end of Willow's front straight. The speedo had me at a very respectable 148 mph.

"I packed up after three-and-a-half sessions (20 minutes each). The tires had a lot of graining, and the midday heat was making them a little squirmy. It was certainly a fun time at the track, but I've had more fun in other cars." — Mark Takahashi

Interior
"I guess I shouldn't be surprised that the folks at Jaguar didn't do any performance driving evaluations while wearing shorts. Because if they had, they would have found out that the speaker grille becomes a nice little cheese grater for the side of your knee. I've spared you all from seeing the damage to my knee, as well as the portion of the speaker grille that is clogged with my skin. Instead, you get a picture of my fix using a rag and some gaffer tape. Yep, it looks really classy on a $137,000 Jaguar." — Kurt Niebuhr, vehicle test editor

"File this under 'Larger Shoe Size problems.' I smack the bottom of the dash, the door, the seat, or a combination of these places, every time I get in or out of our SVR. For as wide as the doors open, there's still the issue of twisting your ankle to fit it through that fairly small gap. It's pretty much scuff city, something you might not like if your shoes were a bit more expensive than mine." — Kurt Niebuhr

Comfort
"This Jag continues to impress me with its proper GT manners (that's grand tourer for the uninitiated). Get past the boy-racer wing on the back, and you'll find that the SVR is a peach on the open road, gobbling up miles effortlessly while you relax in the supremely comfortable driver's seat. You know what it reminds me of, now that I think of it? A Porsche 911 GT3, in that the silly wing belies the luxury and refinement awaiting within. The more I drive this car, the more I like it." — Josh Sadlier

Miscellaneous
"'Wow, your neighbors must really love this car,' said my friend as the SVR's engine snapped, crackled and popped its way to life. He has a point. For as much as I love the F-Type's insane exhaust note (I almost always press the active exhaust button after starting the car), I wish there was a silencer mode for those late-night/early-morning starts. I never feel more self-conscious in a car than I do when leaving my house in the SVR at 5:30 a.m. on my way into work. It's the suburban equivalent of a rooster crowing at the break of dawn." — Cameron Rogers, reviews editor

Where Did We Drive It?
Most of the miles we added to our 2019 Jaguar F-Type SVR in September came from our team commuting to the Edmunds office, so it's no surprise that most of our comments center on the Jag's interior, comfort and style. How enticing is this $138,000 sports car if you're not lighting up its boffo 575-horsepower V8? Read on to find out.

What Kind of Fuel Economy Did It Get?
We're still swilling gas to the tune of about 15 mpg in combined driving. Does anybody care? Eh, probably not.

Average lifetime mpg: 15.5
EPA mpg rating: 18 combined (15 city/23 highway)
Best fill mpg: 23.3
Best range: 331.2 miles
Current odometer: 5,165 miles

Maintenance and Upkeep
None.

Logbook Highlights

Interior
"Details matter. And details really matter when you're asked to pay more than 100 grand for a car. So it bugs me to see that while the speedometer and tach both used italicized numerals, the (optionally) prominent gear indicator is not italicized, even though it's in the same font. I'm thinking that's a standard Jaguar piece, but I'd expect something a little more bespoke for a car this special." — Kurt Niebuhr, road test editor

"Our Jag has an odd-looking climate control interface. It looks like dual-zone automatic climate control, but isn't. It's single-zone, yet there are two temperature control knobs. Both knobs control the temperature for the entire cabin. Turns out, dual-zone climate control is optional on this $138,000 range-topping sports car. And our car didn't have that option ticked." — Jay Kavanagh, senior road test engineer

Comfort
"Driving in stop-and-go traffic is par for the course in Los Angeles. While this is the least fun way to drive our Jaguar F-Type, it is at least bearable. The F-Type's suspension strikes a nice balance between sporty and comfortable, and the auto stop-start system is quick to engage and gives you a nice engine growl whenever it starts back up." — Ron Montoya, senior consumer advice editor

