The first thing to understand is that the new Jaguar F-type R coupé truly belongs in this kind of company. When the convertible arrived last year, we fretted about its pricing proximity to the Porsche 911 – and its distance from the Porsche Boxster.

Our fondness for Jaguar’s V8-engined roadster is a matter of record, but having it go toe to toe with a Porsche 911 Turbo cabriolet would be folly. For all the ability plumbed into its clever aluminium bedrock, the open-top F-type is as much hedonistic hot rod as it is honest-to-goodness sports car.

The coupé, though, particularly in range-topping R format, is a different prospect. Closing the roof has sewn up the monocoque’s soft spot with the thoroughness of a Roman stonemason sliding the keystone into an arch.

The resulting structure has been made positively triumphal by the addition of yet more power. Its 542bhp is as much as has ever been extracted from Jaguar’s all-aluminium V8 – 54bhp more than the V8 S rag-top and an output previously reserved for the weightier XKR-S and XFR-S.

By transplanting it into the 1650kg F-type and keeping the price below six figures, Jaguar has one of the world’s most formidable sports cars in its sights the Porsche 911 Turbo S. If that weren’t enough, it’s also May and the sat-nav says south Wales – home of the British monsoon. Welcome to big school, Jaguar.

Steve Sutcliffe drives a Jaguar F-type R coupé prototype.

Fortunately for the F-type, the introductory 100-mile M4 handshake offers the Porsche little opportunity to administer a Chinese burn. The weather is dry, the sun is out and the R dispenses feelgood like a Balearic terrace DJ.

This car is exceptionally beautiful. That must be agreed before we go anywhere. The proportions, very slightly fudged in the convertible, are now exquisite. Were this a beauty contest – and it will be for some – the winner could easily have been decided inside the M25.

The F-type coupé’s roofline contributes to the interior prowess, too, forming a haunched set of shoulders aft of the excellent seats.

Then there’s the sound. We’re used to Jaguar teasing some extraordinary notes from the outboard-mounted quad pipes, but this time it has gone to Liberace levels of excess. In Dynamic mode, the bypass valves default to straight-through drama at all speeds, meaning that every inch travelled is accompanied by an ear-splitting eight-pot mewl or off-throttle pop.

It is of such melodramatic, look-at-me quality that you’d most likely shy away from extolling its virtues in the company of others – and then leave it permanently turned on when alone.

As with its appearance, the bombastic soundtrack leaves its rival trailing. The far more expensive 911, on its widest available track with 305-section rear tyres and retractable wing, looks as imposing on the road as it does on a spec sheet.

But the 552bhp twin-turbocharged 3.8-litre flat six stays resolutely buttoned down, transporting you from standing start to beyond the horizon with the expediency of a flash drive.

Read our full road test of the Porsche 911 Turbo here.

Refined progress comes naturally to the Porsche. It would permit you to absent-mindedly study the concrete pylons on the Second Severn Crossing at 150mph. Its high-speed stability is remarkable, and the way that it simmers intimately on adaptive dampers and 20-inch wheels is testament to the engineers’ intentions for its use.

However, strike a swollen catseye or the wrong type of crease and the Porsche’s chassis will momentarily bridle. The Turbo’s ride quality is a tightrope act designed to stay bolt upright on varnished autobahns, but a cruddy British motorway is not beyond upsetting the balance.

The F-type, as you might expect from a car tweaked a stone’s throw from the M40, is better equipped to deal with our arterial patchwork. Not for it the over-sprung twang of wheel meeting impediment. This is a Jaguar, after all, and it rides like one.

The resulting lope is an essential element retained from the roadster but, with telltale tremors gone, more obviously honed. A marginal raising of spring rates doesn’t stop the R from riding better in Dynamic mode, though, the extra body control adding directness to its lane changes and steeling the car against irresistible changes in pace.

Interacting with the V8’s 502lb ft via the exceptional ZF-supplied eight-speed automatic gearbox turns out to be so invigorating that a gap opens organically from it to the chasing pack, and the F-type is first through the toll gates and into Wales – and, correspondingly, half a length ahead in the running order by the end of the first day’s play.

