Latest News
Volvo: Safety Beyond the Star RatingsThe History of the Jaguar F-Type
After almost a decade, the Jaguar F-Type sports car deserves a look back at the history of its production before it’s replaced.
High Caliber Beginnings
2014 Jaguar F-Type – netcarshow.com | Shop Jaguar F-Type on Carsforsale.com
Decades ago, Jaguar set a high bar with its E-Type sports car. Years later the XK would come along and hint at the passion still inside of the automaker. Finally, in 2013, the Jaguar F-type arrived and blended the past with the present in a sleek, sporty, and stylish shape that continues to be the desire of many. As Jaguar prepares for a transition to electric powertrains, we’re taking a look back through the years of the F-Type.
A New Breed: Jaguar F-Type
Jaguar hadn’t released an all-new convertible sports car in some 40 years when the F-Type debuted in 2013 as a 2014 model. It’s job was a gigantic one; to harken back to the legendary E-Type while at the same time offering modernized performance, a luxurious grand touring experience, and everyday reliability. Without all three of those pillars, the F-Type would be a failure to one extent or another. Thankfully, it was everything Jaguar hoped for and more.
At launch it featured a 3.0-liter supercharged V6 and an eight-speed automatic with rear-wheel drive as its base drivetrain. Depending on trim level, that engine could make up to 380 horsepower and 339 pound-feet of torque. From a standstill, that configuration could rocket from 0-60 mph in just 4.8-seconds. That’s quick, but it’s not so fast compared to its V8 counterpart.
That version of the F-Type, called the F-Type R, came with a 5.0-liter V8 engine with 495 horsepower and 460 pound-feet of torque. Sprinting from 0-60 mph took just 4.2-seconds and the car could achieve a top speed of 161 mph.
While outright speed is great, the F-Type needed to be good in the bends too and it was. Steering and pedal feedback was clear and communicative. The two-door cat settled into bends with impressive amounts of grip and provided an outstanding driving experience.
Buyers weren’t let down by the cabin either. When things slow down they benefit from high quality materials in the cabin, super sporty bucket seats, a driver-focused cockpit, and ergonomic controls that are easily within reach. Some touches, like the hide-away motorized HVAC vents can prove troublesome over time but it’s a small price to pay for everything else this car offers.
All of that was overshadowed somewhat by the sports cars’ stunning good looks. Its shape nods to the F-Type concept car from 2000 and even more so to the C-X16 concept from 2011. After debuting in 2014 as a drop top model only, a coupe version came online for the 2015 model year. While some cars struggle to remain beautiful when going from soft to hard top the F-Type did not have such an issue. The hardtop F-Type R made 550 horsepower to boot.
In 2016, the brand introduced a manual transmission for the V6 model and available all-wheel drive too. Hydraulic power steering was ditched in favor of electric power steering, and a 12-speaker Meridian sound system became standard equipment across the F-Type lineup. In 2017, a super-high-end SVR trim debuted with 575 horsepower and a 0-60 time of under 3.5-seconds. That same year, Jaguar introduced a new base model as well.
A Reskinned Cat
Some five years after its public introduction, in 2018, the F-Type needed a bit of a boost and it got that in the form of slightly revised styling, updated features, and a new engine. Under the hood of the newly introduced base model was a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine with 296 horsepower. Above that was the old faithful 3.0-liter supercharged V6 from the launch car.
The V6 could be had with power ranging from 340 to 400 ponies. Above that was the 5.0-liter V8 and at the top of the food chain was the SVR. In addition to those slight changes, Jaguar equipped every F-Type with LED headlights, a reworked front fascia, lightweight sport seats, a new infotainment system, and new driver aids as well.
A Striking Shift
The updated F-Type would last just three model years and bow out in 2020 so that another update could arrive in 2021. It’s the most dramatic one to date thanks to completely revised lights, a new hood, and new bumpers at each end.
The interior is dramatically updated too. It gets a new 12.3-inch driver information display along with a 10-inch infotainment system. Most engines remain the same as the previous version of the car but the base V8 has been detuned to 444 horsepower. The F-Type R P575 (which replaced the SVR) makes 567 horsepower. It’s such a good package that we named it one of our best daily driver sports cars of 2022.
The Future of the Jaguar F Type
There’s no doubt that the F-Type saved Jaguar in many ways. It set itself up as a worthy flagship sports car and led the brand back to relevance. To stay in such a position, it’ll need to continue to adapt though. That means electrification to one degree or another. We know that back in 2018, Jaguar trademarked the name J-Type but it hasn’t done anything with it since.
What Jaguar has done is announce that it’ll have a few limited editions of the V8 F-Type before it goes out of production. In fact, it’ll be the very last Jaguar sports car with a V8 in history. Some reports say that the next version will be mid-engine or electric.
2021 Jaguar F-Type – netcarshow.com | Shop Jaguar F-Type on Carsforsale.com
The brand is planning to introduce a number of all-new electric cars in the next couple of years and that it wants to go all-electric by 2025. Will one of those be an all-new F-Type or F-Type successor? Judging by the one that’s on sale right now, we certainly hope so.
