2019 BMW 7-Series (spy Shot)

BMW has started working on the mid-life facelift of the 7-Series, or as the Bavarians call it the 7-Series LCI. With Mercedes having just released the facelifted S-Class and Audi launching the all-new A8, BMW can’t risk falling behind in the big league so sending the 7-Series to the plastic surgeon was the right thing to do. The update will include more comprehensive changes that those seen in other recent LCI model facelifts, including new, more handsome headlights and taillights with a thinner profile for a more dynamic look. A different kidney grille and redesigned bumpers are also on the to-do list. Inside, the BMW flagship will feature upgraded tech features as well as an updated list of safety features that will represent the absolute best the Bavarian firm has to offer. This will include a similarly capable self-driving feature with the Audi A8, which is the only one currently to offer Level 3 autonomy.

The top speed, meanwhile, is 171 mph. Despite this quickness, the F-Type is very much in the Goldilocks zone when it comes to speed - it's never so fast as to scare its driver, yet it can and will set your heart aflutter on every outing. A large part of this sensation can be attributed to the stupendous sound emanating from the F-Type's active exhaust system and the twin, center-mounted pipes. These chromed tubes may as well have been plucked from mortar launchers, as much like their military counterparts, they excel at making people far away take notice. With the exhaust's baffles set to open, the sound is positively primal, bellowing loudly and grandly under hard acceleration and then belching with all the grace of a beer-swilling frat bro on upshifts. On overrun, the F-Type does snap, crackle and pop far better than any tiny cereal cartoon mascots. If you're ever lucky enough to get behind the wheel, just do yourself a favor and drive it hard through a tunnel.

Not only will your ears thank you, but so will every motorist around you. The fun comes when it's switched to Dynamic and control moves from the computer to the Ignis Orange paddles mounted behind the steering wheel. Part of the F-Type's accelerative joie de vivre comes from the eight-speed "Quickshift" automatic transmission. This is yet another one of ZF's excellent eight-speed boxes, and - no surprise - it's not stymied when used in a performance application. Left in full auto and in the standard driving mode, it performs as admirably as any other eight-speed ZF I've tested. The fun, though, comes when it's switched to Dynamic and control moves from the computer to the Ignis Orange paddles mounted behind the steering wheel. Shifts are noticeably quicker and more aggressive, with wide-open-throttle upshifts coming with a suitably sharp jolt. On downshifts, meanwhile, the trans will easily dispatch two or even three gears at once following the requisite number of tugs on the left paddle. Those paddles themselves look great thanks to their almost anodized appearance, although they could feel slightly more premium and come with a crisper, more dramatic action.

Despite sporting such an eager powertrain and suffering from an extremely excitable right foot, I found the Jag to be a surprisingly efficient companion. Over the course of roughly 300 miles of mixed but fast driving, the Jag's trip computer showed that I was averaging about 19 miles per gallon, matching the F-Type's city economy rating. Considering the way I was pushing the supercharged V6 at every opportunity, I have no problem believing that less exuberant driving will yield the 22-mpg average rating and even approach the 27-mpg highway number. Opt for the mid-range F-Type V6 S Coupe, and you'll score a standard sport-tuned, all-aluminum, double-wishbone adaptive suspension. Said suspension can be set in one of two modes ­- Normal or Dynamic. Regardless of which mode you select, I must say that the F-Type's ride, even on my tester's 19-inch wheels, is on the choppy side. It's not, however, unbearable.