Jaguar is going through somewhat of a reinvention, moving away from petrol-powered luxury saloons and delectable sports cars to instead turn towards electrification for its future. It's a move which is understandable for those familiar with the UK's increasingly stringent laws surrounding the production and sale of electric vehicles, but it does mean I write this with a heavy heart.
The F-Type is, officially, no more. One final example rolled off the Castle Bromwich production line on May 22, 2024 along with the last XE and XF to be made, the death of the trio also marking the closure of the former World War II aircraft factory-turned-Jaguar plant itself.
While the F-Type you see here isn't the last to be made, it's almost identical in specification: a V8-powered drop-top finished in Giola Green with a Tan Windsor leather and black alloys, the wheel design the only difference between them. That last-ever example now lives in Jaguar's heritage collection at its Gaydon headquarters, but the one here was mine for a few days to give it the send-off it deserves.
Launched in 2013, the F-Type marked Jaguar's return to making two-seat sports cars, with the last E-Type having been built almost 40 years prior (and in a similar specification to this bookend for its successor). The E-Type might be hard to top as an icon of the sports car world, the F-Type, I believe, will still leave a lasting impression.
Quite simply, this is my favourite car of the past decade. Having driven almost every available configuration during my time as a journo – pick and mix from the turbocharged four-pot or supercharged V6 and V8 engines, rear-wheel drive or all-wheel drive, coupé or convertible – it's been one car that has continued to impress me time and time again.
It's admittedly hard not to be swayed by the looks. Few cars look this beautiful from all angles, and it's this which the F-Type will no doubt be best remembered for in years to come. Thank you, Ian Callum.
Many cars these days become quickly dated between their robot-vomit design language and garish hero colours; the F-Type is truly timeless whether we're talking about the original or this facelifted version. I challenge you to find a single photograph in which it looks at all awkward. Difficulty: Impossible.
Now aside from the superbly supple leather, the interior isn't quite what you might be expecting from a 2024 model vehicle at this price point, but when you think about it, it's actually one of its strong suits.
There's enough tech for it to feel modern enough, such as the two big 12.3-inch displays, but enough of the controls are still operated by physical buttons and switches. Sure, the infotainment system isn't the sharpest, but I guarantee this interior will age more gracefully as a result.
Beauty is nothing without some brains behind it, which is why it's not just the F-Type's looks that leave me so enamoured, but rather the way it drives. There's a beautiful brutality with which it delivers its supercharged V8 power – it's smooth and progressive given the consistency with which a blower provides boost, but the immediacy of it is also utterly ferocious.
The exhaust note is the perfect accompaniment, its aggression matching the expression of the Jaguar badge on the front. Hit the button to open up the exhaust valves and let it sing with full voice and it only gets better. This is right up there with the best-sounding cars on sale right now... or at least on sale a few months ago.
But there's more than just power to play with here. The chassis is fantastic, even in less-rigid convertible guise, with the right degree of playfulness to allow for some slip where you might want it. The steering, too, is an absolute treat, with telepathic immediacy between the tiller and the front wheels.
Cars like this are what make people love cars. Beautiful, sonorous, engaging, muscular, fun. Driving one of these is the sort of thing that never leaves you short of positive adjectives.
Yet, this is the exact sort of car that's going extinct right now. In a world of downsizing, electrification, and automation, driving a car like the F-Type is the sort of experience you'll be left wanting to tell your future children and grandchildren about.
The world really is a worse place now that it's gone.
2024 Jaguar F-Type 75 Convertible
Price (MSRP): A$186,920
As Tested: A$193,940
Engine: 5.0-litre supercharged V8 petrol
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Drivetrain: RWD
Power: 331kW // 450PS at 6000rpm
Torque: 580Nm // 428lb-ft at 3100rpm
Acceleration (0-100km/h // 0-62mph): 4.6 seconds
Top Speed: 285km/h // 177mph
Weight: 1793kg (including 75kg driver, full fluids, and 90% fuel)
Economy: 11.3L/100km (claimed)
