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The F-TYPE. It's not only a sportscar - it's a Jaguar sportscar: the difference is important. Don't expect a racetrack refugee - but don't expect a luxury GT either, the kind of car sporting fans of the brand previously had so often to be satisfied with. Think instead of what an Austin Healey or a Triumph TR6 might be like re-interpreted for the modern era, a roadster or, as in this case, a coupe designed very much for the road. A machine you can't help but want to drive - and drive hard. In this updated post-2020-era form, that was more than ever what an F-TYPE could be, thanks to widespread improvements that broadened its appeal. Here, we look at the Coupe version.
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History
What do you expect a Jaguar sports car to be? Charismatic? Memorable? Classically elegant? The company's F-TYPE model claimed all these attributes. Even today, it's a little bit special. And if you're looking at a used one, it's worth stretching to the post-2020-era facelifted version we're going to look at here in Coupe form.
By 2020, the F-TYPE had changed quite a bit since we'd first seen it back in 2013 as a Convertible and from 2014 as a Coupe. In 2015, we saw the announcement of manual transmission and AWD, then a frantic flagship SVR V8 derivative arrived with supercar-style performance, just before the introduction of a minor facelift, an uprated V6 engine option and, perhaps most significantly, in mid-2017, an entry-level four cylinder variant. Probably the most significant package of changes though, arrived in late 2019 to create the car we're going to look at here. To see out the production run, Jaguar's stylists delivered a sleeker look and, for mainstream models, swapped out the aging supercharged V6 for an even more potent V8. Creating? Well what? Perhaps the sports car you've always promised yourself? We're going to find that out here.
The F-TYPE, remember, was a car over half a century in the making. At the time of its original launch, it had been that long since we'd seen a proper Jaguar sportscar, a successor to the iconic C, D and E-Type models that defined this market in the Fifties and Sixties. In those days, the Coventry company was a brand known for true drivers' cars, rather than the luxurious GT models more familiar from the modern era. Think of peoples' perception of Porsche today: back then, you bought a Jag for that kind of thing.
Might you do so again today? Well this updated F-TYPE claimed to be better equipped than ever to persuade those in any doubt, a modern era Jaguar that was ready to take on sporting class leaders of the calibre of Porsche's 718 series and 911 Carerra models. Can one single design really do that? Previously with this car, we'd had our doubts and sure enough, earlier versions of this model never sold in the kind of numbers high enough to really trouble the premium German brands. This revised F-TYPE though, revitalised its appeal and if you're torn between a top sportscar and a junior level supercar, it could offer the perfect used sportscar package.
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What you get
The visual changes made to this improved model as part of the 2020 update were significant, centring mostly on a front end that was embellished by super-slim pixel LED headlights that blended into the 'liquid metal' surfacing' of the restyled clamshell bonnet with its signature power bulge. There was also a smarter front bumper and a subtly enlarged grille that together aimed to deliver more visual impact and presence.
We still think that, even today, visually this F-TYPE Coupe body shape works really well, with its short wheelbase, power-packed set of rear haunches and elegant roof line. The alternative Convertible version has a multi-layered fabric hood with a thick Thinsulate lining to make it waterproof, with a powered mechanism that takes just 12 seconds to operate. At the rear as part of this update, the slender tail lights were revised, featuring an LED chicane signature inspired by the Jaguar I-PACE.
It's certainly very firmly driver-orientated inside, the two front occupants separated by a prominent grab handle which sweeps down from the top of the centre console and wraps around behind the joystick-shaped SportShift gear selector. The main change with this revised model lay with the replacement of conventional analogue instrument binnacle dials with a configurable, high-definition 12.3-inch 'Interactive Driver Display' screen. It can be set to display either conventionally with two virtual dials - or with a single large rev counter. Alternatively, you can prioritise the display of Media or Drive Assistance features - or have the screen show full GPS mapping.
Not so good is the fact that the central infotainment screen wasn't updated to the newer 'Pivi Pro' system that by 2019, other new Jaguar models were featuring. But this F-TYPE's older-tech 10-inch 'Touch Pro' display could as part of this update be had with 'Apple CarPlay' or 'Android Auto' smartphone-mirroring; even so, even back in 2019 it felt rather dated. Still, it includes most of the features you'll need, including a 'Connected Navigation Pro' set-up and a very decent Meridian Sound System.
You can forgive this car a lot for the way its classy cabin 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. We also approve of the small diameter, three-spoke leather-trimmed wheel. And a really lovely touch lies with the deployable front air vents that rise impressively from the centre of the fascia when you need upper cabin air.
The boot is relatively big, giving the F-TYPE Coupe genuine GT potential. You'll get 315-litres in up to the parcel shelf and 407-litres to the window line. Of course, should you have opted for the Convertible version of this car, you'd have to readjust your expectations on luggage capacity. With that body style, you get only 196-litres of capacity, but at least that's unaffected by the position of the roof.
