2017 Jaguar F-Type 5.0-Litre V8 SVR Convertible

In the same month that the F-Pace SUV became the fastest-selling Jaguar of all time, the F-Type arrived in 'Supercar territory’. Introduced at the Geneva Motor Show in March 2016, the F-Type SVR was a lighter, faster and sharper version of Jaguar's F-Type 'R' All-Wheel Drive. It was powered by the same 5-litre supercharged V8 but now produced 567bhp at 6,500rpm and a remarkable 516lb/ft of torque at 3,500pm, with all this power transferred to the road through a Special Vehicle Operations-developed 8-speed automatic transmission and split-bias four-wheel drive.

The SVR was now a seriously quick motor car with 0-62mph in a tad less than 3.5 seconds and a genuine 200mph available; however the external differences from the F-Type R were stylish and subtle with a new aerodynamics package that included a new front bumper, splitter, flat undercarriage, rear venturi and an active rear wing that rises at 70mph.

What wasn't quite so subtle was the new Titanium and Inconel quad-pipe exhaust system which was a full 16kg lighter but featured valves that open at 2,500rpm generating a distinctive metallic bark that will rattle windows and upset the neighbours. You don't have to use full throttle and it is possible to progress in a civilised manner, but the option is there!

However, more impressive than the increased power output is the way the SVR conducts itself. We quote from a road test in Classic Car Magazine:

'Yet more impressive than the raw speed is the way it's delivered. The smaller-engined, rear-drive F-types regularly trouble their electronic stability systems, but in four-wheel-drive SVR form traction is outrageous. Off the line the Jag just grips and goes, and the same applies when putting the power down early out of a corner: it's composed, controlled and deeply impressive'.

Inside the cockpit is truly state of the art and indications that you are in the SVR include very handsome quilted leather covering seats and door panels. The stitched shapes take the form of the Jaguar Heritage lozenge, a subtle nod to the racing DNA of the brand and a lovely touch. There's also an SVR steering wheel and the contrast double stitching on the seating and door handles mirrors the car's external colour.

The car presented here is 2017 F-Type SVR in Santorini Black Metallic paintwork with a black leather interior finished with red stitching. 2017 (for MY2018) was when Jaguar made some tweaks to update/improve its flagship F-Type model, improving the durability of some of the suspension components to further improve grip, while other components have been altered to change the car’s balance and improve agility.

The exterior of this car boasts the Extended Carbon Package, which really accentuates the striking black paintwork. It was delivered new via Jaguar Reading and has been serviced five times at Jaguar main dealers, the most recent being in December 2022 at 24,277 miles.

Accompanied by its book pack, both remote keys and with just two owners from new, this £116,000 when new car is a formidable machine, offering the best engine/exhaust note of any modern-era sports car. Jaguar's legendary mantra from the 1960s 'Grace, Space and Pace' is as appropriate now as it ever was, clearly evident in this lovely SVR.