Good Lord, it has aged well, this Jaguar F-Type.
It has been through a facelift or two, of course, but even the early cars still look fab, arguably even more so than the later ones.
The convertible has been around since 2013 and it was followed a year later by the coupé. The latter is the more practical car on account of a boot that can house a couple of sets of golf clubs rather than just a bag of tees and a glove.
Under that handsome bonnet is a good range of hot engines, too, and there’s not really a weak point as far as performance goes. Even the entry-level F-Type has a powerful 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine that will propel the car to a top speed of 155mph.
The 335bhp supercharged V6 will get you from 0-62mph in 5.1sec. You will find a few examples of this particular F-Type with a manual gearbox, but because the shift is a little unsatisfying, our advice is to go for the excellent automatic instead.
Opting for the V6 S will get you 375bhp and from 0-62mph in 4.8sec (as well as adaptive dampers for a smoother, if still firm, ride), while the 542bhp V8 R will cover the same sprint in just 4.0sec, making it a true supercar contender.
Befitting its extra performance, the F-Type R also comes with a more advanced vehicle dynamics system and firmer suspension, plus uprated carbon-ceramic brakes. You will need all this because the rear-wheel-drive V8 F-Type is a lively machine. It’s perhaps no surprise that Jaguar made four-wheel drive standard on the V8 from 2015, as well as an option on the V6 S.
If the F-Type R still leaves you yearning for more noise and performance, a 567bhp SVR version has been offered since early 2016 and just so happens to be the first Jaguar since the XJ220 supercar to have a top speed in excess of 200mph.
The F-Type is heavier than some of its rivals and occasionally feels it on the road, but it can still attack corners with gusto, as the steering is precise and the grip levels good. However, with so much power available, it’s easy to get things out of shape, especially in the wet.
Join the debate
Add your comment
The F Type has always been an attractive car and with new cars getting bigger, heavier, more digital and quieter, the rumble of the V8 from an F type is a rare thing and something to experience before its too late.
I am very tempted to have one for a last hurrah before the inevitable switch to EV, but even 2nd hand the depreciation on these is savage! £20k drop in 1st year, £12k approx drop in the 2nd year and it continues until it finally slows down by year 6 onwards or when it hits £25kish. Perhaps i am used to Porsche or Alpine kinds of depreciation (The A110 is still worth £40k after 3 years which is amazing), but thats a large amount of money to lose especially if you want the newest car/up to date car i.e. one with Apple Car play etc vs rivals from Alpine, Porsche or Lexus.
Seems you have to fork out for a full Hyundai i10 to be guaranteed front parking sensors.
Thanks land Rover.
Best looking Jag in years?, would they do an EV car like this?