Watch our video review of the Porsche 911 Turbo S.

Day two takes us to the countryside north of Sennybridge and into the opening salvo of showers, each a mobile, malicious fog of Brecon perspiration. First up on this slippery proving ground is the Porsche, spinelessly chosen for the steadfastness displayed 24 hours earlier. In that respect, it doesn’t disappoint. Only a corpse would claim to be totally unmoved by the first hyper-extended knee bend of the morning, and the way that the Turbo shifts this straight-line thrust into lateral forcefulness is initially baffling.

Iron will plays its part. The chassis, and its colossal footprint, are presented to the driver almost as agents of obstinacy. Channelled by heavy, direct steering and with adaptive suspension that permits almost no body roll at all, you fire into bends with the dynamic engine mounts bolted down, 553lb ft of torque (on overboost) furiously vectoring and, come the exit, as much power at the front as is being sent to the back.

There is adhesiveness, then, and giddying pace to go with it. But neither can alleviate the bloodlessness for which the Turbo is famous. Even with a damp, empty moor laid on, adjustability and playfulness are secondary concerns. Driving it is like embarking on army manoeuvres: all the wearing physicality of battle without any of the live ammo catharsis.

Click here to read a review of the entry-level Jaguar F-type coupé.

Through the Jaguar F-type's seatbacks, there’s the sense of a less tenacious hold on the road without a driven front axle to share the drive burden, and where moisture persists, the traction shortfall is obvious. But, in contrast to the open-top V8 F-type, there’s a kernel of firm confidence in everything that the new coupé does.

Its unremitting power delivery no longer seems daunting. Flooring the convertible could feel like a dicey exercise, but in the R coupé, for all its wheel-spinning potential, the even higher output seems tailor-made and keenly deployable. Having more faith in the monocoque’s ability to harness the source of all the evocative noise is key and, as the miles rack up, the car’s exuberance begins to tell.

The lightly fettled steering, superficially insubstantial, becomes meticulous when pushing on. Sitting, as you do, just forward of the F-type’s rear axle, such accuracy is essential to allowvyou to position the long nose that bit more sweetly.

From there, in almost any corner imaginable, the beautifully resolved chassis takes over. Best experienced with some of the electronic shackles loosened (TracDSC readily obliges), the R flaunts its sublime front-engined, rear-drive balance at every opportunity, clamping you to an apex only for as long as you desire before a slither of extra throttle has the biddable back end changing attitude.

If that sounds like the reactiveness granted to any grunty rear-drive car, think again. The subtlety and obedience of the breakaway isn’t far short of astounding. And as the R, via its second-generation E-diff, is so good at telegraphing its whereabouts, you’re free to dip in and out of the excess as much as you like.

That choice is at the heart of what makes the car so special. Its all-wheel-drive rival wants you to make its engineered statement of intent come true. The faultlessly fast 911 Turbo wishes to function as the ultimate salve to the contemporary headache of A to B.

Not once does the Jaguar stop feeling like an event. It’s easy to get carried away when it can barely be got into, or out of, without a moment being taken to reappraise just how unspeakably pretty it is, but its specialness isn’t diluted by either a traffic-clogged return journey or the distance of retrospect.

Its huge, atmospheric pace and rousing handling at one end would be less remarkable were they not mingled so keenly with a sense of genuine companionability at the other.

It is that breadth of ability and the almost quixotic insistence that you enjoy yourself at every turn which makes the F-type R coupé not only the most compelling sports car on sale but also one of the best, period.