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What to look for
Most F-TYPE Coupe owners in our survey seemed very satisfied, but we did come across a few issues. There have been reports that the rear differential can leak oil due to faulty seals. If this is repaired, make sure the coupling hasn't been over-tightened as this can ruin the diff completely, first signalled by worrying noises from the rear of the car.
Some owners have also found the valves in the active exhaust system can stick open. This can require a new back box, normally fitted under warranty. Original F-Types were susceptible to small stones getting between the window seal and the glass. Look out for stone chips on the nose. Some times, the pop-out door handles can fail to pop out. And the electrically-rising dash air vents and rear spoiler have been known to play up; check all the functionality carefully. Other issues include the fact that the fuel filler locking cap sometimes doesn't lock. Brake lights can remain lit (requiring a new brake light switch). We've also heard of flickering instrumentation, condensation in the headlamps and creaking dashboards.
Otherwise, it's just the usual things - scratched alloys etc. And obviously insist on a fully stamped-up service history.
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Replacement parts
(approx based on a 2020 Jaguar F-TYPE R Coupe) An oil filter is around £22-£25. A front brake disc is in the £144-£178 per pair. The cost for front brake pads varies quite a lot - anything from around £25 upwards - but Jaguar official pads are in the £135-£160 bracket and it's obviously more for top Brembo pads. A genuine Jaguar wiper blade is around £37. An air filter is around £16-£110. A starter motor is in the £154-£254 bracket. An LED headlight assembly is £2,100-£3,400 per side.
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On the road
Speed and drama aren't lacking here. Even the base 300hp four cylinder P300 F-TYPE variant makes 60mph in just 5.4s en route to a top speed that has to be limited to 155mph. The WLTP-rated stats suggest that this unit's reasonably economic too, managing 29.8mpg on the combined cycle and 216g/km of CO2. It even sounds great - or at least it does if you engage the standard Active Sports exhaust anyway, though some of the aural fireworks are artificially enhanced by the stereo speakers.
For some F-TYPE folk though, this car just won't feel right with a mere 2.0-litres beneath the bonnet - and we can understand that. These people may also want the option of AWD, which you can't have on the P300. AWD can be had though, with the next powerplant up in the line-up; that mid-level unit was a 3.0-litre supercharged V6 with the original F-TYPE, but as part of the 2020 update, Jaguar pensioned that aging unit off in favour of a new 450PS version of its classic supercharged V8. This fiery powerplant develops a prodigious 580Nm of torque from just 2,500rpm and makes 60mph in just 4.4s on the way to 177mph. Should that somehow be insufficient, the wild F-TYPE R variant continued at the top of the range with a 575PS version of the same V8, an AWD-only model which covers off that benchmark sprint in just 3.5s en route to 186mph.
But making this car fast was a very small part of making it great. After all, Jaguar's old XK sportscar was certainly quick, but only really ardent fans of the Coventry brand would ever have considered one in the same breath as, say, a Porsche 911. You might wonder whether this F-TYPE could really do better. And before driving this one, we certainly had our doubts. In some ways still do, though there's certainly lots about the dynamic repertoire of this car that we really like. Take the steering, an electrically-assisted rack that turns out to be direct and feelsome in communicating what's going on beneath you.
Equally good is the paddleshift ZF Quickshift auto gearbox, which by 2020 F-TYPE folk had to have, the original four cylinder model's optional manual 'box having by then having sadly been discontinued. This auto lacked modern twin-clutch technology, but it offered a rapid fire system with eight closely stacked sporting ratios and, for the V8s, was optimised to constantly keep the supercharged engines in the sweet spot of the power band. Activate the standard 'Dynamic' mode provided with all models and it gets even better, both steering and shifting taking on an even more aggressive demeanour; the 'Adaptive Dynamics' system allows this more focused mode to alter ride quality too - which is one of this Jaguar's greatest strengths. This damping set-up eases you over bumpy or broken surfaces, giving the car a beautiful point-to-point flow, whether in town or on the highway. So while this car still doesn't have the sheer agility of a rival Porsche, there are other reasons why you might want one: remarkably compelling ones, as it turns out.
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Overall
It's hard not to have pre-conceptions about what this Jaguar might be like, especially if you're the kind of buyer who might ordinarily prefer a German-branded sports car. We started off trying this updated Coupe model with just such a preference, but we ended it understanding afresh just why this F-TYPE is such an appealing prospect.
Jaguar needed to find a younger, more demanding, hungrier audience for its sports cars. It needed to convince people like us that here and now in this market at this time in history, it could be great again. Mission accomplished.
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