2014 Jaguar F-Type S V-6 Convertible Long-Term Update 2
British Car, American Issues
I'm still scratching my head as to exactly how our F-Type S got built. The obvious answer is that someone ordered it that way, but what I'm getting at is why? Why on earth would you spec a Southern California-bound convertible this way? I have two complaints. First, at $92,590 this particular cat has to be the most expensive new vehicle I've encountered without a backup camera and/or parking sensors. Second, a convertible with black leather seats in Southern California is madness. Cruel, stark madness. In fairness, the second problem speaks to a larger, national problem we Yanks and we Yanks alone suffer from: buying whatever dealers have on hand instead of ordering from the factory.
If current trends become law, all vehicles under 10,000 pounds will have backup cameras by mid-2018. Why? They work. Not only can you see what's behind the car when backing up, but the odds of running over a toddler on a Big Wheel drop to near zilch. The Feds, it seems, are thinking of the children. I'm thinking about the F-Type's rear bumper, because the high hips (rear fenders) and windscreen do everything in their power to block you from seeing what you're about to roll right into.
Worse, though, is the lack of parking sensors. Just recently we had a F-Type R Coupe in for testing that was equipped with Jag's parking system. Totally brilliant! Not only does it use beeps and colored bars to indicate what you're about to back into/hit, but it also tells you how close the car is to the curb. A major consideration when you're rolling on $2500 wheels. Ahem. And it's the difference between sanity and otherwise should you opt for the $12K 20-inch Storm wheels. Both a backup camera and parking sensors are options on the F-Type S, but both really ought to be standard on a $81,895 car, let alone with the $92,590 sticker price this particular car carries.
The second half of my gripe is worse. I want to know what sadist ordered a convertible with black leather seats? Here in Southern California, these black leather seats are a nightmare whenever the needle crests 80 degree Fahrenheit and you're stuck in traffic. Which happens all the time. You have to figure that the overwhelming majority of people who order F-Type soft tops are going to live in affluent, sunny places like L.A., Phoenix, Dallas, and Miami. No one in any of those cities would go for the convertible with black leather seats, especially as six other color choices exist.
