2017Jaguar F-type Svr

Thankfully, my 2016 race driver contract with Black Swan Racing in the IMSA Weather Tech Sports Car Championship does not preclude me from evaluating road cars, but I hadn’t had a reason to be concerned about it one way or another.

- Andy Pilgrim

And then, not long ago, I was in Los Angeles eating lunch with the Automobile chiefs when they asked a question I did not expect: Would I like to do some road-test work? I had already done some track driving and added “color commentary” for the 2016 All-Stars issue, so I nodded enthusiastically—and wordlessly, as I realized spraying them with food might change their minds.

So here I am a few weeks later, sitting in a Jaguar XE sedan, headed to the Spanish town of Lleida. The scenery surrounding the city is arid and rugged with its own distinct beauty; think southern New Mexico and Arizona with a dry heat hovering around 90 degrees. I’m here to drive the new Jaguar F-Type SVR.

The SVR’s exterior changes compared to the F-Type R are subtle but functional. New hood vents and modifications to the front under tray and front valance provide better engine cooling. Wider front wheel-arch bodywork with new air-exit vents, a new rear venturi / diffuser, and split exhaust silencers all help to provide better airflow and reduce lift. The new-for-SVR rear wing activates automatically at 70 mph on the coupe (60 mph for convertible) and reduces lift. In Dynamic mode, the wing is always deployed.

As far as weight reductions, new twin silencers on the SVR save 36 pounds, while wider, 20-inch forged aluminum wheels cut another 29 pounds. The carbon package option, which includes brakes and a carbon roof, takes off 55 pounds. In total, an SVR coupe with all of the lighter options fitted comes in at 3,759 pounds (3,792 for the convertible), 120 pounds lighter than the F-Type R AWD.