Review
Jaguar F-TYPE Coupé 2.0
Jaguar recently added a new engine to the F-TYPE range. From now on, this aluminum sports car is also available with a 300 hp 2.0 turbo petrol engine, on both the F-TYPE Coupé and the F-TYPE Convertible. We were more than happy to test this incredibly handsome car.
Big four-cylinder
With the addition of this engine, Jaguar makes the F-TYPE more accessible to a larger audience. Under the hood we find an Ingenium turbo petrol engine with four cylinders and a capacity of 1,997 cc. This block delivers a power of 300 hp and a max. torque of 400 Nm. This F-TYPE sprints to 100 km/h in just 5.7 seconds and has a maximum speed of 250 km/h. The drive of this lightweight sports car is on the rear wheels and the transmission is provided by a modified Quickshift automatic transmission with 8 gears. The 2.0 liter in the F-TYPE is the most powerful four-cylinder ever for a Jaguar and it is also the most efficient F-TYPE in the range.
Exhaust pipe
You can recognize which F-TYPE model it is based on the exhaust. The four-cylinder has a thick, very wide active sports exhaust with a single exhaust pipe. This produces a sporty soundtrack and the exhaust system responds to accelerator pedal position, speed and engine speed by actively opening valves. However, the R-Dynamic models have a Switchable Active Exhaust. This allows you to manually open the exhaust valves so that you get a sporty sound at any engine speed. Since engine noise plays an important role in the driving experience, we can certainly recommend this. The V6 engines of the F-TYPE can be recognized by the centrally located dual exhaust and the V8 engines have four exhaust pipes.
Lightest F-TYPE
The F-TYPE consists of a lightweight aluminum body with a strong torsionally rigid structure. This is the ideal ingredient to create a sports car with an ultimate driving experience. For the F-TYPE 2.0, efforts have been made to save even more weight. The end result is that the 2.0 weighs no less than 52 kg lighter than the F-TYPE V6 with 340 hp. A significant weight reduction that was mainly achieved at the front axle, which shifted the weight distribution another percentage point to the rear.
Nice design
As far as we are concerned, the F-TYPE has been one of the most beautiful cars ever made since its introduction. Only the S-Class Coupé from Mercedes can challenge the F-TYPE in terms of appearance and design. Every line and detail of F-TYPE has a beginning, a direction and an end. The F-TYPE was partly shaped by the wind. The air flow is controlled under the car by means of a front splitter at the front and a venturi at the rear. At higher speeds, the rear spoiler rises to increase downforce, among other things. The door handles also retract into the door to reduce air resistance.
Cockpit
The interior of the F-TYPE offers space for 2 people, with the driver taking center stage. That’s how it should be in a sports car. As a driver you get the feeling that the cockpit was designed around you. You have optimal visibility and because the seats were placed very close to the car’s center of gravity, you feel a close bond with the car while driving.
Prices
The base price of the F-TYPE 2.0 Coupé is 57,530 euros and for the R-DYNAMIC you have to pay 62,400 euros. For the F-TYPE 2.0 Convertible you must have a budget of at least 64,650 euros. You can also opt for an R-DYNAMIC version for the convertible, starting from 69,500 euros.
Conclusion
The F-TYPE Coupé is a sports car with an incredibly beautiful design and luxurious appearance. With its low weight and low center of gravity, the F-TYPE has good road holding and you can throw this car into corners with great precision. On paper, a 2.0 is not the most exciting engine, but in practice it should not be much inferior to, for example, the 3.0 V6. With its 300 hp, it has more than enough power and can also achieve high performance figures. Only the soundtrack from the exhaust of the 2.0 sounds less loud than that of the 3.0 V6.
Johan De Haes
Test driver
