Jaguar has updated its F-Type sportscar with a fresh look, a tweaked V8 and upgraded tech features. The two-seat sportscar, already loved for its good looks, gets even more fluid lines thanks to the ‘liquid metal’ surfacing of the new clamshell bonnet and the flush-fit, deployable door handles that we first saw in the Range Rover Velar. Along with new LED headlights and updated signature daytime running lights, the new front bumper and larger grille add to the car’s muscular stance. The rear haunches help sharpen the F-Type’s silhouette, while the taillights with new graphic patterns complete the new look.
“Design the most beautiful sports car, with purity, proportion and presence that’s unmistakably Jaguar: that was the challenge we set ourselves. The new F-Type is more dramatic than ever, with even greater clarity of purpose in every line, surface and feature, and embodies true Jaguar design DNA,” says Julian Thomson, Jaguar Design Director.
The interior is said to have received an upgrade as well, with use of materials such as Windsor Leather and satin-finish Noble Chrome. The cabin gets details including monogram stitch patterns in the seats and door trims, Jaguar Leaper motifs in the headrests, and ‘Jaguar Est.1935’ markings on the centre console finisher, glovebox release button surround, and seatbelt guides. The 12.3-inch reconfigurable Interactive Driver Display in the F-Type’s offers a choice of different display modes; including full map mode.
“State-of-the-art technologies together with luxurious materials and finishes deliver beauty with purpose in an interior which will delight driver and passenger alike even before the engine starts and the journey begins,” adds Thomson. “Jaguar has been making sports cars for more than 70 years, and that rich heritage has inspired the team to create something truly extraordinary.”
The range of engines includes four- and eight-cylinder options, all mated with eight-speed Quickshift transmissions with full manual control using either the SportShift gear selector or the steering wheel-mounted paddles. The 300 horsepower turbocharged four-cylinder and 450 horsepower and 575 horsepower V8s feature active exhaust systems, and the supercharged V8s offer a new Quiet Start function, which keep the electrically-actuated bypass valves in the rear silencer closed to a more subtle exhaust note on starting. Jaguar says the distinctive crackle and pop on the overrun remains.
“The new F-TYPE is the definitive Jaguar sports car and continues to set the benchmark for design purity, driver engagement and reward, and a truly visceral driving experience – it makes every journey extraordinary,” says Alan Volkaerts, Vehicle Line Director. “Enthusiasts will appreciate the new F-TYPE R’s 575PS supercharged V8, enhanced chassis and intelligent all-wheel drive system, which deliver truly outstanding performance in all conditions while retaining its inherent tractability and usability,” he adds.
The 450 horsepower supercharged V8 has a maximum torque of 580Nm from just 2,500rpm and is offered with a choice of all-wheel drive and rear-wheel drive. Both versions can accelerate from 0-60mph in just 4.4 seconds, and reach a maximum speed of 177mph (285kph). The all-wheel drive F-Type R supercharged V8 sees its output raised from 550 horsepower and 680Nm to 575 horsepower and 700Nm. It does the sprint from 0 to 60mph takes just 3.5 seconds, while maximum speed is an electronically-limited 186mph (299kph). To cope with this increased power, the F-Type R’s chassis has been uprated, with new adaptive dampers, springs, anti-roll bars and stiffer rear knuckles and ball joints delivering impressive agility and responsiveness.
Jaguar is also offering an F-Type First Edition, based on the R-Dynamic models and available for one model year only. This special variant will feature an Exterior Design Pack in contemporary Dorchester Grey and five-spoke, 20-inch wheels in Gloss Technical Grey with contrast Diamond-Turned finish, and a choice of Santorini Black, Eiger Grey or Fuji White paint. The interior features 12-way Windsor Leather seats in Ebony with Light Oyster stitching, or Mars with Flame Red stitching. Other highlights of the First Edition include the instrument cluster wrapped in Alcantara with Monogram embossing, aluminium gearshift paddles, an Engine Spin centre console finisher with First Edition branding, and an Ebony Suedecloth headliner.
Prices for the Middle East markets will be announced next week, and the new F-Type is expected to arrive here by Spring or early Summer of 2020.