Jaguar F-type R coupé

Price £85,000 0-62mph 4.2sec Top speed 186mph Economy 25.5mpg CO2 259g/km Kerb weight 1650kg Engine V8, 5000cc, supercharged, petrol Power 542bhp at 6500rpm Torque 502lb ft at 3500rpm Gearbox 8-spd automatic

Porsche 911 Turbo S

Price £140,000 0-62mph 3.1sec Top speed 197mph Economy 29.0mpg CO2 227g/km Kerb weight 1605kg Engine 6 cyls horizontally opposed, 3800cc, twin-turbo, petrol Power 552bhp at 6500-6750rpm Torque 516lb ft at 2100-4250rpm Gearbox 7-spd dual clutch automatic

Jaguar already told us that it will unveil a brand new vehicle at the 2014 Goodwood Festival of Speed, developed by the recently-announced Jaguar Land Rover Special Operations division. Still, we didn’t expect to see this new vehicle, a production version of the Project 7 Concept car based on the Jaguar F-Type.

The concept car was first unveiled back in 2013 and now, a year later, the production version arrived and we must admit that it looks absolutely spectacular.

We don’t have any official information yet, but we do suspect that this beauty is powered by the 5.0-liter V8 supercharged engine that generates 550 hp and 625 Nm.

Jaguar to Build F-TYPE Project 7: The Fastest and Most Powerful Production Jaguar

- Jaguar confirms it will build F-TYPE Project 7
- F-TYPE Project 7 will debut at the 2014 Goodwood Festival of Speed - in the 60th anniversary year of the Jaguar D-type racer that inspired its design
- F-TYPE Project 7 will be the most performance-focused derivative of the acclaimed F-TYPE range and will be Jaguar's fastest and most powerful production model to date
- Jaguar will produce the F-TYPE Project 7 in an exclusive run of up to 250 units, hand-built by Jaguar Land Rover's Special Operations team
- A fully road-legal two-seater roadster, the new car stays true to the design ethos of the Project 7 concept unveiled in 2013 - which paid homage to Jaguar's seven Le Mans wins - including the distinctive D-type-inspired fairing
- With 575PS and 680Nm from its 5.0-litre supercharged V8 petrol engine,
F-TYPE Project 7 will reach 60mph in 3.8-sec (0-100 km/h in 3.9-sec)
- Bespoke carbon-fibre aerodynamic aids and a unique suspension tune mean
- F-TYPE Project 7 delivers a truly focused driving experience
- CCM brakes, Torque Vectoring by Braking and race-inspired seats are all standard features
- F-TYPE Project 7 features a stowable roof and 196-litre luggage space
- First customer deliveries will begin from mid-2015

"Special Operations exists to develop a suite of products and services that enable our most discerning and enthusiastic customers to indulge their passion for our cars. F-TYPE Project 7 is a perfect example of one such product. It's the most powerful production Jaguar ever built, and pays homage to Jaguar's seven outright Le Mans victories with distinctive design cues inspired by the Jaguar D-type which celebrates its 60th anniversary this year."

John Edwards, Managing Director, Jaguar Land Rover Special Operations

F-TYPE Project 7, the latest model in Jaguar's acclaimed F-TYPE sports car range, is set to make its debut at the 2014 Goodwood Festival of Speed on 26June.

F-TYPE Project 7 is the first Jaguar performance vehicle from Jaguar Land Rover's Special Operations team, and will be produced in an exclusive, limited-edition run of up to 250 units. Its distinctive roadster body, introduced in concept form last summer, pays tribute to one of the most famous and iconic racing Jaguars: the three-time Le Mans winning D-type, which in 2014 is celebrating its 60th anniversary year. F-TYPE Project 7's name pays homage to Jaguar's seven outright Le Mans wins.

The 2014 Jaguar F-TYPE Project 7 is not only the most focused derivative of the award-winning F-TYPE range, but is also the fastest and most powerful production Jaguar ever built.

F-TYPE Project 7's power comes from Jaguar's 5.0-litre supercharged V8 engine, now in 575PS/680Nm form, enabling the all-aluminium-bodied car - which weighs 1585kg - to achieve acceleration from 0-60mph in 3.8-seconds (0-100km/h in 3.9-seconds) and an electronically-limited top speed of 186mph (300km/h). F-TYPE Project 7 is fully road-legal, with a removable roof and 196-litre stowage space.

