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• Jaguar's revised F-Type has finally landed in South Africa.
• The British sports car faces stiff competition locally.
• Porsche's 911 is one of the rivals.
• For more motoring stories, go to www.Wheels24.co.za
After what seemed like an already long wait due to Covid-19, Jaguar South Africa finally launched its new F-Type on local soil. Though there wasn't any significant event to herald the new arrival, it was still a properly grin-inducing moment to know that the latest iteration of this British sports car is finally here.
The F-Type is priced from R1 241 000 to R2 422 700. The top model, the Coupe R, has a 5.0-litre supercharged V8 engine that produces 423kW and 700Nm. Power is fed to all four wheels via an eight-speed automatic gearbox.
And while the excitement around the car arrival is rife, the F-Type will face stiff competition in South Africa.
One of its more prominent rivals is the Porsche 911. Currently, there are eight versions of the 992-generation 911, with more to follow in due course. Pricing for the 911 ranges from R1 699 000 for the Carrera Coupe to R4 049 000 for the Turbo S Cabriolet.
Porsche also brought several engine choices to the party, but all of these are mated to the automaker's eight-speed double-clutch gearbox.
2020 Porsche 911 (Porsche Media)
More rivals
Lower down the price scale, the F-Type has to contend with the Toyota Supra and BMW Z4. While both these cars share the same architecture and turbocharged 3.0-litre straight-six engine, the Z4 1) has a 2.0-litre engine and 2) is a cabriolet. An eight-speed automatic sends power to the rear wheels in both cases. While the F-Type has several engine choices - ranging from a 2.0-litre, 3.0-litre V6, and 5.0-litre V8 - the Supra and Z4 have fewer options.
Yet, when it comes to performance, either car will not back down and will reward the driver who gets the best out of each.
From the Land of the Free, America, Ford is also staking its claim to fame with its Mustang. The 2020 Mustang, launched last year, is a significant improvement over the pre-updated model and offers a more engaging drive. The 2.3-litre EcoBoost model is slightly subdued, but the 5.0-litre V8 is a beast of a car with a strong punch.
The Mustang, currently, is one of the best-selling sports cars in South Africa and has been at the top of the list since coming to market in late 2015.
Another rival that due for replacement soon is Nissan's 370Z. Powered by a 3.7-litre V6 petrol engine, the sports car channels its power to the rear wheels via a six-speed manual transmission or a seven-speed automatic gearbox. The naturally-aspirated 245kW and 363Nm engine propels the from 0 - 100km/h in 5.3 seconds, but the best part is that peak power is available at a heady 7000rpm.
