75 years after Jaguar built its first sports car with the XK120, the “75” edition of the F-Type waves goodbye to Jaguar’s sports cars with a combustion engine. The brand will become a pure EV manufacturer from 2025 and will therefore say goodbye to the beautiful five-liter V8 that is still under the hood of this F-Type. Although saying goodbye is never fun, here it is a goodbye in a major key.
The F-Type, which we tested with the same engine block as SVR in 2016 and with the other engines in 2020, is one of the most beautiful cars on the market with its perfect classic proportions. Thanks to its pure, low line, which does not show a wrinkle even eleven years after its introduction, it manages to stay up to date with all design fads. With the 75 edition of the F-Type, Jaguar says goodbye to three quarters of a century of sports cars with a combustion engine, an era that started in 1948 when the XK120 came onto the market. Although saying goodbye to something beautiful always hurts a bit, the farewell that Jaguar gives to the sports car with a combustion engine is one of the most beautiful.
Last of the Mohicans
The “75” variant of the F-Type is available as a coupe and as a convertible with the 450 hp Supercharged V8 and with the 575 hp, 125 hp more powerful variant and 700 Nm strong. We drove – how could it be otherwise – with that top model, the last of the Mohicans. It has a five-liter V8 with a compressor under its low hood and is the absolute top of the range. The countless and always immediately available horsepower and Newton meters are always transferred to the four wheels on this top version, so that despite the power development there are few or no traction problems, except on slippery roads with a driver who cannot control his right foot. Most of the power is sent to the rear wheels, so this F-Type still has a rear-wheel drive character. With the DSC turned off you can effortlessly spin donuts with it. The R reaches an electronically limited top speed of 300 km/h and the sprint from 0 to 100 km/h is possible in just 3.7 seconds with the combination of the V8 and the beautiful ZF eight-speed automatic transmission. Everything happens without much noise in the drivetrain, but with the necessary auditory spectacle.
Sound of thunder
Because yes, the sound of Jaguar’s V8 is and remains one of its absolute selling points. It was made between 2016, when we were able to test the same engine in the F-Type SVR, and today, unfortunately, it has become a lot more discreet at idle speed and quiet driving. That is the toll of the regulations that Europe unfortunately imposes, but even slightly muzzled he still sounds wonderful when he is revved up. The goosebumps that the SVR gave us seven years ago were unfortunately absent this time, even when the exhaust valves are open and the V8 can therefore breathe more freely. To keep the neighbors on friendly terms, Jaguar also provided a Quiet Start function, which produces a more muted sound when starting to cause less disruption.
Revving up the eight-cylinder naturally entails a serious fuel bill, although during our test period – due to the heavy rain – we stuck to a calm driving style, which amounted to an average of 10.1 l/100 km of gasoline. . That is quite acceptable for a five-liter V8 and more than two liters less than what we burned with the SVR in 2016 (then in good weather).
Sharp driving machine
Driving the F-Type is still a pleasure. It follows the road meekly, the direct steering provides sufficient feedback and feels good in the hand and the suspension with adaptive dampers – although on the hard side – is not such that this car is only usable on a billiard-level circuit. The driving position and all-round visibility also make the F-Type usable every day, although the windshield is very low. This Jag is anything but lightweight with 1,781 kg dry on the hook. Fortunately, the eight-cylinder is so powerful that this has no effect on performance. The handling does not suffer from the weight, but this is more of a GT for long, fast rides than a real sports car par excellence for better tossing and throwing.
Not the youngest anymore
The design of the interior, with a relatively small screen with a diameter of 12.3 inches and many physical buttons (we’re not complaining about that!), shows the age of the retiring F-Type. The infotainment screen is easily accessible, but the color display is not at the level of the latest models and the F-Type is also not entitled to JLR’s new PIVI-pro infotainment system, which is much better and more user-friendly than the old system that was still available. is in this car. Apple CarPlay can only be activated with a cable and the radio reception of our test car was substandard on both the FM and DAB+ frequencies.
The performance bucket seats fitted as standard on the “75” not only look great, but also sit excellently and there is sufficient headroom for someone of average size. The number of storage compartments remains limited and the suitcase is only suitable for two weekend bags. However, that is not a real problem since this is a GT that is not used as the only car and pursues other objectives.
As “75”, the F-Type R is equipped with a modified suspension and some specific details, such as the 20-inch rims reserved for this version. The very fat tires around it in size 265/35/ZR20 at the front and 305/30/ZR20 at the rear are seriously loud on concrete surfaces. In any case, the visual details that distinguish the 75 from the other F-Type are very subtle, with in addition to the rims also a 75 badge on the side, a black pack in the interior and a specific gray-green paint color, for those who preferred over the other colors in the range.
Now or never
Anyone who wants a Jaguar sports car with an eight-cylinder should act now. After the current year of production, this beautiful one is definitely over and out. The list price of this F-Type R 75, the absolute top model of the range, is not cheap at € 136,300, but is barely higher than the € 129,962.46 that Porsche requires for the basic version of the 911 Carrera. However, with its 385 hp, the German is almost 200 hp less powerful. For comparable power, you have to opt for the 911 Turbo with 580 hp from the top competitor from Stuttgart, but then you will spend € 226,468 without options. Seen from this perspective, the F-Type R 75 is a real bargain. One that makes you more original than a 911.
Saying goodbye is not fun. Certainly not if it is a beautiful sports car with a beautiful V8 like this F-Type. Fortunately it is a farewell in a major key. We left the car with the importer with a broad smile. Because we were able to taste the unique history of Jaguar’s sports cars with combustion engines, which receive a worthy final salute with this “75”.
2023-12-20 19:11:53
#TEST #Jaguar #FType #Farewell #major
