With the production of the XK120 in 1948, Jaguar is celebrating just over 70 years of building sports cars.
Instead of candles on a cake, they’ve decided to put up a checkered flag instead.
In the case of the F-Type, Jaguar’s current two-seater sports car, that’s a literal checkered flag embroidered on the headrests. You also get a host of other cosmetic upgrades, built atop the R-Dynamic trim with its supercharged V6.
Put it another way: this is a special trim for a special car. Further, the F-Type isn’t the usual choice in the sports car market. People usually go for something like a Porsche 911 (which is a 2+2, not a sports car per se, but let’s not get too pedantic here).
If you want the F-Type and, more importantly, are willing to pay the big bucks for one, you’ve got to overlook some of the usual German offerings, which are a bit quicker and sometimes a little sharper in the handling department.
So, as Jaguar lets the F-Type wave the flag a bit, let’s see if it’s a checkered flag for victory, or merely time for one last lap.
Design
There aren’t many cars that can out-Aston an Aston Martin, but the F-Type’s one of them. The convertible is a very pretty car, and the coupe is even more gorgeous, if that’s possible.
Everything about this car is right, from its classic long-nosed profile to its narrow rear tail. Even the exhaust pipe placement is perfect. Some modern designs don’t age well, but Jaguar’s created a classic here.
As mentioned, the checkered flag package adds a host of cosmetic goodies. Twenty-inch wheels are gloss black, there’s a contrasting black roof, and you of course get special badges.
Really, the only complaint is that the car is special-looking with or without the limited edition stuff attached to it. Still, at least they haven’t overdone it.
Environment
Grace, pace, and space. Well, two out of three ain’t bad. The inside of the F-Type is gorgeous to look at, but it has a few practical problems. We’ll get to them in a second.
First, the checkered flag edition extends to embossed leather seats, a suede roof, and a unique steering wheel. It’s all really gorgeous to look at, and feels a little more luxurious than some of the Germanic competition.
The cabin is not exactly cramped, but it’s not airy either. It’s more cockpit than cabin, actually, but that’s what you expect from a sports car. Don’t go looking to the F-Type as a replacement for the grand touring nature of the old XK. It’s more akin to a Porsche Cayman or Boxster.
And that’s doubly true where the luggage space is concerned. The F-Type convertible has a laughably small trunk, and the coupe’s is only slightly better. It’ll just work for a weekend away, but not really for a long cross-country tour.
Still, you do get all the drama and theatre that Jag can bring to bear, like the air vents that rise out of the dash. Neat stuff! However, as someone who’s had experience with British cars, maybe make sure you’ve got the extended warranty.
Performance
Right, on to the good stuff. The F-Pace comes with a host of engines, from a 2.0-litre turbocharged four, to a supercharged V-8. The latter is thunderingly powerful, especially in the SVR variant.
The checkered flag edition aims for the middle ground, with a 380 horse power supercharged 3.0-litre V-6. That’s all the oomph you could need, and still more efficient than a thumping great V-8. Not that I’m opposed to thumping great V-8s or anything.
One slight irritation is that Jaguar has decided that it’s not theatrical enough that the ignition button for the F-Type pulse with a red glow, akin to a heartbeat, but they’ve also programmed the engine to snap up through the rev range every time you start it, with a loud snarl from the V-6.
The first time the F-Type does this, it’s fun. The 20th time it does it, when you’re trying to leave the house early in the morning without disturbing the neighbours, it’s a bit annoying.
Leaving that aside, the rest of the F-Type drive is fantastic. If you put it in dynamic mode, which is easily done with a toggle that doesn’t require taking your eyes off the road, it’s an angry little wildcat, snarling away. In regular mode it’s still very quick, but not so loud as to get attention.
The handling isn’t quite pin sharp, with steering that doesn’t transmit much in the way of feedback. The F-Type is a small car, but it feels a little larger than it is from the driver’s seat.
But there’s a unique flavour to the way it drives. Combined with a quick-shifting eight-speed automatic transmission, the F-Type is very quick, and the supercharged V-6 soundtrack is among the most thrilling on the market.
In short, the way the F-Type drives is as special as the way it looks. It’s just the kind of Jaguar that’s worth wearing a checkered flag.
Features
Which is good, because you’ll have to overlook the somewhat laggy infotainment screen, and a really high price tag. At $105,000 for the checkered flag edition, the F-Type has everything you want in terms of options, but is quite costly.
Fuel economy results are acceptable, with the V-6 not being that much thirstier than the four-cylinder. Official figures are 11.9 litres/100 kilometres in the city and 9.5 l/100 km on the highway.
Green light
Stunning looks; luxurious interior; rewarding to drive.
Stop sign
High cost; impractical cargo space.
The checkered flag
Jaguar’s lone sports car proves that it’s still worth celebrating.
Competition
Porsche 911 ($111,000): While the F-Type’s dimensions are closer to the Cayman or Boxster, its performance and price put it in direct competition with the Porsche 911. That’s a tough opponent for any car, and the aging F-Type comes up a little short on driving dynamics.
However, there’s something pretty antiseptic about the 911, and the Porsche will get a lot more expensive quickly, as soon as you add a few options to it. The F-Type never feels like a bargain, but it does feel like a worthy alternative with a bit more personality than the obvious choice of a 911.
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