"There's road noise here, and lots of it. The ride quality is fine for such an otherwise aggro car, but the road noise kills my desire for taking the SVR on any kind of long-distance drive. The excessive 'basketball pings' and general tire hum/roar makes it too tiresome for such a task. On the plus side, the SVR's seats are better than those in our old long-term F-Type R." — Jay Kavanagh

Cargo Space
"You don't really think of cargo space when considering an F-Type versus its competition, but it's worth noting that it excels in this area. I was able to fit a pair of overnight bags and a vertical laundry basket in the cargo area of our F-Type. I hand some room to spare and probably could've fit a couple grocery bags, too. This would not be possible in a Porsche 911." — Ron Montoya

Miscellaneous
"The F-Type is so beloved that even random strangers care about it. I had parked the Jag on a busy street in Oceanside. A man enjoying a beverage at the restaurant across the street shouted to get my attention. 'You shouldn't park it there. It might get hit!' I thanked him for the sensible advice and moved the car to a nearby parking lot." — Ron Montoya

"There are two reasons to buy the F-Type SVR (or just the R): the engine and the styling. This car otherwise leaves me a bit cold, just as our old F-Type R did. It's an awful lot of flash and noise, but the cabin has some chintzy touches, the steering is rather mute, and there's an unsettled, bump-sensitive nature to its handling. And what's with the dopey, tacked-on-looking wing? It looks relentlessly cheesy on this handsome car." — Jay Kavanagh

"If you worked in a zoo, even the most exotic squirrel monkey or wallaroo would be just run-of-the-mill after a month or so. That's how it is in Los Angeles when it comes to fancy cars. Ferrari passed you on the 405? No big deal. Bentley parked next to you at Trader Joe's? Big whoop. Tesla Model S/X/3 ahead of you in the In-N-Out Burger drive-through? Yawn.

"It takes an extra special ride to catch and hold the attention of road-weary Angelenos. This Jaguar is that type of car. Credit the beautiful blue paint and the Jag's gorgeous lines. Credit the exhaust roar. Or credit the fact that the F-Type is still a rare sight on the mean streets of Los Angeles. One thing is certain: If you're looking for a car that has the looks, the sounds, and the personality to warrant a double-take when you hop out of it, I'd encourage you to visit your local Jaguar dealer." — Matt Jones, senior consumer advice editor

Where Did We Drive It?
Crawling through rush-hour traffic is now a daily part of our 2019 Jaguar F-Type SVR's existence, but on occasion, it has managed to escape the City of Angels. In August, we drove it out to Pioneertown, the curious movie-set-turned-tourist-trap in San Bernardino's high desert. Originally built so that movie stars such as Roy Rogers could play cowboys without leaving the comfort of California, it's become a hipster hangout.

The three-hour drive out and back gave us a chance to bond with a car that is over the top, but it remains an old-school grand tourer.

What Kind of Fuel Economy Did It Get?
We added about 900 miles to the F-Type odometer in August, bringing the current total to around 5,100 miles. As we finished the ginger-footed break-in period late in July, the Jag, as on cue, finished its fuel-saving ways. Our average mpg dropped a full point in August, down to 15.5 mpg (from 16.6 mpg in July). Suffice to say, we didn't get a 575-horsepower V8 as a fuel economy exercise.

Average lifetime mpg: 15.5
EPA mpg rating: 18 combined (15 city/23 highway)
Best fill mpg: 23.3
Best range: 331.2 miles
Current odometer: 3,595 miles

Maintenance and Upkeep
None.

