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2017 Jaguar XE: We'll miss our long-termer, but not its diesel engine

This may be automotive journalist blasphemy, but diesels aren't always a good thing. And I don't mean that from an emissions standpoint. Sometimes the diesel in question isn't a good engine, and/or is a bad fit for the cars to which they're fitted. Our long-term Jaguar XE diesel is a textbook case of both issues. The first issue becomes apparent from the moment the 2.0-liter turbodiesel four-cylinder fires up with all the clattering, tapping and ticking that can only come from a compression-ignition engine. It's far from the shaking and knocking of full-size diesel trucks of a few decades ago, but it definitely feels a generation or two behind other diesel cars. For instance, we had a diesel Chevy Cruze in the office, which was quieter and smoother than the Jaguar despite a base price roughly $10,000 less. It becomes a bit smoother and less raucous as revs increase, but the volume remains rather high, making it sound as though the engine is struggling more than it is. Though, to Jaguar's credit, the company has managed to keep virtually all engine vibrations from entering the cabin. Now, the diesel engine's voice would be less problematic if it provided some engaging performance, but, outside of the high fuel-economy numbers, there's hardly any to be found. This may seem surprising considering the Jaguar's 318 pound-feet of torque, but that torque figure lasts only briefly from 1,750 rpm to 2,500 rpm. After that, the torque rapidly falls off, and you don't see the Jag's meager 180 horsepower peak until 4,000 rpm -- not far off of the engine's roughly 5,000-rpm redline. As a result, the XE has adequate passing power and around-town shunt, but anytime you want to play with more revs, it faceplants. But at least it does nail, and even exceed, its 40-mpg highway fuel economy rating without trying. The faults of this diesel engine are then exacerbated by the fact that it's in such a smooth and fun car as the XE. It positively glides across rough city streets and highways, keeping the chassis steady and its passengers soothed. Coupled with a quiet cabin, the XE is a peaceful place to be. At least it would be if the diesel didn't rudely interrupt every time the throttle pedal is pressed. Through some sort of black magic, the XE handles about as well as it rides. The incredibly sensitive and accurate steering is superb. It feels like adjustment knobs on a high-end stereo -- weighted perfectly and fine enough to get it right where you want it.

2021 Jaguar F-Type R Exhaust Test | Music to a gearhead's ears

Against all odds, England has outmaneuvered America for the most savage and wicked-sounding V8 among the two countries. The 5.0-liter supercharged V8 in the Jaguar F-Type has sounded better than anything since it was popped into the R and SVR. Sorry Hellcats, Coyotes, and small blocks everywhere. Jaguar wins. Ford’s flat-plane crank Voodoo V8 in the GT350 and GT350R might be the only one that can compete on the same playing field. One drive in the 2021 Jaguar F-Type R will have you asking, how is this legal? The sheer level of noise coming out of those four very real chrome exhaust tips ensures every single head turns towards the Jaguar sports car if it hadnÂ’t already. In fact, itÂ’s so loud that we even struggled to record it authentically. You see, flooring it all but overwhelmed our microphone with the deafening roar. The key to hearing what the actual exhaust note sounds like is listening to it rev at a slower rate of speed. Then thereÂ’s the trouble of picking up its glorious overrun full of racecar-like yowls and crackling for days. No matter how you drive, youÂ’re guaranteed to be the most obnoxious individual around. Revving it up to around 3,500 rpm in first gear then releasing the throttle unloads a scary level of pops and crackles that echo throughout entire downtown blocks. ItÂ’s almost like Jaguar figured people would still want to make a stupid amount of noise even if theyÂ’re driving along slowly. This car has no chill. Pulling an upshift anywhere past 4,000 rpm prompts a chainsaw-like, ripping braaaaap that will scare small children and the easily-startled everywhere. It induces endless laughter and enjoyment for the driver behind the wheel. The cliche of "itÂ’ll bring out your inner child" perfectly applies to the F-Type R.  Americans can rest assured that theyÂ’re getting the most savage version of JaguarÂ’s exhaust, too. European F-Types have the required gasoline particulate filters that choke the noise, whereas U.S. cars donÂ’t. Sorry, Earth. If youÂ’ve done much reading on the 2021 F-Type already, youÂ’d know that this updated R actually gets the same engine as the previous generationÂ’s SVR. That means it has 575 horsepower and 516 pound-feet of torque. However, the exhaust on the new R is different from the old SVR in that itÂ’s slightly tamer. ItÂ’s difficult to fathom a wilder exhaust than the one fitted to this R, but it makes perfect sense to reserve the ultimate noise maker for the ultimate version of the F-Type.

Jaguar F-Type Coupe unveiled with range-topping R model

This is the Jaguar F-Type Coupe, the long-awaited hardtop counterpart to the F-Type roadster we tested earlier this year. Besides adding a roof, it shuffles up the engine range that we saw on the Convertible model, and in two of three cases, it cuts the cost of entry rather quite nicely (a happy contradiction to earlier reports).
The big change is that the F-Type Coupe does away with the Convertible's V8S trim (although the 495-horsepower variant will still be available in the droptop), and adds an even more potent letter to the top of the range. The $99,000 F-Type R Coupe is the latest member of Jaguar's R Performance line, and despite being down a letter on the XFR-S and XKR-S, it features the same 5.0-liter, 550-hp supercharged V8. With all that power on tap, the F-Type R will sprint to 60 mph in just 4.0 seconds (if it doesn't break into the 3s in independent testing, we'll be shocked) and on to a top speed of 186 miles per hour. If you need to get to freeway speeds quickly, the F-Type R will also go from 50 to 75 mph in just 2.4 seconds.
As the top tier model, the F-Type R is loaded down with performance-oriented tech. The suspension features adaptive dynamics that manage the car's body movements and adjust accordingly, while the suspension itself is 4.3-percent stiffer in front and 3.7-percent tighter in the back than the F-Type V8S Convertible. Drivers can dial up an even stiffer suspension setting in Dynamic Mode, which will also tweak the steering, the shift schedule of the eight-speed SportShift automatic and the throttle response of that brawny engine.