2020 Jaguar F-TYPE p450: Oh she’s your type, she’s every man’s type

Driving the new Jaguar p450 F-Type should be a government initiative. It will inject some overdue unbridled-joy into society and restore some hope into humanity. Steady on Carl, it's just a test drive. 

But one of the best I've had. In fact this was more than a test drive, this was a loaner from Jaguar for two weeks. And like any good thing, I couldn't set this free and return it to the wild (dealership). I requested to hold onto it for another couple of weeks. 

First I'll give you some exterior and interior details, then get onto how it drives. 

The Details 

This is a thing of beauty. And the photos and videos don't really do it justice. When I stand in front of the p450 I immediately want someone to tell me that I'm the only one they trust for this test drive. Maybe I'm the best car Vlogger out there, and I've been called out of retirement for one final Car Vlog. Maybe a percussive Hans Zimmer score is beating furiously to a crescendo as I slide over the bonnet and ..  sorry, where was I. 

Look if this car was at my high school, it would be the  kid that was good at sports, kind to the nerds, and got all the girls. It has those aquiline good looks, with the nostrils on the bonnet and that rifled exhaust under the rear apron. 

It's elegant, but with a hint of cruelty. 

The side profile hasn't changed since its predecessor. Which is no longer available, the V6 is no more. The V8 is the Dalton to its V6-Moore. Younger, stronger, grounded in reality. 

The interiors are also similar in design, but updated. The analogue dials are out. This is the digital frontier. The infotainment system is the latest JLR set-up and everything is where it needs to be - pointed at the driver. plenty of cup holders and large side bins. Now onto the drive. 

The Drive

This car based upon every boyhood fantasy. It has the comfort mode for relaxed reflective moments. Then when you want to channel your inner Bond, when you want to feel the growl and feel the cars capabilities, it doesn't let you down. To roll out the girlfriend-car comparison cliché, it's a saint in the kitchen, and a whore in the bedroom. 

0-100 kph in up to 3.5 seconds, yet it feels faster. The sound is all enveloping. The raucous grunt is the sound of monsters coming over the brow of a hill. Yet it's not the muscular blunt instrument that often comes with such characteristics. It's nimble. It's aggressive. It's like The Rock in the body of Jackie Chan. It has all the drama and theatrics you'd want and ever dreamed of. 

Summary

My heart has been totally windswept by the Jaguar p450. It's aspirational, it's infectious, and I'm utterly beguiled. Book yourself in for a test drive through a local dealership.