Jaguar’s F-Type turns heads and, when you see one in the metal, it's easy to see why. It’s a beautiful, sinuous, sexy car.

It’s also unashamedly, gloriously and, for the elderly and infirm, terrifyingly loud.

Of course, being the middle-aged rebel that I am, I absolutely love it.

The trouble is driving the coupe mutes the experience a little, spoiling the fun. That thin sliver of metal that serves as a roof creates a barrier between driver and that visceral, raw brutality.

The convertible, although not as pretty as the coupe, does offer some compensation by replacing the metal roof with a fabric one or, if the weather’s kind, open sky.

It’s only with the roof down that you can really appreciate why grown men drop to their knees, children wail and the elderly are being carted off to A&E.

I know it’s selfish and cruel to inflict misery on other people just so that I can enjoy myself but the fault lies entirely with Jaguar because when the 5.0-litre supercharged V8 is locked in full drum n bass mode, my humanity quickly deserts me.

You can rein in the volume if you want. A switch on the transmission tunnel lets you swap between dynamic, normal and ‘getting dangerously slippery underfoot so better turn the wick down mode’, the latter two both alleviate the pressure on passing ear drums.

Drop into the bucket seats which, although firm, are very, very comfortable. Both driver and passenger seats are electrically adjustable, and that includes lateral and lumbar support, as well as being heated. You can also adjust the side bolsters to improve the lateral support, something that proves quite useful when you let loose on a country drive.

That’s because when the on-demand all-wheel drive and torque vectoring system are working their magic the F-Type R is nothing short of a missile disguised as personal transport.

Initially you’ll be astounded at the amount of speed that you can carry through a bend, then you’ll discover that, actually, you’re nowhere near the limit of adhesion, at which point you’ll be flabbergasted.

As you straighten the car up it’s possible to get the power on nice and early and slingshot the car towards the next corner confident that the F-Type will put down all that power in an orderly fashion and follow the path you’ve carefully prescribed with the front tyres.

The AWD model carries an 80kg premium compared the rear-drive version but the additional traction that it offers more than compensates for the extra weight and, according to the official figures, is enough to get you to 62mph sooner.

The steering, now electrically power assisted, feels a little lighter off the straight ahead, but it weights up nicely as you turn in, and there’s a pleasing consistency and precision that lets you place the car exactly where you want to.

Even with all the driving aids on, it’s still possible to get the rear end to step out but it’s predictable and, more importantly, manageable. Allowing you the freedom to have fun while minimising the risk that fun will be brought to an end unexpectedly in close proximity to an immoveable object.

Chopping the roof off has, naturally, sacrificed a little rigidity but it’s unlikely to trouble you except on broken stretches of tarmac or the tightest of corners.

Driving at speed with the roof down also renders normal conversation impossible so if you’re enjoying the company of your passenger it’s probably wiser to keep it raised as it does a fine job of keeping noise levels inside the cockpit down to an acceptable level.

The driving position is perfect. Rear visibility is, with the roof up, almost non-existent. If it wasn’t for the parking sensors and rear camera I’d have been reduced to parking by touch. With the roof stowed you get an excellent 360 degree view of your surroundings.

The eight-speed gearbox does a fantastic job of converting power into motion whether you’re in full auto mode or taking responsibility for the changes yourself. The steering wheel-mounted paddles are, in my view, a little on the small side but they feel assured in use.

The infotainment system is a few degrees south of brilliant, and certainly falls short of what some of the F-Types rivals are serving up. However, it does its job, the touchscreen is reasonably responsive and the graphics nice and crisp while the sat nav provides clear and concise instructions. Either side of the touchscreen are two banks of shortcut buttons that, while useful in theory, are less so in practice thanks to their small size making pressing them a bit hit and miss.

Whether you choose the coupe or convertible the F Type's looks are guaranteed to turn heads. Choose the V8 and it'll turn heads, burst ear drums, cause nose bleeds and lose you friends.

And it's absolutely worth it.

Jaguar F Type R Convertible AWD

Price: £97,165

As tested: £101,465

Engine: 5.0-litre V8 supercharged

Transmission: 8-speed Quickshift auto

Power: 542bhp

Torque: 501lbft

Acceleration (0-60mph): 3.9 seconds

Maximum speed: 186mph (governed)

Urban: 17.4mpg

Extra urban: 33.2mpg

Combined: 25mpg

Emissions (CO2): 269g/km

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