Before the whole “Clarkson-Gate” debacle swooped in to destroy TG->ke1860 as we know it, the walking traction management system known as the Stig was handed the keys to a very orange Jag->ke39 and told to go around the test track. The result was a time of 1:21.6, putting the F-Type R ahead of the Audi R8 V10 running in the damp, but behind the Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano. With a perspective mostly centered inside the cabin, this video is a showcase of what skilled driving looks like. The braking is absurdly deep, the apexes are exact, the throttle application is linear and precise, and every correction is just a small twitch in the steering wheel.

As you might expect, when this video was posted over the weekend, people weren’t talking about the lap, or the Stig, or the car – they were talking about Clarkson. Everyone thinks TG is dead, and in protest, many are giving the video a thumbs down and unsubscribing. It’s armchair activism at its finest, and quite frankly, hilarious to see.

But I refuse to jump onto the bandwagon. Instead, I’m gonna focus on the lap, and just how awesome it is to watch. You really get a good feeling for the grip levels at play as the Stig puts the British sports car->ke506 at the ragged edge of adhesion with each turn, and even though it’s a delicate, deft sort of interplay, it’s also quite brutal, like a swift punch to the mouth…

Jaguar F-Type R

Jaguar usually pumps out exterior aesthetics that look good, and the F-Type R is no different. However, instead of elegance, the Brits went for aggression, throwing on bulging wheel arches, a carbon-fiber splitter, vents, and scoops. Inside, you'll find heavily bolstered sports seats emblazoned with a large “R” across the leather upholstery, but there’s also a good deal of comfort, thanks to a heated backside function and 770-watt Meridian sound system. But the best sounds emanate from the backend, where an active sports exhaust system sings in baritone with 550 horsepower and 502 pound-feet of torque from a supercharged V-8 soloist.

Read our full review here.