Getting a first-hand account of what it takes to wrestle a Jaguar F-Type SVR is a special thing. With nearly 600 horsepower, four wheel-drive, and a compliant-but-firm suspension that revels on the bumpier tracks, it’s an absolute all-weather marvel. Getting it on the Nurburgring is even better, but receiving a comprehensive lesson on track day etiquette while navigating the Green Hell at outrageous speeds takes the cake. It just makes you want to start looking at airfare to Germany.
BridgeToGantry produces an endless stream of Nurburgring-related content showcasing spectacular driving—most notably this video of an M3 dueling with a Caterham—and this one certainly doesn’t disappoint. In this instance, the Jaguar might not strike the passerby as a real weapon on the track, but the way it deploys its 561 horsepower and 516 lb-ft so effectively suggests otherwise.
Its a car that’s neat, poised, and stable at slow or medium speeds, thanks largely to wider tires, lightweight 20″ wheels, and a stiffer rear knuckles. Less flex in the suspension means a stable contact patch, and that means plenty of mechanical grip. High-speed stability comes from an active rear wing, a rear venturi, a front splitter and a flat underfloor. To top it all off, torque vectoring helps the roaring 5.0-liter V8 deliver power without a hiccup. It all looks so effortless, yet as you see the scenery passing by, you realize just how fast the man is going.
Dale picks his places to overtake and put pressure on the other drivers on this busy Touristenfahren at the Nurburgring. He’s pushy but fair, and gives some of the quick cars a little space to overtake the slower traffic safely. Bikers are a constant issue—especially one rider who doesn’t check his mirrors, which is a must when sharing the track with drivers of varying talent. In fact, Dale uses his indicators everywhere to try and give the others a sense of where he’ll be going, and that allows him to slice through without much worry. Joking and jiving as he hustles this surprisingly fast Jag around the ‘Ring, this man shows us how it’s done.