Power is sent to the rear wheels through Jaguar's eight-speed Quickshift transmission and second generation Electronic Active Differential (EAD). Carbon Ceramic Matrix (CCM) brakes, available as an option on the F-TYPE R Coupé, are fitted as standard on F-TYPE Project 7, offering powerful, consistent, fade-free braking. Another standard feature is Torque Vectoring by Braking (TVbB) which, working in conjunction with the EAD, enables extremely precise handling. Bespoke carbon-fibre aerodynamic aids and a unique suspension set-up enable F-TYPE Project 7 to deliver a truly engaging driving experience.

While F-TYPE Project 7 features performance-focused engineering by Special Vehicle Operations - the engineering and vehicle division of Special Operations - its design has been kept true to the head-turning lines of the original Project 7 concept, which was unveiled last summer.

Key design elements include the D-type-inspired fairing behind the driver's head, shorter windshield, new front bumper, and downforce-increasing aerodynamic modifications - including a carbon-fibre front splitter, side skirts, rear diffuser and adjustable rear spoiler. However, the single-seater concept has been transformed into a two-seater, with rollover hoops for both driver and passenger now integrated into the design.

Engineering

The 2014 Jaguar F-TYPE Project 7 is a product of pure passion, and the pinnacle of Jaguar's performance sports car range. The most focused derivative of the highly acclaimed F-TYPE range, it is the fastest and most powerful production Jaguar ever made.

The Special Vehicle Operations-engineered F-TYPE Project 7 is powered by Jaguar's 5.0-litre supercharged V8 engine, as seen in the F-TYPE R Coupé, but in an even further enhanced form: it produces 575PS (an increase of 25PS over the F-TYPE R Coupé) and 680Nm of torque. Power is delivered to the rear wheels through Jaguar's eight-speed Quickshift transmission and second-generation Electronic Active Differential. Special Vehicle Operations engineers have developed a bespoke transmission calibration for the F-TYPE Project 7, with revised shift points and characteristics.

This enables the lightweight, all-aluminium bodied roadster - which, at 1585kg, weighs 80kg less than the F-TYPE V8 S Convertible - to accelerate from 0-60mph in just 3.8 seconds (0-100 km/h in 3.9 seconds), with an electronically-limited top speed of 186mph. The increased performance, combined with the handling and aerodynamic enhancements, make F-TYPE Project 7 the new benchmark in high-performance Jaguars.

F-TYPE Project 7 features a switchable Active Sports Exhaust system with quad, matt-black ceramic coated, outboard-mounted tailpipes. The system uses electronically-controlled bypass valves in the rear section of the exhaust which are mapped to open according to a range of parameters, effectively altering the exhaust gas routing into a free-flowing straight-through arrangement to both reduce back pressure and enhance sound quality.

F-TYPE Project 7 rides on 20-inch Storm alloy wheels in gloss black, which customers can opt to have fitted with high-performance Continental ForceContact tyres. Carbon Ceramic Matrix (CCM) brakes - with 398mm front and 380mm rear discs allied to six- and four-piston monobloc calipers respectively - are fitted as standard.

Made from a matrix of carbon-fibre and ceramic, which is extremely hard and highly resistant to wear, the CCM system offers consistent performance and excellent fade resistance even during sustained extreme driving conditions. Jaguar's CCM brakes feature a pre-fill system function that applies a low brake pressure to all four calipers when the throttle is released - and before the brake pedal is pressed again - to ensure consistent brake pedal feel.

F-TYPE Project 7 benefits from bespoke, Special Vehicle Operations-engineered front suspension knuckles which give increased negative camber, revised top mounts and new front/rear anti-roll bars. The front and rear spring and damper units are height adjustable, and both spring rates and damper internals have been tailored specifically to F-TYPE Project 7.

Jaguar's Adaptive Dynamics system actively controls vertical body movement, roll and pitch rates by continuously monitoring driver inputs and the attitude of the car on the road, adjusting damper rates accordingly up to 500 times a second to optimise stability. The Adaptive Dynamics controlling software has been precisely re-calibrated to suit F-TYPE Project 7, the Dynamic Stability Control system also having a unique state of tune.

