- The refreshed 2021 Jaguar F-Type is set to make its North American debut at the Chicago Auto Show this month.
- For the 2021 model year, the sports coupe gets a more aggressive front end, a larger grille, and new headlights and taillights.
- Jaguar has also introduced a digital dashboard and a trimmed-down range of engine options. The top-of-the-line R trim receives a 5.0-liter 575-horsepower supercharged V8 matching the outgoing F-Type SVR.
- The F-Type follows in the footsteps of several gorgeous and powerful sports coupes from the British carmaker.
- Visit Business Insider’s homepage for more stories.
Jaguar Land Rover unveiled its much-anticipated Defender off-roader last year, and the British brand has plenty more to show for 2020. Jaguar plans to showcase the redesigned 2021 version of its F-Type sports car at the Chicago Auto Show this month.
Improving upon the previous F-Type – launched in 2013 and generally lauded for its sleek design and performance – seemed like a tough task, but Jaguar appears to have pulled it off. Judging by photos Jaguar released last week, the F-Type gets an edgier look and more aggressive features all around for 2021.
The revamped model also gets new tech and a simplified set of powertrain options. The top-level R trim benefits from a beefier, 575-horsepower V8 engine matching the outgoing F-Type SVR.
The 2021 F-Type is the latest in a long line of good-looking high-performance sports coupes built by the British manufacturer. Here’s a look at the new F-Type, and some of the legendary Jags that came before it.
Jaguar will unveil the 2021 redesign of its iconic F-Type sports car at the Chicago Auto Show this month.
For 2021, the sporty two-seater receives a sleeker, more aggressive look overall ...
... including a new hood and a larger front grille.
The new F-Type also gets slim, menacing LED headlights ...
... and updated taillights to match.
Buyers can select from three power plants, including a 296-horsepower turbocharged four-cylinder engine and a 380-horsepower supercharged V6.
Top-of-the-line F-Type R models offer the optional supercharged 5.0-liter V8, good for a claimed 575 horsepower and 516 foot-pounds of torque.
All engines come mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission, shiftable using steering wheel-mounted paddles or the gear selector.
It'll also come in a convertible version.
Also new for 2021 is a fully digital, configurable 12.3-inch instrument cluster.
Jaguar says the revamped F-Type references "the beautiful flowing forms from the brand's rich sports car heritage," so it's only appropriate we take a look back at some of Jag's most legendary sports coupes.
The E-Type, unveiled at the Geneva auto show in 1961, is one of Jaguar's most iconic vehicles.
Source: The New York Times
Enzo Ferrari even called it "the most beautiful car ever made."
Source: Business Insider
Thanks to its 3.8-liter inline-six engine, the E-Type put up some impressive performance numbers for the time — it boasted 265 horsepower, a top speed of 150 mph, and a time of less than seven seconds to get from 0 to 60 mph.
Source: The New York Times
The 2021 F-Type's fastback shape, dramatic rear haunches, and long, swooping hood all echo the E-Type's design language.
The XJ-S — later called the XJS after Ford took over Jaguar — succeeded the E-Type and was manufactured for a remarkably long time, from 1975 through 1996.
Source: Hemmings
Power initially came from a V12 engine paired to a three-speed automatic, and the combination allowed for a 150-mph top speed and a time from 0 to 60 mph of 6.8 seconds.
Source: Hagerty
It was the most affordable mass-produced V12 sports car ever sold, according to Hagerty, and a clean example can be had for well under $20,000 today.
Source: Hagerty
Jaguar replaced the ancient XJS with the new XK8 in 1996.
Source: Automotive News
A souped-up version called the XKR came equipped with a supercharged V8 rated at 370 horsepower and 387 foot-pounds of torque.
Source: Car and Driver
The second generation of the sports car, introduced for 2007 and penned by legendary designer Ian Callum, brought the XK series into the 21st century.
Source: Car and Driver
It was produced until 2014 and offered an XKR-S version with an estimated 550 horsepower and 502 foot-pounds of torque.
Source: AutoGuide, Kelley Blue Book
That brings us to the F-Type, which came on the scene in 2013. It was also designed by Callum, who is responsible for other gorgeous cars like the Aston Martin DB9 and V8 Vantage.
Source: The Los Angeles Times, Car and Driver
We'll have to wait and see if the new F-Type achieves the same icon status as some of its predecessors.
