Jaguar Gives the F-Type a Refresh
Jaguar has announced the details of the redesigned 2021 F-Type sports car, which features a new exterior and interior design.
The range of engines includes a four-, six- and eight-cylinder option, all matched to eight-speed 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 with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto as standard and software-over-the-air functionality so future software updates can be made at the customer’s convenience without having to visit a Retailer. Two Meridian sound systems also offer enhanced sound reproduction.
Julian Thomson, Design Director, Jaguar, said: “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.”
Exterior Design
Super-slim LED headlights with updated ‘Calligraphy’ signature J daytime running lights blend into the ‘liquid metal’ surfacing of the new clamshell hood. Running along the vehicle is a monogram pattern, inspired by Jaguar’s heritage logo. The light graphic accentuates the car’s visual width and hints at its performance potential. The new front bumpers and subtly enlarged grille deliver even more visual impact and presence.
The LED rear light clusters have also been updated too. Now slimmer, to match the headlights, they feature a bolder, ‘Chicane’ light graphic. Beneath is a pinstripe detail and, like the headlights, an intricate pattern formed of the heritage monogram. Instead of the predecessor’s stepped form, the outer lenses are now smooth.
Powertrain-specific exhaust pipes emerge from the rear diffuser, clearly signaling the new sports car’s performance intent. The 296hp turbocharged four-cylinder features a single, central, quadrilateral finisher, while the 380hp supercharged V6 is distinguished by its two large round tailpipes. The 575hp supercharged V8 is identified by quad, outboard exhausts, with the latter featuring etched R branding.
Interior Design
Inside, the driver-focused ‘1+1’ cabin envelops the occupants with materials such as Windsor Leather, Suedecloth, and Noble Chrome, while Jaguar craftsmanship is embodied in beautiful details such as monogram stitching on the seats and door trim. These touches blend seamlessly with the new 12.3-inch reconfigurable HD TFT instrument cluster and Jaguar InControl® Touch Pro™ infotainment system2.
The cockpit now features a 12-inch reconfigurable HD TFT instrument cluster, with graphics unique to the F-TYPE. This offers a choice of three display themes, including full map but, as befits a true sports car, the default mode is characterized by the large central tachometer.
This feature and the gearshift light subtly convey the character and performance potential of the F-TYPE, digitally enhancing the mechanical theatre of the pulsing red ‘heartbeat’ of the start button and the deployable center air vents. The responsive, intuitive Touch Pro infotainment system’s 10-inch touchscreen, matched to three tactile rotary controllers, offers the perfect balance of analogue and digital driver controls.
In addition, the F-TYPE features Apple CarPlay® and Android Auto™ as standard1, along with software-over-the-air functionality, so future software updates can be made at the owner’s convenience without having to visit a retailer.
Performance
The 2021 F-Type is being offered in four-, six- and eight-cylinder options with 296hp, 380hp and 575hp respective outputs. All are matched to eight-speed Quickshift transmissions with full manual control capability using either the SportShift gear selector or the steering wheel-mounted paddles.
Each engine is equipped with an active exhaust system, which is switchable either as an option or as standard. Customers who choose the 575hp supercharged V8 and wish for a more subtle, refined sound can select the new Quiet Start mode. This ensures that the electrically-actuated bypass valves in the rear silencer remain closed until automatically opening under load, releasing the signature roar fundamental to the F-TYPE driving experience.
The distinctive crackle and pop on the overrun synonymous with Jaguar F-Type, remains, with sounds meticulously tuned to suit the distinctive character of each model. All engines are equipped with close-coupled particulate filters to make them even cleaner.
The filters are neatly integrated into the aftertreatment system and trap ultrafine particles as the exhaust gas passes through them. Under normal driving conditions, the trapped particles will be oxidized into CO2 and the filter regenerated whenever the driver lifts off the accelerator.
Jaguar F-Type R
The new Jaguar F-Type R continues to set the benchmark for truly involving, driver-focused sports cars. Just as its design has evolved, so too has the 5.0-liter supercharged V8 at its heart. It now generates 575hp and 516 lb-ft of torque; increases of 25hp and 14 lb-ft compared to the previous model.
Combined with the torque on-demand all-wheel drive system with Jaguar’s Intelligent Driveline Dynamics (IDD) control technology, the F-Typer R accelerates from 0-60mph in just 3.5 seconds, while the maximum speed is electronically-limited to 186mph.
The bespoke calibration to IDD and to the rear electronic active differential (EAD) is designed to for optimum torque distribution between the front and rear axles and across the rear axle.
Aluminum double wishbone front and rear suspension and a recalibrated state-of-the-art electric power-assisted steering (EPAS) system offering an even more connected feel are fundamental to the car’s immediate and intuitive responses to every driver input.
Matched to new springs and anti-roll bars, the chassis is further enhanced by the continuously-variable dampers at the core of the brand’s Adaptive Dynamics system. The valves inside each damper and the control algorithms have been recalibrated to improve both low-speed comfort and high-speed control.
The unique tune for the Torque Vectoring by Braking system is designed for even more precise control of the braking applied to the inner wheels to further mitigate understeer.
The rear knuckles are now aluminum die castings, which, together with new, larger wheel bearings and revised upper ball joints increase camber and toe stiffness by 37 percent and 41 percent respectively.
The specially-developed 265/35/ZR20 and 305/30/ZR20 Pirelli P Zero tires are 10mm wider and are paired to new 10-spoke, 20-inch wheels in Gloss Black with diamond-turned finish and are exclusive to the F-Type R.