Logbook Highlights

Comfort
"The three-hour journey from L.A. to Pioneertown underlined the F-Type's credentials as an old-school grand tourer. The trunk's plenty big enough for a week away, even if you're a profligate packer. And the SVR's extravagant seats, complete with blue diamond-quilting, are exceptionally comfortable. If you're well over 6 feet tall as I am, these seats actually liberate a bit of extra cabin space, compared to the more heavily bolstered chairs in 'lesser' F-Types." —Alistair Weaver, editor-in-chief

Performance
"At a cruise, the SVR is also pleasantly subdued, with a ride quality that's firm but never harsh. It's an impressive long-distance tool, with the capacity to go a bit bonkers if your mood and the road permit." — Alistair Weaver

Miscellaneous
"Being a Brit abroad, I've developed a natural affinity for our long-term Jaguar F-Type SVR. It's a car with an Anglo-Saxon sense of humor. The engine note, for example, is so ludicrously and self-consciously over the top that it never fails to make me smile. Unlike so many high-performance cars that focus on engineering purity, the Jag is fun at walking speeds, which is just as well when you live in L.A." —Alistair Weaver

"The sound of the V8's artificially induced overrun bouncing off the desert rocks seemed somehow in keeping with Pioneertown's surreal setting, even if some of the locals looked a bit disapproving.

"Such niceties matter if you're going to spend more than twice the entry-level price of an F-Type on an SVR. If you're hard-nosed and rational, it's hard to justify spending upward of $130,000 on this car. But when the V8 is in full cry and you're giggling along inside, it's hard not to be seduced. A year with this car is going to be a lot of fun." —Alistair Weaver

Where Did We Drive It?

Most of the miles on our 2019 Jaguar F-Type SVR this month came courtesy of Sadlier's latest drive up Highway 1 to Monterey, an annual tradition interrupted last year by "the worst landslide in California history," among other calamities. With the road finally open after an epic reconstruction effort by CalTrans (see photo carousel for a shot of the commemorative "CT" bench near the landslide), Josh blasted off from L.A. in the Jag and came back raving about the car's comfortable seats and grand-touring poise. Spoiler alert: He even says in the logbook comments below that he'd take an F-Type V8 over a comparably priced Porsche 911. High praise indeed for our bright blue Brit as this yearlong test gets underway.

What Kind of Fuel Economy Did It Get?
From the day we first picked up our 2019 Jaguar F-Type SVR (June 23) until the end of July, we went to the pump 10 times. We used 142 gallons of 91 octane fuel and averaged 16.6 mpg. And it's not likely that we'll maintain such a high number.

Part of the Jaguar's impressive efficiency in its first month was due to our break-in period. We were on our best behavior the first 2,000 miles: no flat-footed shenanigans, no sustained periods of high speed, no fun whatsoever. Thankfully, we're now past the break-in miles, and proper supercharged-V8 shenanigans can ensue.

Average lifetime mpg: 16.6
EPA mpg rating: 18 combined (15 city/23 highway)
Best fill mpg: 23.3
Best range: 331.2 miles
Current odometer: 2,685 miles

Maintenance and Upkeep
None.

Logbook Highlights
"One thing that surprises about this Jag is how comfortable it is on the open road. From the look of it, you might think it'd be a hard-edge racing machine, but the truth is that the SVR remains every bit the Porsche 911 competitor on long hauls. Sure, there's mega road noise over coarse surfaces because that's what you get with mega-wide 20-inch tires, as 911 owners will confirm. But get on a well-maintained surface and this Jag eats up the miles, running at a lazy 1,600 rpm around 70 mph and absorbing impacts with unexpected compliance.

"Check this out: When I got home late on a Sunday night, having spent most of the day driving down the coast from Monterey, I felt so good that I pumped out 14 miles on my stationary bike. That should tell you all you need to know about the F-Type's grand-touring bona fides." — Josh Sadlier, senior manager of content strategy

Performance
"The SVR's break-in period covered a full 2,000 miles, so we had to wait a while to unleash all 575 horses. Assuming my colleagues were on their best behavior, I had the honor of the inaugural flooring, as the odometer clicked past 2,000 near the beginning of my random road trip up Highway 1. Quite simply, accelerating in this car with this powertrain (including the F-Type R's 550-hp version) is about the most fun you can have on four wheels. Pull out to pass on a two-lane and BOOM! You're gone. Twenty car lengths are devoured in what feels like a split second.

