Jaguar F-Type S Convertible on Mulholland’s Famous ‘Snake’
Image courtesy Jaguar
Versatility is a must when you live in Southern California, with hot days and chilly nights, and an impromptu schedule that can take you from the beach to the nightclub. While there are a few cars that have the right balance of luxury, performance and head-turning looks to keep up with the demands of SoCal socialites, the one that tops my list is the Jaguar F-Type S Convertible.
And lucky for me, Jaguar brought out an Italian Racing Red 2015 F-Type V8 S Convertible during the Motor Press Guild’s annual Droptops & Dirt event at Calamigos Ranch in Malibu, California.
I was able to spend some quality time with this 495 horsepower luxury sports car on the nearby canyon roads which included the famous portion of Mulholland Highway called “The Snake.” Come here on a weekend morning and you’ll find plenty of driving enthusiasts and photographers looking for action.
The official route for the test drive was short at only 15 minutes, but it was enough to give me a nice sampling of what the F-Type S is capable of.
But before we get to the driving impressions, let’s talk about the car’s exhaust note: It’s one of the most aggressive and satisfying roars to come out of a production vehicle, complete with off-throttle pops and gurgles.
Have a listen for yourself:
Everything about the F-Type S feels precise. The interior has a cockpit-inspired architecture with clear instrumentation and intuitive controls. I felt like the car embraced me as a driver, with no wasted space and excellent visibility.
The supercharged 5.0-liter V8 produces instant and linear power, but retains the pep and free-revving characteristics of smaller displacement engines. Going through the gears of the 8-speed automatic transmission is exciting with its fast and smooth shifts. Downshifts came without delay and the gear ratios always kept the engine in its optimum power range.
Tackling the quick turns and switchbacks of “The Snake,” the F-Type S is agile like a go kart. It simply carved through the corners with no noticeable body roll thanks to Adaptive Dynamics, a system that adjusts each damper individually based on the car’s current movement and the driver’s inputs.  The steering is direct and accurate with the appropriate amount of heaviness and feedback.
The drive concluded all too quickly, but I did squeeze in one last standing start on the way back to the ranch, activating the noninstrusive traction control which lets the rear end get just a little squirrely while maintaining throttle and forward thrust. I’m glad the F-Type lets you have some fun while it keeps you safe.
The 2015 Jaguar F-Type V8 S Convertible is an all-around package that can adapt to any situation, whether it be a luxury gathering, a day at the beach or a spirited run through the canyons. It’s like having both Batman and Alfred Pennyworth at your disposal; you just need to decide which one you’d like to unleash on the world.
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