Jaguar F-TYPE R (2013 - 2024) used car model guide

'Engaging, precise, intuitive and alive - the definitive sports coupe'. That's the way that Jaguar described the coupe version of this car and for once, the marketing rhetoric wasn't too far from the mark, underlining the Coventry company's determination to go its own way and offer something different. As with the Convertible model, the F-TYPE shape was an interesting one, defined by what were described as 'heartlines'.
Get beyond the muscular clamshell bonnet with its signature power bulge then turn your attention to the bold, angular Jaguar front grille and you'll pick up the first of these in the blade dissecting the shark-like gills that dominate both front corners of the car. It's a crease that runs along the top of the wing, defining its shape, then flowing on into the door before gracefully disappearing rearwards.
Here you pick up a second heartline which swells out to form the muscular rear haunch, before sweeping dramatically around a sharply proportioned tail section emphasised by wraparound LED lamps and an active rear spoiler that raises at 70mph, then lowers to fit flush when the speed drops below 50mph. The F-TYPE R was further distinguished by its gloss black front vanes, flat side sill extensions and aluminium window trim.
It's the third heartline though, that really defines the distinctive look of the Coupe body style. You've got a dramatic, cabin-rearward, sweeping roof profile. Providing an unbroken silhouette, it aims to highlight the visual drama of the tapered cabin nestled between the powerful rear haunches. There's also a lovely aluminium-finished side window graphic that's there to accentuate the compactness of the car and the roof profile.
The visual changes made to the 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.
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 the 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 as part of the 2018 facelift, the central infotainment screen wasn't updated to the newer 'Pivi Pro' system that by then, 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 2018 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.
You don't get any rear seats, but 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.

Most F-TYPE R 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.

(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.

There's quite an aural experience here, thanks to Jaguar's clever Active Exhaust system which makes enough noise on start-up to continually annoy your neighbours if you're in the habit of making early starts. At least you won't be hanging around long enough for them to serve you with an ASBO notice. The Quickshift 8-speed auto gearbox offers a Dynamic Launch Mode so that you can indulge in Grand Prix-style starts, the electronics firing you up the road in addictive fashion.
Well in the dry anyway. Try that in the wet and in the early Rear-Wheel-Drive R model, traction will be at a premium. Get an All-Wheel-Drive version of this model though and it'll be very different. Its torque-on-demand system works with a clever IDD 'Intelligent Driveline Dynamics' strategy to exploit the maximum performance potential of all that extra traction while still keeping this car's natural rear-wheel-drive character. Indeed, your AWD F-TYPE will always direct power to its rear wheels unless IDD system detects a loss of traction and demands a proportion of torque to be directed frontwards.
We'd want AWD as a non-negotiable in buying this car. It is, after all, a key tool in controlling the awesome potential of the 550PS 5.0-litre supercharged V8 that beats beneath your right foot. This flagship variant puts out a prodigious 680Nm of torque, which is one reason why there's no manual gearbox option at this level. As a result, 60mph is achievable in around four seconds en route to a top speed that you'd find would be limited to 186mph, were you able to achieve it on a deserted autobahn or your own private runway. As with the lesser V6S model, a clever Torque Vectoring by Braking system is provided. This imperceptibly brakes your inner wheels through the bends, finely adjusting the trajectory of the car for optimal handling. As a result, the available grip is always optimised, allowing you to carry more speed both into and out of corners.
You really feel the effects of that on this F-TYPE R, for all that torque vectoring cleverness is combined with an Electronic Active Differential that intelligently controls the amount of torque fed to each wheel. As a result, you should certainly be getting some impressive G-Forces through the curves in this car.
So yes, if you think a Jaguar sportscar will be a softer, less focused option than, say, a rival Porsche 911, you really need to try this top F-TYPE. Steering feel of course is key on a machine of this sort, something Jaguar was able to deliver in spite of the decision to switch from an old-tech hydraulic to a new-tech, more efficient EPAS electric system. The remote, over-assisted response at the helm was always the thing that used to put us off sporting Jaguars. At last, the brand sorted this issue here with a system that, if not quite Porsche-like in its response, was at least properly enthusiast-orientated. So that if you want to, you can really enjoy flinging this car about.
If you're thinking of doing that, then you'll need to make the best use of the three very different driving modes that this car offers. There's a normal one, one for slippery surfaces and a 'Dynamic' mode. Activate 'Dynamic' and the whole experience comes alive, both steering and shifting taking on an even more aggressive demeanour, with a weightier feel at the helm and super-fast changes that also adapt themselves to road conditions, cornering and your driving style. At the same time, throttle response is sharper and there's a slight loosening of the stability system safety net.
In this F-TYPE R V8, the damping will sharpen up too thanks to an Adaptive Dynamics system that controls body movement, roll and pitch. You can tweak any of the individual 'Dynamic' system elements with configurable menus hidden away in this touchscreen infotainment system, enabling you to specifically set up your F-TYPE to your own personal preferences, much as a race team would set up a race car. You also get a 'Dynamic-i' display on the infotainment touchscreen, complete with G-force readings and lap times.
So, ultimately, what does it all mean? Did Jaguar really build a world beater here? Ultimately, it depends what you want. Though the stiffer, sharper Coupe model is much more of a driver's car than its Convertible stablemate, it isn't the best track car in its class - which is fine because it doesn't necessarily need to be. The few potential buyers who'll regularly be pounding around on circuit days will be better off in a Lotus or a Porsche. Choose an Exige or a 911 if you want a car in this class that'll really make you feel like Fernando Alonso. This car was engineered primarily for roadway thrills - with a few roadway scares thrown in.
Of course, not every journey needs to be a red mist experience, so it's nice to be able to report that you should find yourself also enjoying this F-TYPE R even when you're not driving it hard, thanks to a suspension set-up that eases you over bumpy or broken surfaces, giving the car a beautiful point-to-point flow, whether in town or on the highway. No one does this kind of thing better than the engineers at Jaguar.

It's hard to see how Jaguar could have done a lot better with this F-TYPE R. If potential owners had approached the Coventry company with a wish list, you can't imagine that it would have emerged much differently. At launch, you could have griped about the lack of AWD and maybe the clunky infotainment system, but both those problems were quickly sorted. Are there remaining issues? Well, perhaps this car could have been a little lighter and more efficient. That's about it. Other than that, this is a British sportscar to be proud of.
It needed to be of course. After all, this F-TYPE R faced some serious competition, not only from Porsche's evergreen 911 but also from models like Aston Martin's V8 Vantage, Maserati's sleek GranTurismo and the modernist Mercedes-Benz AMG GT. Still, if you're fortunate enough to be browsing in this segment and you like your sports cars elegant but with a serious side order of attitude, then this Jaguar has to be in contention.
We don't think it'll suit many who associate performance motoring from this brand with XJS or XK models. Buckle such people up behind the wheel and they're liable to be a little taken aback. No matter. Jaguar needed to find a younger, more demanding, hungrier audience for its sportscars. It needed to convince people that it could be great again. Mission accomplished.