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The New Jaguar F-Type: Welcome to the Glare Zone

Published on Thu, Dec 5, 2019

By: The LACar Editorial Staff

Want a car where you can smirk at the looks of terror on the surrounding pedestrians? Be a villain. Buy the new Jaguar F-Type.

Jaguar has announced a new fearsome facelift for their sportiest model, the F-Type. Most notably, are those headlights. My, how far we’ve come from the days of the cheerful Beetle headlights. I’ve never seen a car look like it INTENDS on running me over, but looking at this Jaguar makes me want to sprint across the crosswalk. Overall, the aggressive changes made to the body assert itself as king of the concrete jungle, just desiring to pounce.

And pounce it does. The alterations to the F-Type are not only on the exterior, but the powertrain got a boost as well. The top trim package for the F-Type is the ‘R’, and boasts 567 horsepower and 516 ft lbs. of torque, achieving a 0-60mph time of 3.5 seconds, and an electronically limited top speed of 186 mph. Woefully, there are no manual transmission options, rather coming equipped with the eight-speed Quickshift automatic that handled the maniacal Jaguar XE SV Project 8.

The unveiling video collaborates with Hot Wheels, and the F-Type’s signature exhaust pops and crackles and still evident, proving to be one of the better sounding cars on the road. Overall, the car is stunning, I think Jaguar hit the nail on the head with this facelift. I’m looking forward to seeing how it competes on the track with other cars in its price range. (C8 Corvette??)

I personally can’t wait to see these crouching on the pavement in a thunderstorm, lightning bolts flashing behind its raised haunches. Those glowing eyes belong prowling in the night.

Foreword by Collin Morgan

Below is the full press release from Jaguar.

(December 2, 2019) The two-seat sports car offers a perfect balance of performance and driver reward with an even more muscular, assertive design and a cabin defined by rich, luxurious materials and beautiful details.

The range of powerful, responsive engines includes four-, six- and eight-cylinder options*, all matched to eight-speed Quickshift transmissions with full manual control using either the SportShift gear selector or the steering wheel-mounted paddles.

The new F-TYPE also offers more driver-focused technology, including a reconfigurable, high-definition, 12.3-inch TFT instrument cluster, Touch Pro infotainment system, and Smartphone Pack with Apple CarPlay® as standard. Smartphone Pack also includes Android Auto and Baidu CarLife, depending on market applicability, as standard. Software-over-the-air functionality means future software updates can be made at the customer’s convenience without having to visit a Retailer. Two superb Meridian sound systems offer enhanced sound reproduction.

“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. 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. Jaguar has been making sports cars for more than 70 years, and that rich heritage has inspired the team to create something truly extraordinary.”

Julian Thomson
Design Director, Jaguar

F-TYPE’s award-winning design has evolved still further with a focus on even greater purity and discipline to the perfectly-sculpted form. Super-slim pixel LED headlights** with subtly updated signature ‘Calligraphy’ J daytime running lights, and sweeping direction indicators, blend perfectly into the ‘liquid metal’ surfacing of the new clamshell bonnet, exaggerating the car’s visual width and accentuating its assertive stance. The new front bumper and subtly enlarged grille deliver even more visual impact and presence.

The rear haunches enhance the F-TYPE’s inherently dramatic, purposeful form, while the new slender rear lights combine an unmistakable LED chicane signature, introduced by the Jaguar I-PACE all-electric Performance SUV, with subtle monogram pattern detailing and a fine ‘pinstripe’ beneath.

The interior combines traditional Jaguar craftsmanship with rich, contemporary materials such as Windsor Leather and satin-finish Noble Chrome. Beautiful details include monogram stitch patterns in the seats and door trims, Jaguar Leaper motifs in the headrests, and subtle ‘Jaguar Est.1935’ markings on the centre console finisher, glovebox release button surround, and seatbelt guides.

The 12.3-inch reconfigurable HD TFT instrument cluster offers a choice of different displays, including full map mode but, as befits a true sports car, the default mode is characterised by the large central rev counter. This feature and the gearshift light subtly convey the F-TYPE’s driver-focused character and performance potential.

Even before the drive begins, the F-TYPE delights the driver with the visual theatre of flush, deployable door handles and deployable air vents. Pressing the start button brings the car to life with its hallmark exhaust flare as purposeful as ever

All engines – 300PS turbocharged four-cylinder, 380PS supercharged V6 and 450PS and 575PS V8s – feature active exhaust systems, which are switchable either as an option or as standard. Customers who choose the 450PS or 575PS supercharged V8s benefit from the new Quiet Start function, which ensures a more subtle, refined sound – the electrically-actuated bypass valves in the rear silencer remain closed until they automatically open up under load. If desired, Quiet Start can be over-ridden by selecting Dynamic Mode or by pressing the switchable exhaust button before starting the engine.

The distinctive crackle and pop on the overrun synonymous with F-TYPE, remains, the sounds meticulously tuned to suit the range of powerful four-,six-, and eight-cylinder engines. Highly efficient, close-coupled particulate filters reduce emissions.

“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. Its timeless looks are more assertive than ever, technologies such as the high-definition virtual instrument cluster deepen the driver-focused feel of the interior, while the range of powertrains offers a breadth of choice unrivalled in the segment. 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.”

Alan Volkaerts
Vehicle Line Director, Jaguar F-TYPE

The new 450PS supercharged V8 has been developed to offer exploitable and rewarding performance – its maximum torque of 580Nm being generated from just 2,500rpm. It is offered with a choice of all-wheel drive and – for purists – rear-wheel drive. Both versions can accelerate from 0-60mph in just 4.4 seconds, and reach a maximum speed of 177mph.

Raising the output of the all-wheel drive F-TYPE R’s supercharged V8 to 575PS and 700Nm (up from 550PS and 680Nm respectively) delivers truly outstanding performance in all weathers and in all conditions, while retaining its inherent tractability and day-to-day usability. Performance is exceptional: the benchmark sprint to 60mph takes just 3.5 seconds, while maximum speed is an electronically-limited 186mph.

The F-TYPE R’s increased power is matched to a comprehensively uprated chassis with new, wider, 20-inch, 10-spoke wheels in Gloss Black with contrast Diamond-Turned finish, and new adaptive dampers, springs, anti-roll bars and stiffer rear knuckles and ball joints, delivering even greater agility and responsiveness.

Taking all of the learning accrued from the development of the limited-edition, 200mph Jaguar XE SV Project 8, the Quickshift transmissions in both the new F-TYPE R and the 450PS V8 models have been meticulously recalibrated for a more engaging driving experience. The new F-TYPE R specifically offers even faster, crisper gear changes when the driver commands shifts manually via the steering wheel-mounted paddles or the SportShift gear selector. Both upshifts and downshifts are more immediate and give an even more connected and responsive feel.

Customers also have the choice of the exclusive F-TYPE First Edition. Based on the
R-Dynamic models, the First Edition is offered for one model year only, and has refinements such as the Exterior Design Pack in contemporary Dorchester Grey and five-spoke, 20-inch wheels in Gloss Technical Grey with contrast Diamond-Turned finish, complementing the 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 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.

The F-TYPE range is built at Jaguar’s Castle Bromwich plant in the UK and consists of:

F-TYPE Coupé and Convertible: