For 2016, the weapons-grade Jaguar F-Type R will be required to pass a good-behavior course and carefully route its 550 horsepower and 502 lb-ft of torque to all four wheels instead of two. Ironically, in Britain—where antisocial-behavior orders are an actual civil offense—the rear-wheel-drive R will carry on with its smoky, irreverent burnouts.
Although Jaguar is forcing all-wheel drive for every V8 F-Type headed to America, it will remain an option for overseas markets including the U.K., according to Russ Varney, the F-Type’s chief engineer, whom we spoke with at the L.A. auto show. Because Americans rarely custom order their rides like in Europe and dealers control most of the inventory mix, Jag executives decided that most R customers would select the pricier powertrain since they’ve already committed $100,000 to the top-dog R trim. And just like that, the rear-wheel-drive 2015 F-Type R coupe is a one-and-done deal. Rear-wheel drive (along with a godsend six-speed manual) will be standard on all V6 coupes and convertibles, with optional all-wheel drive on automatic F-Type S models.
This doesn’t mean the F-Type R is buttoning up its britches for a corporate gig. Varney tells us the all-wheel-drive R “will still drift” even if the car hooks up better from a dead start, records quicker acceleration times, and allows higher slip angles for our obligatory snow drifting. Wait, are we liking this?