"What's more, the fact that the V8 is supercharged, not turbocharged, means you get the instantaneous throttle response that's now missing from the tragically turbocharged 911 lineup. Speaking of which, yes, I'd absolutely take this car over a comparable 911, now that they all have turbos. I just wouldn't spring for the SVR; the 'regular' F-Type R offers the same speed without that silly fixed spoiler on the back, and it'll leave an extra $20K-ish in your pocket." — Josh Sadlier

Miscellaneous
"Our F-Type's automatically folding door handles look nifty. They pop out when you unlock the car and hide away after you lock it, almost disappearing in the blue paint when you're driving. You can also press the handle in with your hand to lock the car instead of fumbling with the key fob, but this leads to a minor inconvenience when you want to shut the door.

"If you use the door handle to avoid getting fingerprints on the door, the handle thinks you're trying to lock the car and honks the horn twice to tell you that the door's open. And it is open ... because you're trying to shut it. So you have to use the door handle and accept that there will be fingerprints. It's a small oddity, but one most people can live with easily." — Carlos Lago, manager, feature content

Interior
"One thing I'd change about the F-Type is the placement of its throttle pedal. It's too close to the driver. I wish I could at least adjust it deeper into the footwell to accommodate my gangly leg. I had the driver's seat slid all the way back against the bulkhead (it's a two-seater, remember), which enabled my left leg to stretch out adequately to the dead pedal, but my right leg had to stay perpetually bent in order to keep my foot on the gas. I didn't get a cramp or anything, but it made for a weirdly lopsided driving position. At 6-foot-1, I'm not so far off the charts that Jaguar doesn't have to worry about freaks like me. Put the throttle on roughly the same plane as the dead pedal and this wouldn't be a problem." — Josh Sadlier

Four years ago, we added a Firesand Orange Metallic Jaguar F-Type to our long-term test fleet. It departed a year later and left us with an empty void. The streets of Southern California fell silent and the Edmunds fuel budget normalized. Now we're poised to F-Things up all over again and there will be much rejoicing.

What Did We Get?
Jaguar Land Rover saw fit to fill the void with a 2019 Jaguar F-Type SVR Coupe. Meeeeeyyyoooowwww! It's the top-of-the-line F-Type with 575 horsepower from a supercharged 5.0-liter V8. Unlike the first-year F-Type, all-new V8-equipped models come exclusively with all-wheel drive.

Besides a 25-hp increase over the supporting F-Type R, our new SVR adds front parking sensors, a carbon-fiber rear spoiler, a lightweight titanium exhaust, upgraded interior trim and a heated steering wheel. We don't expect it to behave much differently than our previous F-Type as a result, although powerslides may be a bit trickier to execute given the SVR's all-wheel drive.

What Options Does It Have?
The 2019 Jaguar F-Type SVR starts at $123,745, including destination charges. On top of that is a carbon-ceramic brake package ($12,240), a 10-speaker Meridian surround-sound system ($870), a parallel self-parking system ($510), a power trunklid ($410), the Premium Interior Protection package (rubber floor mats, a cargo organizer and folding windshield sunshade; $299), a Wheel Protection package (chrome lugs and locks, styled valve caps; $169) and the Car Care package (wheel cleaning spray and a tire pressure gauge; $49).

The final tally comes to $138,292.

Why We Got It
The short answer? Because Jaguar offered.

The more nuanced answer? Going back through our long-term fleet history, the F-Pace, the XF and aforementioned F-Type R have been mostly trouble-free. They've also been popular with the staff, and there's a distinct lack of sporty high-performance cars in our fleet. Who knows, maybe another epic road trip to Alaska is in store?

Follow the 2019 Jaguar F-Type SVR's progress during our long-term road test for our latest thoughts and impressions.

The manufacturer provided this vehicle for the purpose of evaluation.

Mark Takahashi, senior writer @ 1,051 miles