(Pic from AutoExpress.co.uk)

At long last, Jaguar’s fabled E-type gets a successor: The stunning and sleek new F-type roadster.

The F-type is available with 3 levels of power plant, all of them exhilarating: a “standard” Supercharged V6 with 340 horsepower, an “S” version of the same engine that bumps the power up to 380 HP and the big daddy 5-liter V8 “R” version, which maxes out at a powerful 495 HP and is “restricted” to a blazingly fast 186mph.

With an all-aluminum monocoque frame as well as aluminum skin, Jaguar claims this aerospace-inspired construction saves weight over most roadsters, although in the end it’s still heavier than a 911. But with gobs of available power and torque (460 lb-ft on the V8S), 8-speed “Qucikshift” ZF automatic transmission and surgically precise handling, the F-type more than makes up for the weight penalty and is, in fact, a much more comfortable car to drive than the iconic Porsche.

A premium sports car by any definition at $65,000 MSRP for the entry level model, $77k for the “S” and $99k for the V8 “R”, the F-type has a good price range for well off drivers and really well off drivers. But at the top level, it’s still about $20k less than a “basic” Astin Martin V8 Vantage roadster with the entry-level F-type a massive $50k less. In our opinion, that’s money well saved for a beautiful and classically English bit of engineering elan. With the F-type’s drool-worthy styling and palpitation-inducing performance, you’re bound to turn just as many heads as you would in a sports car costing considerably more. No doubt about it: it’s a worthy successor to its illustrious predecessors.

For an excellent and very thorough review of the F-type models, check out the UK’s Autocar.com write up.

And here’s Motor Trend Channel’s F-Type video review for your viewing (and definitely listening) pleasure:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Swv8RaGi-0