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2016 Jaguar F-Type S Coupe Quick Spin [w/video]

The Jaguar F-Type – as either a coupe or a convertible – has proved easy to fall in love with. It's one of the best looking cars in the world, period. And it has been endowed since launch with lovely engine options on either end of the range, athletic rear-drive handling, and a tuneful exhaust that sets one's heart to thumping. So how does Jaguar improve on such a winning formula? The answer that enthusiasts have hoped for is that Jag offer its sports machine with a traditional manual gearbox. And for the 2016 model year, those hopes have been fulfilled. Always wiling to take one for the team, I flew out to New York state to drive the 2016 F-Type S Coupe, fitted with the new manual transmission. (The trip included time in the F-Type R AWD that you'll hear more about later, and a long stint in the Range Rover Sport SVR, so I wasn't exactly shy about requesting the gig.) The short version is that the F and the 6MT get along like special sauce, lettuce, and cheese. But for the detailed blow-by-blow follow along. Driving Notes So, how is the manual? That's the primary force animating this review, after all. The short answers are: great, fine, just dandy. The middleweight clutch (not too light, not too firm) is easy to operate at speed or in heavy traffic. The gearlever offers positive, smooth action, not particularly mechanical, with throws that are of average length. The closest analogous experience I've had is with BMW manuals, though the Jag's clutch is slicker. But the biggest win for the stick shift in the F-Type is spiritual (if you'll excuse my being a bit romantic). This is after all the heir to the E-Type legend, a stirring rear-drive coupe (or convertible) that looks like wet sex and goes like heaving hell. The eight-speed automatic will continue to offer a more modern driving experience, but the manual just feels right with the car. You're going to have to prefer that kind of purity over outright speed to get the manual, too. Jag with sell you a hand-shaker with the base, 340-horsepower F-Type or the 380-horse F-Type S, but not with the V8 or new-for-'16 AWD variants. The supercharged V6 in the S is far from disappointing. Keep the sport exhaust active and you're likely to be the best sounding thing on the road that day, unless you run up on a coffee klatch of Ferraris.

Watches and whisky: two more ways to celebrate the Jaguar E-type's 60th birthday

It was 60th years ago on March 15 that Jaguar famously unveiled its E-type sports car at the Geneva auto show, after having driven a coupe and a convertible down from England overnight. And while the British automaker is commemorating the milestone with six specially restored vintage E-type coupe-and-convertible pairs, that leaves many fans shut out. For those seeking a less-spendy way to honor the occasion, there are two new options: a commemorative watch and rally timer boxed set, and a special whisky. British watchmaker Bremont has created a special watch to mark the occasion. The automatic chronograph features a black face with either a green or a gray bi-directional rotating bezel and matching leather strap. The colors reference the green roadster and gray coupe that debuted at the show. On the back, the movement is visible through a sapphire glass window, there's a rendition of the E-type's three-spoke steering wheel, and each watch is numbered. The textured crown features the tread pattern of the E-type's Dunlop racing tires. Each watch comes as a boxed set with a two-instrument rally timer with a stopwatch and a clock. The instruments are mounted on an engine-turned metal plate and can be displayed in a wood case or fitted into a vehicle. The price for the watch-and-rally-timer duo is $16,495, and 60 in each watch color will be made. As an added enticement, buyers can attend a Jaguar Classic experience in the U.K. wherein they get a chance to drive three vintage Jaguars. If 16 large is still a little rich for your budget, Bremont makes several other Jaguar-inspired timepieces: the $4,895 MkIII, the $6,695 MkII, the $6,895 D-type, and the $8,995 MkI. Or maybe you'd prefer to toast the E-type's birthday with some brown liquor. Might we suggest the Glenturret E-type 60th Anniversary Single Malt Whisky? It hails from Scotland's oldest distillery and comes with a presentation box and a key ring. No driving experience, alas. The whiskey is limited to 265 bottles, the number corresponding to the 265 horsepower in the original E-type. The whiskey is available direct from Glenturret at 1,500 GBP (about $2,100) plus shipping. Auto News Jaguar

Jaguar Land Rover names new manufacturing chief for EV transformation

LONDON — Britain's biggest carmaker Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) is replacing its director for manufacturing as it prepares its plants for an electrified future, the firm said on Thursday. JLR operates three factories in its home market but is building its first electric car, the I-PACE, in Austria. The Indian-owned automaker's Chief Executive Ralf Speth told Reuters earlier this year he is waiting for more information on trading conditions after Brexit before he decides whether to make electric cars in Britain. On Thursday, he said Executive Director for Manufacturing Wolfgang Stadler is retiring from the business, to be replaced by Director of Quality and Automotive Safety Grant McPherson starting July 1. "He will oversee the ongoing investment into our UK and global manufacturing, transforming our plants to enable Jaguar Land Rover's exciting electrified future," Speth said. Reporting by Costas PitasRelated Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. 2019 Jaguar I-Pace deep dive with designer Wayne Burgess