Engaging Dynamic Mode delivers enhanced body control through firmer damping rates, increased steering weighting, faster gear changes and sharper throttle response. Dynamic Mode is configurable as standard via the central 8-inch touchscreen, allowing the driver to select and save settings according to their preference.

Torque Vectoring by Braking (TVbB), which intelligently and rapidly applies precise amounts of braking force to individual wheels to accurately sharpen the car's line through a corner, is standard. TVbB works in conjunction with the Electronic Active Differential (which can go from open to full locking torque in 200 milliseconds) and the car's Dynamic Stability Control system to optimise traction, cornering ability and, most importantly, to maximise steering feel and agility.

"Above all - F-TYPE Project 7 is fast… It uses all the key technologies we've proven on F-TYPE R Coupe to deliver absolute immediacy of response to all driver inputs, yet its focused nature has given us the opportunity to go further still. The result is a driving experience that's pure and involving in every sense."

Mike Cross, Chief Engineer - Vehicle Integrity, Jaguar

Design

The Jaguar F-TYPE Project 7 retains the distinctive, minimalist design of the original 2013 concept. That design study was penned as a spare-time experiment that blended Jaguar's rich racing heritage with its then-new, groundbreaking sports car line, the F-TYPE. Under Jaguar Director of Design, Ian Callum, the sketch - of a single-seater sports car with a swooping profile, muscular stance and cut-down windscreen - went from paper to digital model to the Goodwood hillclimb in the space of just a few months, and has now become a production car.

"F-TYPE Project 7 is the perfect example of how, as a design team, we can move quickly with our engineering colleagues to go from concept vehicle to production reality - we've pushed the boundaries of what's possible without losing any purity of form.

Modern, purposeful and with a stance that screams intent, F-TYPE Project 7 is the perfect contemporary embodiment of the D-type that inspired it."

Ian Callum, Director of Design, Jaguar

F-TYPE Project 7's key 'heartlines' remain those of the World Car Design Award-winning F-TYPE sports car. They effortlessly blend with the D-type-inspired rear fairing section that incorporates a rollover hoop and swoops rearwards and down from behind the driver's head. Being a two-seater, F-TYPE Project 7 features a second rollover hoop, behind the passenger seat.

Extensive aerodynamic modifications on F-TYPE Project 7 include an all-new front splitter which utilises an upper section in carbon-fibre. Additionally, the side skirts, rear diffuser and adjustable rear spoiler are all made of carbon-fibre. These components together mean F-TYPE Project 7 generates 177% more downforce than F-TYPE Convertible at its top speed of 186mph.

The rear deck, bonnet vents, side vent louvres and mirror caps are also all made of carbon-fibre. The windscreen length is reduced by 114mm, reducing overall height by 30.5mm, with new side windows to match the profile. A Bimini roof has been specially designed for F-TYPE Project 7. It clips on to the convertible header rail, and can be conveniently folded and, when not in use, stowed in the boot area - which offers 196-litres of load space.

The driver and passenger of F-TYPE Project 7 sit in lightweight race-inspired bucket seats, which are finished in a quilted racing-style diamond pattern. Four-point racing harnesses are available as an accessory. The interior features carbon-fibre veneer inserts on the console, an Alcantara steering wheel (with leather option), machined aluminium gearshift paddles and bespoke treadplates with the Project 7 logo.

Enhancing its unique appeal, the 2014 F-TYPE Project 7 will be hand-built to exacting standards by Special Operations, and offered in an exclusive, limited-edition production run of up to 250 units globally. Each car will sport a specially numbered plaque, located between the two seats, signed by Ian Callum.

F-TYPE Project 7, whose name acknowledges Jaguar's seven historic Le Mans race wins, will be offered in five metallic colours: Ultra Blue, Caldera Red, , British Racing Green (all with white decal options), Ultimate Black and Glacier White (both with grey decal options).

