Many people consider the Jaguar E Type to be one of the most beautiful cars ever to have rolled off the assembly line. Indeed, even Enzo Ferrari, whose famous Italian marque could always be relied upon to produce the odd stunner, was among that number. I, however, am not. While I do appreciate the E Type’s aesthetics, I’m much more inclined to look forwards than back.

That’s why the F Type, the spiritual successor to the E and, undoubtedly, the best-looking car Jaguar has sold in the last 50 years would rank above the older coupe on my list. I appreciate that it might never be a classic - although it deserves to be - and its beauty might take a very different form but, whichever angle you view it from, it just looks right.

The taught curves of the body looks as if the molten metal - aluminium in this case - has been poured over the chassis. There isn’t an ounce of fat on display. It is menacing and purposeful with broad haunches reminiscent of, you’ve guessed it, a cat waiting to pounce. The long bonnet and stubby rear is pure coupe and, along with low ride height, deep front spoiler and four huge exhausts exiting from beneath the rear bumper complete the drama.

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. They’re suede leather which sits well – pardon the pun – with the rest of the interior, including the three-spoke flat-bottomed steering wheel, which is covered in the same material.

The driving position is perfect. Rear visibility is, understandably, restricted thanks to the necessarily narrow rear windscreen and raised flanks but, thanks to parking sensors, a rear camera and blind spot indicators, it’s never a real issue.

The centre console is constructed in what Jaguar describes as a dark technical aluminium weave with R graphic and houses the eight-inch touchscreen, the dual zone climate control and, most importantly, the starter button.

The touchscreen gives you access to sat nav, audio and handsfree calling as well as additional features such as ambient lighting and the optional Configurable Dynamic System. Now, I’ve always been quick to criticise the multimedia set-up in other Jaguars (and Range Rovers) that I’ve tested and, while the system still feels outdated – though it should be noted that new models such as the XE are running new systems – I found it to be much more responsive than my previous experiences.

There are buttons on the steering wheel for access to the phone and media as well as cruise control and, while the rest of the controls in the cabin are high grade, these felt a little plasticky and cheap. They were, however, the only cause for disappointment in what is, otherwise, a beautifully constructed and high quality interior.

The real excitement starts, and starts immediately, when you fire the 5.0-litre V8 up. It barks into life like an angry rotweiller with toothache before settling into a barely audible hum. Lift your foot off the brake and the Jag pulls away effortlessly. In fact, a soft right foot is rewarded with serene progress that belies the Jag’s sporting intent. The engine is barely audible, the ride firm but not unforgiving and wind and road noise beautifully suppressed which makes the F Type a surprisingly capable long-distance. cruiser. It’s safe to say, in fact, that so accomplished is the chassis that any journey is too short.

However, the F Type is a sports coupe and, as such, is at its remarkable best with a slightly more ambitious driver behind the wheel. Switch to dynamic mode to sharpen up the reflexes – the car’s, not yours – and press the magic button that amplifies the glorious exhaust note as it roars under acceleration and snarls, crackles and pops during lift off. It surely is one of the great automotive soundtracks.

Performance is blistering. The zero to 60 sprint, and in this case it really is a sprint, takes just four seconds while the top speed is limited(?) to 186mph. Fuel consumption is probably of no concern to buyers of this car but, for the record, the combined figure is 25.5mpg. Of course you’ll have to drive with a featherlight touch to get anywhere close to that and, anyway, where’s the fun in that?

The deployable spoiler, which extends automatically at speeds above 70mph, while not the most elegant of solutions, does a fine job of dealing with any lift.

The eight-speed gearbox does a fantastic job of converting power into progress 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 Jag isn’t just about straight line performance, though. It’s also pretty capable around the bends. It corners flat, with excellent balance and poise. The steering is progressive and beautifully weighted, providing genuine feel and instilling total confidence that, as you turn the nose into each corner, the rest of the car will follow. You’d have to drive insanely quickly to test the upper limits of adhesion which means that, for us mere mortals, it’s easy to press on without risking life and limb.

All that performance would be wasted if the F Type didn’t stop as well as it goes and, fortunately some might say, it does. The large steel brakes do an excellent job of scrubbing speed off smoothly and with no hint of fade. However, if you’re looking for even greater stopping power you can opt for the carbon ceramic brakes with lighter forged wheels.

There is a boot and, at a fraction over 200 litres, it’s big enough for a couple of weekend bags or the weekly shop. The powered tailgate, which can be operated via a dashboard button or the key fob is a must if for no other reason than it looks rather cool.

The F Type is the least practical car in the Jaguar stable, and that's an indisputable fact. Having spent a week with it I have to say that practicality is right at the bottom of my list of priorities. Not only has the stunning coupe proven to be a visual and aural delight, it’s also been remarkably easy to live with on a day to day basis. The combination of comfort and performance is astonishing and, if I had £85,000 sitting in my bank account crying out to be spent, this is the car I would spend it on.

Jaguar F Type R

Price: £85,000

As tested: £94,255

Engine: 5.0-litre V8 supercharged

Transmission: 8-speed Quickshift auto

Power: 542bhp

Torque: 501lbft

Acceleration (0-60mph): 4 seconds

Maximum speed: 186mph (governed)

Urban: 17.8mpg

Extra urban: 34mpg

Combined: 25.5mpg

Emissions (CO2): 259g/km

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