Jaguar builds final F-Type

Jaguar has built its final F-Type, ending a 75-year lineage of petrol-powered sports cars that started with the XK120 in 1948. The discontinuation of the F-Type, which was first announced last year, is part of a broader change at Jaguar that will see the entire brand go electric in 2025.

Built on 14 June, the final F-Type was a Giola Green 5.0 V8 convertible with a black hood and Tan Windsor leather interior. The colour combination is similar to that of the final E-type, a V12 Series III convertible that was built in 1974. Like the E-type, the final F-Type will go to the Jaguar Daimler Heritage Trust that preserves the marque’s history and occasionally brings cars out for anniversaries and special occasions.

Inevitably compared with the E-type and often seen as a ‘lesser’ car against that iconic model, the F-Type was actually more successful. Total production of 87,731 betters the E-type’s 72,528 - a difference of just over 15,000 units. That greater number was reached over a shorter period, too, with the F-Type in production for eleven years, while the E-type was built for thirteen years.

From Concept to Reality

The first car to wear the ‘F-Type’ name was a speedster concept from 2000. Originally scheduled to reach production soon after, that project was cancelled in 2002. Nine years later, the F-Type was back, this time in the form of the ‘C-X16’ concept that was much closer to what the final production car would be. The production F-Type made its debut in 2012 and went to market a year later.

Initially available only as a convertible, an F-type with a fixed roof was added in 2014. Engine options were a 3.0-litre V6 or 5.0-litre V8, both supercharged and available with different outputs – from 250kW to 423kW. An eight-speed sports automatic was the sole transmission offered initially, but a six-speed manual was added to the V6 models in 2015.

In 2018, a turbocharged 2.0-litre four (a first for a Jaguar sports car) producing 221kW was introduced and later replaced the V6 as the standard engine, with the V8 increasingly limited in special editions, like the ‘Project 7,’ ‘Heritage 60,’ ‘ZP’ and ‘75’.

In 2019, a facelifted F-Type was unveiled and released as a 2021 model. Available as a coupe or convertible, the revamped F-Type was split across four basic variants defined by engine output for most markets. The turbo 2.0-litre four was in the lower two grades, with a supercharged 5.0 V8 in the upper two.

Australian Market

In Australia, the F-Type was available from 2013 as a V8 or V6 convertible, with the local market receiving the coupe when it became available in 2014, along with the manual transmission when it was added a year later.

The manual transmission was dropped in 2019 when the local F-Type range was pared back. A further cut in 2022 limited buyers to an F-Type in V8 ‘R’ or ‘R Dynamic’ form only, but with a choice of RWD or AWD. In 2023, the F-Type ‘75’ became the standard offering in Australia, available as an RWD coupe, RWD convertible or AWD R coupe, with the supercharged V8 and eight-speed auto as the only drivetrain. That range has continued into this year, but is due to be expanded with the arrival of the F-Type ZP Edition coupe that features a 423kW/700Nm V8, eight-speed auto, AWD, two exclusive exterior colours and interiors created by SV Bespoke.

Announced last October and limited to 150 units globally, 24 examples of the F-Type ZP Edition have been allocated to the Australian market and were due to arrive in July. Against the F-Type 75 that starts around the $180K mark, the ZP Edition is listed at $373,547 (+ ORCs).

Locally, F-Type sales never reached much more than 100 units annually and fell further following the arrival of Jaguar SUVs like the F-Pace and E-Pace, which many Jaguar loyalists have chosen over the two-seat sports car.

An Electric Future

While F-Type production has ended, Jaguar estimates the model will remain available in several markets into 2025.

Jaguar’s move to an EV-only future won’t see the sports coupe and convertible return in electric form, but an all-new four-door GT that “promises to be a copy of nothing” will take over as the brand’s flag bearer from next year.

“The singular vision of Jaguar’s founder, Sir William Lyons, was to always be future-facing, relevant and original. This has been the foundation of Jaguar through almost a century of evolving contemporary British luxury,” said Rawdon Glover, Jaguar Managing Director.

“As we celebrate F-Type and our 75-year history of innovative Jaguar sports cars, we are also looking forward to the beginning of a new era. We will reimagine and elevate the Jaguar brand that will be focused on growing client intimacy and engagement, underpinned by our purpose to inspire like no other."