Jaguar has extended its support as an Innovation Partner to Team Sky by designing, engineering and building a bespoke F-TYPE Coupé high performance support vehicle for the team to use during Stage 20 of the race. Stage 20 of the 2014 Tour de France will see riders traverse from Bergerac to Périgueux.

Development of this bespoke F-TYPE Coupé by Jaguar Land Rover Special Vehicle Operations follows the successful launch of the Jaguar F-TYPE R Coupé - the most dynamically capable, performance-focused production car Jaguar has ever built, which went on sale worldwide earlier this year. This unique F-TYPE concept vehicle is based on the F-TYPE R Coupé and will be supplied with the same 550PS/680Nm 5.0-litre V8 supercharged engine.

Jaguar does not plan to place into series production any version of this unique F-TYPE Coupé. Engineers working in the new Jaguar Land Rover Special Vehicle Operations team were briefed specifically to develop one vehicle for Team Sky, and this exciting version of the F-TYPE sports car is now set to support some of the Team Sky riders on Saturday 26th July during the time trial (TT).

Bespoke features include a new racking solution, which carries two of the team's Pinarello Bolide TT bikes. The vehicle exterior is finished in Team Sky's famous livery, with colour ways and other Team Sky graphic design features also present inside the car. Further specifications include a separate electric supply in the boot which provides power to the radios, amplifiers, microphones, horns and televisions which support communications between Team Sky's Sports Director and the rider.

Sir Dave Brailsford, Team Principal at Team Sky, said:"Jaguar is an iconic British brand that has been an integral partner for Team Sky for over four years. We have already benefited from their high performance credentials and expertise in technological capabilities and engineering innovations, particularly with the recent development of the Pinarello Dogma F8. This F-TYPE concept is a world class vehicle that will help get the best out of the team on the TT stages."

JLR Global Brand Experience Director, Mark Cameron added: "Jaguar has supplied high performance support vehicles to Team Sky since its first season in 2010. The development of this F-TYPECoupé is the latest example of our shared belief to push the boundaries and provide technologically innovative solutions, both on and off the bike. The visual impact of the F-TYPE Coupéduring Stage 20 will also of course bring added attention to Team Sky and our unique partnership."

As an Official Supplier to Team Sky since its inception in 2010, Jaguar has been proud to support the team's back-to-back victorious campaigns in 2012 and 2013, where the British engineering leaders supplied Team Sky with a fleet of all-new high performance Jaguar XF Sportbrakes.

Jaguar’s F-Type Project 7 made its world debut back in June at the Goodwood Festival of Speed, but now the stunning speedster is being showcased in its American specification in the lead up to the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance taking place this weekend. The biggest difference between our version and the one showed back at Goodwood is the windshield: Because of local regulations a full height windshield has been fitted instead of the shortened one available elsewhere.

The car’s hero colors are Glacier White and Ultra Blue, the latter being the signature color of the Jaguar Land Rover Special Vehicles Operations (SVO) responsible for building the cars. Other colors available include British Racing Green, Ultimate Black and Caldera Red.

Only 250 examples will be built—for worldwide consumption—and if you’re interested you’ll need to fork over at least $165,925, which includes a $925 destination charge. That may seem steep compared to regular F-Type pricing, but not only is the F-Type Project 7 one of the most exclusive Jaguars ever launched it’s also the brand’s most powerful car ever put into production.

Peak output is rated at 575 horsepower, generated by an uprated version of Jaguar’s familiar supercharged 5.0-liter V-8. The engine is paired with the F-Type’s usual eight-speed automatic and will rocket the car to 60 mph in just 3.8 seconds and see it keep accelerating until a governed 186 mph top speed is reached.

If you’re wondering where the inspiration for the F-Type Project 7 came from, the rear fairing has been made to resemble the one on the Jaguar D-Type race car, and the “7” in the name marks Jaguar’s seven Le Mans wins between 1951-1990.

Deliveries of the Jaguar’s F-Type Project 7 are scheduled to commence next spring.