Mid-cycle refresh for Jaguar F-Type sports car… and many more models

The Jaguar F-Type was launched in 2012 as spiritual and name successor the Jaguar E-Type.  The new Jaguar all-aluminium 2-seater sports car has firmly established itself as the best-selling sports car in its segment in its home market and has won nearly 160 awards worldwide. 

The unrivalled balance of seductive design, stunning performance and outstanding dynamics has always made the F-Type unique, in a range that has evolved to include coupé bodystyles, manual transmissions and intelligent all-wheel drive.

Already recognised as the most dynamically capable, performance-focused Jaguar, the F-Type sports car continues to evolve, getting a fresh look, state-of-the-art infotainment system and world-first ReRun app.

Proportion and purity

“Great sports car design is about proportion and purity.  The most challenging element of the process for designers is to focus on and maintain an exciting silhouette that promises performance.  For the 2018 model year F- Type, we looked at how we could fine-tune key details to deliver even more clarity of purpose in the overall design – for the driver, the passenger and onlookers,” said Ian Callum, Director of Design, Jaguar.

Clearly not straying from the F-Type’s award-winning design of proportion and purity, it has been fine-tuned – it is stronger and more focused, with clearer model-specific visual range differentiation.

On the F-Type R, the front bumper air strakes have flipped 90 degrees, from vertical to horizontal, to give a wider appearance.

From the rear, you can still tell the V6 and V8 models apart visually – the V6s have twin big-pipe centre exhaust outlets, while the V8s have quad (though smaller) exhaust finishers.  Either is still unashamedly loud.

Full LED and J-Blade

Standard on R-Dynamic, R and SVR, full LED headlights boost visual appeal still further, add a technological edge, and help improve driving safety and comfort.  The Adaptive Front Lighting system makes the new LED headlights even more effective.  Networking these AFL LED headlights to the car’s suite of sensors enables them to switch intelligently between 4 main driving modes: City, Country, Motorway and Bad Weather.

Jaguar’s distinctive J-Blade daytime running lights are retained, and these now double as the direction indicators, with the lamp’s ‘eyelid’ indexing with the bonnet’s cutline to further accentuate the lights’ multi-layered graphics.

The LED rear light clusters have been subtly updated too.  The characteristic light graphic of a horizontal line intersecting a roundel – a feature inherited from the iconic Jaguar E-type – is now accentuated by darker lenses (making the red LED line more pronounced) to give the car an even more purposeful appearance.

Out with S – in with R-Dynamic

Whereas the F-Type line-up thus far comprised F-Type (base), S, R and SVR, the new-look takes out the S model, and replaces it with R-Dynamic.

The R-Dynamic model is new to the core range.  This specification is available with both the 250kW and  280kW versions of the supercharged V6, broadening customer choice, and is distinguished by19-inch and 20-inch alloy wheel designs and by the front bumper’s gloss black finish aperture bezels, front splitter, bonnet vents, side sills and rear diffuser.

400 Sport for 1st year

To mark the introduction of the new F-Type range, Jaguar has developed the exclusive 400 Sport launch edition, which will go on sale worldwide… but for 1 model year only.

Power from the new 294kW (400hp) version of the 3.0-litre supercharged V6 engine (up from 280kW) is complemented by an uprated chassis comprising the Super Performance braking system, Configurable Dynamics and 20-inch wheels with a unique Dark Satin Grey finish.  Buyers can choose rear-wheel or all-wheel-drive.

Distinctive Yellow and Dark Satin Grey 400 SPORT badges on the rear of the car and on the front splitter hint at the extra power concealed beneath the clamshell bonnet and perfectly complement the choice of Indus Silver, Santorini Black and Yulong White metallic paint. 

Interior design elements include 400 SPORT branding in the centre console, steering wheel, treadplates and embroidered headrests.  Yellow contrast stitching features throughout the detailed cabin, using Yellow contrast stitching throughout the premium leather interior, while the 400 SPORT logo is embroidered into the headrests of the slimline Performance seats.  Additional 400 SPORT branding is applied to the flat-bottomed steering wheel, black brushed aluminium centre console finisher and the sill treadplates.  Anodised aluminium gearshift paddles are another highlight.

Touch Pro with Commute Mode and Share ETA

Every F-Type now features the Touch Pro infotainment system.  Its super-fast responses, intuitive tablet-style operation, intelligent navigation functions such as Share ETA and online services (such as real-time traffic and live weather reports) make every journey more rewarding and put a world of information at the driver’s disposal.

The system’s 8-inch capacitive touchscreen features superb quality graphics.  The homescreen can be customised and widgets added to provide shortcuts to specific features and functions.  It’s even possible to add additional customised homescreens if desired.

