Jaguar F-Type revealed

You’ve seen the leaked images, but now it’s official – Jaguar has revealed its F-Type Roadster, which will start from £58,500, the night before the Paris Motor Show. We have all the details and a huge picture gallery for the model that represents a welcome return to Jaguar’s strongest tradition – the two-seater convertible sports car.

Although the C-X16 concept car that previewed the F-Type was a coupe, not a roadster, the production car’s styling has remained faithful. You might recognise the double blades in the front bumper, the power bulge in the bonnet and the vertical bi-xenon headlights with LED running lights, from the concept.

The front-end is familiar from the rest of the Jaguar range. “The grille is evolved from the XJ and XF – the first iteration of the F-Type had an oval one, but I wanted continuity in the range,” Jaguar’s chief designer, Ian Callum, told us.

At the rear, you’ll find a striking pair of narrow tail-lights – a clear nod towards the E-Type – and a pop-up spoiler that deploys automatically. “The rear spoiler pops up at 60mph with the Jaguar name on it. We needed the Jaguar name to be more prominent to promote the brand in China and the US,” Callum explained.

The interior is more driver-focused than any Jaguar that’s gone before. According to Callum, “it had to be cockpit-like – we wanted something that enveloped the driver.” To achieve that, a grab-handle protrudes from the centre-console on the passenger side. The gearstick and toggle switch for Dynamic mode take inspiration from a fighter jet, while the bank of switches below the air-con dials is another aeronautical reference. Another distinctive feature is the air vent that rises up from the top of the dashboard only when required.

The roof is a traditional fabric construction, which can raise or lower itself in only 12 seconds and at speeds up to 30mph. Much lighter than a folding metal hard-top, it’s one of several weight-saving measures on the F-Type. Not least is the all-aluminium chassis, said to be 10 per cent more rigid than that of the XKR-S. In its lightest form, the F-Type weighs 1,597kg – 198kg less than the XKR-S convertible.

Three models will be available from launch, each with a different engine. The F-Type and F-Type S are both powered by a new 3.0-litre supercharged V6 engine, producing 335bhp and 375bhp respectively. The range-topping F-Type V8 S crams a 488bhp 5.0-litre supercharged V8 under the bonnet. All models are fitted with stop-start and an eight-speed automatic gearbox, while the V6-powered S model gets a launch-control function.

That allows it to cover 0-62mph in 4.9 seconds and hit a top speed of 171mph, while returning 31mpg and emitting 213g/km of CO2. The entry-level F-Type takes 5.3 seconds to go from 0-62mph, tops out at 161mph and returns 31.4mpg and 209g/km. Way out in front is the F-Type V8 S, taking 4.3 seconds to do 0-62mph, with a top speed of 186mph. Even so, it will return 25.5mpg and emit 259g/km of CO2.

An active exhaust, optional on the base F-Type and standard on the two S models, opens a set of valves above 3,000rpm so you can hear the V6 or V8 engine on full song. Select the Dynamic mode – which sharpens throttle response, increases steering weight, speeds up the gearbox, firms up the suspension and widens the ESP’s electronic safety net – and the exhaust valves stay open all the time.

Prices wil start at £58,500 for the F-Type, rising to £67,500 for the F-Type S and a whopping £79,950 for the F-Type V8 S, when it goes on sale next spring.