The Common Gearhead

I’d like to take this first sentence to thank you for tearing your eyes away from the image above for long enough to read this. Personally, I’ve been just looking at it all day, and the more I look, the better it gets. It’s like watching Back to the Future for the first time, every time.

The Jaguar F-Type roadster has made quite a splash in the automotive world since its official release this summer. Journalists and enthusiasts alike claim that it’s the second coming of the immortal E-Type, and that it may just be the best looking car on sale today. So good looking, in fact, that the Indians are willing to shell out $230,886 for a base model. That’s a lot of taj-mahundred dollar bills.

But any nay-sayers of the F-Type’s appeal after the release of the coupe variant should find that this cat’s got their tongue (and is currently devouring the rest of their face for insulting it). I didn’t think it was possible to make a better-looking version of an already astounding car, but the coupe is just vastly superior. The roof line accentuates the hunched rear arches perfectly, and adds even more drama to the spaceship-like rear end. It even looks fantastic from above, which is quite the design feat. I pity the bird that decides to drop a dookie on this feline.

And before you start to wonder whether or not this pretty kitty can shake what it’s momma gave it, the R variant will pack a whopping 550 horsepower and get to 60 in 4 seconds, with an electronically-limited top speed of 186 miles per hour. And yeah, it sounds like this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zCmsfhAvcyo

With looks like that and a snarl to match, it’s no surprise that the internet already has one giant pants teepee for the F-Type Coupe, myself included. And that’s what makes this thing so appealing. It won’t have the scalpel-like precision of a 911, the elegance and smoothness of a Vantage, or the budget performance of a C7 Vette. It won’t brag about Nurburgring times or slalom figures. What it will have, though is emotion. And when it comes down to it, that’s the most important factor in any sports car buyer’s decision.

Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to go read personal finance tips and weep softly in my cubicle while making engine noises.