Commute Mode learns your daily drive so it can offer alternative routes to avoid congestion, using historical and real-time traffic information.  But if you do get caught in a jam, Share ETA can send your destination, current location and estimated time of arrival (ETA) to selected contacts via email or text message.  If your ETA slips (you are delayed) the system can automatically follow-up with an update.

ReRun app from GoPro action camera

A world first.  Enthusiasts will be able to capture and share their driving experiences using the new ReRun app developed in collaboration with GoPro – ideal for track days and scenic drives.

ReRun combines real-time video from the driver’s GoPro with vehicle performance data including speed, throttle position, gear selection, braking force and g-force.  Performance data is taken directly from the vehicle’s electronic control networks to the ReRun app, allowing it to be overlaid in real-time with the footage from the GoPro.  The high-quality video includes unique ‘highlights’ sections, and can be downloaded to the driver’s smartphone, and even shared on social media.

Slimline seats, and more exotic feel

The 2018 model year F-Type’s interior, like the exterior, evolves into a purer, more concentrated expression of the car’s original elegance and sportiness.  Jaguar’s interior designers focused on refining a handful of key elements to create a greater sense of harmony in the finishes, enhance the sense of balance between luxury and performance, and to introduce new material options that give the car an even more exotic feel.

The addition of lightweight slimline seats and new chrome and aluminium trim finishers heighten the driver-focused feel of the interior, and perfectly complement the enhanced interior colour schemes including the Siena Tan leather option now available across the range (Siena Tan was previously exclusive to the F-Type SVR).

Those slimline seats offer more supportive backrest bolsters, while the seat’s upper curvature provide the driver with exceptional lateral support, heightening the sense of connection between the driver and the car for an even more rewarding driving experience.  The design also allows the seatback to move rearwards by up to 50mm more than before, which in turn enables a lower seating position and increased legroom.

The slimline seats come in two forms: Sport and Performance.  The F-Type (base) and F-Type R-Dynamic model lines come as standard with the pure lines of the Sport version.  The Performance version, which has more detailing and more pronounced wings at shoulder height, is standard equipment on the 400 SPORT, R and SVR – each with unique branding in the headrests.

Now with manual and V6 AWD

Whereas the Jaguar F-Type has been available to other markets in manual gearbox with the V6 engines, for South Africa all these Jaguar sports car were automatic-only. 

That has now changed – the 6-speed manual shifter will now be available with the rear-wheel-drive (not AWD, which remain auto-only) in 250kW and 280kW supercharged V6, in base or R-Dynamic trim, with your choice of coupé or convertible.  Step forward enthusiasts who still appreciate a manual gearbox in a sports car!

AWD was limited to R and SVR V8 engines, but now the 280kW V6 is offered in rear or AWD (All-Wheel-Drive).

Mirror line-up: coupé = convertible

Worth mentioning, as the pre-facelift F-Type models did not have the same model choices between F-Type coupé and F-Type convertible.  For example, if you wanted the V8 R AWD or top SVR model in SA, you could only buy it in coupé.  Now, no trim or drivetrain is excluded – it is a mirror line-up between the 2 body styles.

The model expansion has gone from 10 models (including the pair of British Design Edition cars) to a wide 28 models.

Prices include VAT and emissions tax:

Jaguar F-Type coupé		Jaguar F-Type convertible
coupé 250kW	R107 6896	convertible 250kW	R109 4496
coupé 250kW R-Dynamic	R115 8396	convertible 250kW R-Dynamic	R117 5996
coupé 250kW auto	R109 0206	convertible 250kW auto	R110 7806
coupé 250kW R-Dynamic auto	R117 1706	convertible 250kW R-Dynamic auto	R118 9306
coupé 280kW	R119 5196	convertible 280kW	R121 2796
coupé 280kW R-Dynamic	R128 0796	convertible 280kW R-Dynamic	R129 8396
coupé 280kW auto	R120 8962	convertible 280kW auto	R122 6662
coupé 280kW R-Dynamic auto	R129 4562	convertible 280kW R-Dynamic auto	R131 2162
coupé 280kW AWD	R122 8274	convertible 280kW AWD	R124 5874
coupé 280kW AWD R-Dynamic auto	R131 3874	convertible 280kW AWD R-Dynamic auto	R133 1474
coupé 294kW 400 Sport	R149 3474	convertible 294kW 400 Sport	R151 0162
coupé 294kW 400 Sport AWD	R151 1974	convertible 294kW 400 Sport AWD	R152 9674
R coupé AWD	R207 4286	R convertible AWD	R209 1986
SVR coupé AWD	R235 0786	SVR convertible AWD	R236 8386