Review
Jaguar F-TYPE Convertible
With the arrival of the F-TYPE Convertible, Jaguar is renewing a sporting tradition that dates back more than 75 years. It has become a convertible with two seats and the DNA of a true sports car with a clear focus on performance and the ultimate driving experience. Built on a robust construction of lightweight aluminum for optimal weight distribution.
Motorizations
The F-TYPE Cabriolet is now available in numerous variants with a 3.0 V6 or 5.0 V8. The entry-level version is the 3.0 V6 with 340 hp with rear-wheel drive. The manual version is available from 74,110 euros, the automatic version costs 76,650 euros.
A 3.0 V6 with 380 hp is also available. You can choose this with either rear-wheel drive or four-wheel drive. For the manual version with rear-wheel drive you have to pay 86,310 euros. We drove the automatic. This is available from 88,850 euros. The base price of the 3.0 V6 AWD with automatic transmission is 94,950 euros. For enthusiasts, there is also a “British Design Edition” version available with both rear-wheel and four-wheel drive.
If you want even more power, that is possible. The Jaguar F-TYPE Convertible is also available with a 5.0 V8 in three variants. There is a version that has a power of 550 hp in both rear-wheel drive (116,620 euros) and four-wheel drive (122,720). The top version is a 5.0 V8 that has 575 hp. It goes from 0-100 km/h in just 3.7 seconds and is available from 147,920 euros.
Jaguar F-TYPE S Convertible
We went out with the Jaguar F-TYPE S Convertible with rear-wheel drive. Its beating heart is a six-cylinder V6 “SUPERCHARGED” with a capacity of 2,995 cc. This block delivers a power of 380 hp and a max. torque of 460 Nm. Our test car was equipped with a Quikshift eight-speed automatic transmission. This shifts up and down very quickly over the eight short-spaced gears. If you want, you can also switch gears yourself via the paddles behind the steering wheel. The F-TYPE S Convertible accelerates from 0-100 km/h in 4.9 seconds and has an electronically limited top speed of 275 km/h.
Great soundtrack
If you are a fan of a sporty sound, this car will certainly not disappoint you. In all its glory, this is quite possibly one of the loudest cars we have ever been in. The F-TYPE S is equipped with an active sports exhaust as standard. During a sporty driving style (from 3000 rpm), the active bypass valves open and a full sporty sound comes from the exhaust. There is also a button on the center console that allows you to choose between a discreet sound or sporty sound. So you can drive quietly without waking up the entire street.
1+1 sports car
Jaguar has opted for a “1+1” layout for the interior, with the intention being to design the interior around the driver, in such a way that the driver can focus maximally on driving. By working with different materials for the driver’s area, a visual distinction is made between the driver’s zone and the passenger’s zone. This area is also demarcated by a handle that runs from the top of the center console down to the passenger side. The passenger is therefore not supposed to fiddle with the buttons on the center console. The intention was to make it clear that the controls are intended for the driver. Justifiably. For the interior, Jaguar engineers were also inspired by the design of a fighter aircraft. For example, just like in the cockpit of a fighter plane, they have grouped the buttons by function and the automatic transmission lever is designed like a joystick.
Fabric roof
A fabric folding roof was chosen as the material for the roof of the F-TYPE Convertible. This is standard in a kind of anthracite color (Jet). You can also optionally get this in a slightly lighter shade of gray or beige or red. You can open and close the hood fully automatically via a button on the center console. This takes about 12 seconds and you can also do it while driving up to a speed of 50 km/h. With a fabric roof you of course have a little more contact with the sounds from outside, but in the philosophy of the sports car it is logical that Jaguar has opted for a fabric roof.
Rear spoiler
At the rear you can recognize which version of the F-TYPE it is. For example, the F-TYPE and F-TYPE S are equipped with a centrally located dual exhaust. The V8 S can be recognized by its quadruple exhaust, with the two exhaust tips placed on the extreme corners.
We also find a hidden rear spoiler at the rear of the F-TYPE. This was hidden so as not to be a disturbing element in the elegant design at the back. The spoiler automatically raises from 100 km/h with the aim of reducing upward forces. The spoiler will retract when the speed drops below 60 km/h. Personally, we think this is quite a nice style element.
Conclusion
In our opinion, the Jaguar F-TYPE Convertible has become a real driver’s car, where the driving experience is central. This is reflected, among other things, in the extremely sharp performance and the most intense sound experience that the car offers. In terms of design, the F-TYPE has also become a very handsome appearance, both on the outside and inside.
Johan De Haes
Test driver
