Jaguar's flagship F-Type performance car is in for a rethink that could be more than just skin deep
It’s been just over a year since Jaguar last furnished the F-Type sports car with a facelift, but a far bolder mid-life update is in the pipeline according to these brand new spy shots.
Caught on test in the UK, Jaguar’s Porsche 911 rival looks set for a big refresh in 2020, which will see the car’s overall design moved on significantly for the first time since launch in 2013. However, new technology, both in the cabin and under the bonnet, will also differentiate old from new.
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The car spied here is still masked fairly heavily, but it’s possible to spot new bodywork hinting at a redesign. The bonnet, for instance, now runs further down the car’s front wings, and appears to cut through the placement of the current car’s headlights. It would appear that a brand new set of lights – horizontally longer and flanking the grille – will appear, making the F-Type’s nose seem lower to the ground.
Around the back it’s harder to pick out any changes. Going by the angular rear diffuser and the presence of dual twin exhausts, this would appear to be an updated version of the 5.0-litre V8 F-Type R.
The cabin is likely to be in for an overhaul, replacing the current car’s dated infotainment system. The new setup could take inspiration from the recently re-jigged XE saloon.
Engine technology could be subject to a big change – Jaguar Land Rover itself has already essentially confirmed this. The group has committed to launching an electrified version of every new car arriving from 2020 onwards, and with restrictions on fleet CO2 becoming more and more demanding on premium carmakers, the F-Type is a model ripe for cleaner technology.
What isn’t clear is if a facelift counts as a ‘new’ car per se. If it does, it confirms that the refreshed F-Type will gain some form of electrified powertrain. Given JLR’s current push towards 48-volt mild-hybrid technology, that would be the most suitable solution given the demands of the F-Type’s tight packaging.
JLR has already developed a suitable engine in the form of the new 3.0-litre turbo mild-hybrid straight six now equipped in the Range Rover.
Now read how Jaguar celebrated 70 years of Jaguar sports cars by taking the F-Type rallying.
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