Evo Drives Jaguar F-Type V8 S On The Best Road In The World. Turn Up the Volume Now.

Henry Catchpole heads to the Transfagarasan highway in Romania, in search of the world's greatest driving road. His car of choice? The Jaguar F-type V8S...

The new Jaguar F-Type represents a return to the company's heart: a two-seat, convertible sports car focused on performance, agility and driver involvement. The F-Type is a continuation of a sporting bloodline that stretches back more than 75 years and encompasses some of the most beautiful, thrilling and desirable sports cars ever built. Joining the XK convertible and coupe models, the new F-Type provides Jaguar with a broader line of sports and GT models.

The 2014 Jaguar F-Type combines low vehicle weight (starting at 3,521 pounds), high power (340hp, 380hp and 495hp versions) and superb aerodynamics to achieve a pure sports car experience, yet with Jaguar elegance and luxury.

A true two-seat sports car, the all-new Jaguar F-Type is equipped with a modern, lightweight soft top that, when lowered, serves as its own tonneau cover. This not only provides a weight savings, but also improves packaging and contributes to the car's low center of gravity for greater agility. The top can be fully raised or lowered in just 12 seconds at speeds of up to 30 mph. Its multi-layer construction includes a Thinsulate® lining for optimal thermal and sound-insulating properties.

This is a prototype of the top flight Jaguar F-type R coupé, a 542bhp monster driven here by Steve Sutcliffe at Barcelona's Circuit de Catalunya. It's so good that after a few laps Sutcliffe thinks the car deserves comparison with the Porsche 911 Turbo.

Watch as Sutcliffe takes a brave pill and switches off all the safety systems to find out just how poised and well-balanced the new Jaguar F-type coupe is. Then look on in as he drives ex-F1 ace Martin Brundle's Eagle Jaguar E-type to trace this new car's history.

490hp, small, very pretty: is that enough to make the fastest F-Type a 911 rival? And would an Aston do the job of a Brit roadster better? This video by Chris Harris gives you the full rundown.