Jaguar Unleashes 2021 F-Type to Outpace All Competition

The 2021 Jaguar F-Type sports car has arrived, and though it is noticeably similar in proportion to the model it replaces, edgier touches here and there give the car a much aggressive stance this time around.

The changes start with the headlights, which now look like angry feral eyes compared to the snake-like calm of the previous model. Other visual tweaks include a reshaped grille, larger side intakes on the front bumper, wider fender vents, hood vents, a slight tweak to the rear lights, a new rear bumper, and…that’s about it.

“F-Type has always had great proportions and stance, and our latest design is all about enhancing those key Jaguar values,” said Adam Hatton, Jaguar exterior design director. “Our aim was to make the car more contemporary, more purposeful, and even more dramatic.”

The engines remain intact for the most part, which is acceptable, given that this is just a refresh of the model and that there’s little to fault in the existing power mills. The currently top-of-the-line F-Type R uses a boosted 5.0-liter V8 that’s now 575 hp and 700 Nm strong, pushing the car to an electronically limited top speed of 299 kph and a 0 to 100 kph time of 3.6 secs. The turbocharged 2.0-liter 4-cylinder (296 hp) and supercharged 3.0-liter V6 (380 hp) carry over for the rest of the trims. Jaguar provides this breakdown to the variants:

F-TYPE Coupé and Convertible:

• 2.0-liter four-cylinder; Quickshift RWD
• 3.0-liter V6; Quickshift; RWD/ AWD
• 5.0-liter V8; Quickshift; RWD/ AWD

F-TYPE R-Dynamic Coupé and Convertible:

• 2.0-liter four-cylinder; Quickshift RWD
• 3.0-liter V6; Quickshift; RWD/ AWD
• 5.0-liter V8; Quickshift; RWD/ AWD

F-TYPE First Edition Coupé and Convertible:

• 2.0-liter four-cylinder; Quickshift RWD
• 3.0-liter V6; Quickshift; RWD/ AWD
• 5.0-liter V8; Quickshift; RWD/ AWD

F-TYPE R Coupé and Convertible:

• 5.0-liter V8; Quickshift AWD

The outgoing model had an SVR (Special Vehicle Racing) trim as its range-topper. Though plans for such a trim have not been announced, motoring experts believe that one will eventually arrive down the road.

Jaguar got rid the manual transmission for the 2020 model year, and the 8-speed automatic remains the only gearbox option for 2021 as well. The latest F-Type also earns a retooled suspension that uses stiffer materials for the rear knuckles and ball joints, new springs, adaptive dampers, and modified anti-roll bars.

Same as in the 2020 model, 4-cylinder variants will have a single central exhaust tailpipe, while those equipped with a V8 will have four pipes—two on each side.

The interior is signature Jaguar—Windsor Leather, satin-finish chrome embellishments, and monogram stitching in the seats and door trims welcome the vehicle’s occupants. A massive 12.3-inch instrument cluster can switch between trip information and navigation screen, while a 10-inch touchscreen serves as the infotainment controls. This screen is powered by an updated version of the Jaguar Land Rover InControlPro software. The auto climate system is controlled via conventional knobs.

Release date and pricing have not been provided yet, so we’ll have to wait for the announcements in the coming months. The first batch of F-Types will be a First Editions and will have unique styling touches that identify them from the units to follow.