THE COMPLETE F-TTYPE HISTORY
"The F-Type is a continuation of a sporting bloodline that stretches back over 75 years and encompasses some of the most beautiful, thrilling and desirable cars ever built by Jaguar"
Over the years there have been various models produced in the F-TYPE range, all of which come in coupe or convertible form. Each variant is distinguished by its engine and power output.
F-TYPE 3.0-Litre V6 340 Supercharged
The original entry point into the F-TYPE range was the 3.0-litre V6 Supercharged, producing 340PS. Jaguar used its supercharged V6 to give the car a combination of strong performance, refinement and everyday usability, with the compact supercharger providing a rapidly rising torque curve across a broad range of engine speeds. A water-cooled intercooler helped improve both power and efficiency, while Jaguar's Intelligent Stop/Start system was designed to reduce fuel consumption by switching the engine off when the car came to a standstill.
The 340PS F-TYPE could accelerate from 0–60mph in 5.1 seconds with the automatic transmission, or 5.5 seconds with the manual gearbox, and had a top speed of 161mph. It established the basic character of the F-TYPE: a compact two-seat Jaguar sports car combining dramatic styling with a powerful, responsive engine and a strong emphasis on driver enjoyment.
F-TYPE S 3.0-Litre V6 380 Supercharged
The F-TYPE S took the supercharged 3.0-litre V6 and increased its output to 380PS, giving the car a significantly more performance-focused character than the standard 340PS model. The engine produced an impressive specific power output of 127PS per litre, while Jaguar's supercharger, water-cooled intercooler and sophisticated boost control helped deliver strong and immediate performance.
The V6 S could reach 60mph in 4.8 seconds with the automatic transmission and 5.3 seconds with the manual, while its top speed was 171mph. Jaguar also incorporated counter-rotating front and rear balancer weights to improve refinement and smoothness, meaning the car could combine its sporting character with the level of sophistication expected from a Jaguar.
The S therefore represented an important step up within the original F-TYPE range, offering substantially more performance without moving into the larger V8 models.
F-TYPE S 5.0-Litre V8 495PS Supercharged
The F-TYPE S was also available with Jaguar's 5.0-litre supercharged V8, producing 495PS and 625Nm of torque. This transformed the character of the car, providing the sort of effortless acceleration and enormous mid-range performance associated with Jaguar's larger V8 engines.
The V8 S could accelerate from 0–60mph in just 4.2 seconds and reach 186mph. Its peak torque of 625Nm was available from only 2,500rpm, allowing the car to deliver rapid and progressive acceleration with an immediate throttle response.
Jaguar also used spray-guided direct injection, precisely controlling the amount of fuel delivered into the combustion chambers to improve combustion efficiency. Like the V6 versions, the V8 benefited from Intelligent Stop/Start technology.
The V8 S occupied an interesting position in the early F-TYPE line-up: it provided enormous performance and the unmistakable character of a supercharged V8 while sitting below the ultimate 550PS F-TYPE R.
