The F Type , A Suitable E Type Successor ?

[reddiesel]

I must admit that initially I never warmed to the F Type , when it was released I was running a 4.2 X150 and in comparison the F Type to me looked short and stubby at the rear and resembling a Nissan 350Z at the front . When it came time to change the X150 I considered perhaps going back to Aston Martin having previously owned a DB9 and it seemed to me that a 4.7 Manual Vantage preferably in Black would fit the bill and until I started researching the Model this was where my money was going . It was around this time I came across the updated F Type with the improved front and to me the car was now transformed aesthetically . Getting the right colour and spec was another issue but eventually I found a 6 month old example at a Jaguar Dealership and after yet another test drive my mind was made up . Later that Summer I was at a Car gathering at Earls Barton where I met a Series 1 E Type Owner who had the car from new back in the Sixties , seeing the F Type he asked for a closer look . Surprisingly he had never visited a Jaguar Dealership in years so claimed he wasnt familiar with the Model and was keen to have a look around . I ended up giving him the key fob and leaving him to it . 30 minutes later I returned to an open bonnet a running engine and the old boy smiling happily and asking more questions . I asked him what he thought of the Car in comparison with his own . Clearly you cant compare the technology of a modern Jaguar with a 50 year old one but to my mind there is a thing called Jaguar DNA . Its most visible in the sculpted curves over the rear wheel arches and in the litheness of the overall design . His reply to me was " if I was your age I would buy it in an instant , in fact I may still do , its a beautiful looking thing . " With the restrictions placed on us by Covid I havent seen old David since that Summer evening , I hope he has bought himself on to sit alongside the Series 1 4.2 FHC in his garage . A proper Jaguar man .

[Simpo Two]

IMHO the E-Type was, like the shark, such a good shape you couldn't evolve it. Well apart from the Eagle Speedster but at £0.5M never a starter.

The XK180 would have got my money, if they'd made it: https://tinyurl.com/frtvh7j8


I think the F-Type is the best-looking Jaguar they currently make, but I find the interior very dull.

Edited by Simpo Two on Wednesday 22 December 11:02

[florian]

And don't forget the original F-Type concept from 2000. What a missed opportunity ... absolutely regrettable that this wasn't brought to the market. One of the best looking cars of the last decades in my opinion. Even the interior was nigh on perfect. Some press pictures here:

https://de.motor1.com/news/316189/jaguar-ftype-con...

[a8hex]

and before that there were the XJ41 & XJ42 which never made it as Jaguars but did rescue Aston Martin by giving rise to the DB7.

[Johnnytheboy]

I have every intention of buying an F-Type when finance permits.

I admittedly haven't seen the facelift in the flesh, but from pics I prefer the original.

I also like the lack of rear overhang, it's a fairly compact car.

[fatboy b]

Johnnytheboy said:

I have every intention of buying an F-Type when finance permits.

I admittedly haven't seen the facelift in the flesh, but from pics I prefer the original.

I also like the lack of rear overhang, it's a fairly compact car.

Jaguar’s trump card has always been the styling edge over the competitors. They always looked different. But making the f-type face-lift front end look like an Audi was a bad move.

[Simpo Two]

florian said:

And don't forget the original F-Type concept from 2000. What a missed opportunity ... absolutely regrettable that this wasn't brought to the market. One of the best looking cars of the last decades in my opinion. Even the interior was nigh on perfect. Some press pictures here:

https://de.motor1.com/news/316189/jaguar-ftype-con...

That's the XK180 I referred to above. Seems to have a different engine though.

So that's two sales they lost!

IIRC it wasn't put into production because (1) they couldn't work out a roof (2) the accountants wanted to make 4-pot Euroboxes.

[reddiesel]

Johnnytheboy said:

I have every intention of buying an F-Type when finance permits.

I admittedly haven't seen the facelift in the flesh, but from pics I prefer the original.

I also like the lack of rear overhang, it's a fairly compact car.

Three possible fronts on the F Type Johnny , the launch version , the update and the current version which to be honest I struggle with . The current version has the same problem the current Aston Martin Vantage has and thats the headlights are so slim it makes the front a bit ungainly . Other opinions of course are always available and welcome but personally I find the bonnet a bit flat almost like a coffee table when you look at it side on .

[reddiesel]

Simpo Two said:

IMHO the E-Type was, like the shark, such a good shape you couldn't evolve it. Well apart from the Eagle Speedster but at £0.5M never a starter.

The XK180 would have got my money, if they'd made it: https://tinyurl.com/frtvh7j8


I think the F-Type is the best-looking Jaguar they currently make, but I find the interior very dull.

Edited by Simpo Two on Wednesday 22 December 11:02

This was part of my complaint too Simpo after 6 or 7 seven test drives of various models . This point of view was further exacerbated by the girlfriend being on her third Porsche 911 which seemed to me a better put together product . I have to put my hand up now and say that although it may seem dull everything you would want and expect is present . The Glass roof is absolutely essential and you have to check that spec because there are some poorly equipped ones out there . Sadly in my view the F Type is the Only " Jaguar " Jaguar currently make .

[GibsonLP]

Johnnytheboy said:

I have every intention of buying an F-Type when finance permits.

I admittedly haven't seen the facelift in the flesh, but from pics I prefer the original.

I also like the lack of rear overhang, it's a fairly compact car.

Lack of rear overhang aside the width of the rear arches at 6' 3" makes things like the 6' 6" width restrictions in London interesting...

I would not call the F a compact car by any means. Sadly, mine has suffered 2 grazes from passing cars as I have to street park.

[Johnnytheboy]

GibsonLP said:

Johnnytheboy said:

I have every intention of buying an F-Type when finance permits.

I admittedly haven't seen the facelift in the flesh, but from pics I prefer the original.

I also like the lack of rear overhang, it's a fairly compact car.

Lack of rear overhang aside the width of the rear arches at 6' 3" makes things like the 6' 6" width restrictions in London interesting...

I would not call the F a compact car by any means. Sadly, mine has suffered 2 grazes from passing cars as I have to street park.

My previous toy car was a mk2 Focus RS, and the dimensions look very similar. Mind you, that was a fat old thing!

Focus: Length 4402mm X Width 2020mm

Jag: Length (mm) 4,470 X Width with mirrors out (mm) 2,042

[GibsonLP]

Johnnytheboy said:

My previous toy car was a mk2 Focus RS, and the dimensions look very similar. Mind you, that was a fat old thing!

Focus: Length 4402mm X Width 2020mm

Jag: Length (mm) 4,470 X Width with mirrors out (mm) 2,042

That's incredible, even with the RS kit I would never have thought of a Focus as being wider than an F.

I suppose it's the usual narrative of inflation to "small cars" these days. Following the likes of Clubmans around, I wouldn't be surprised if it's the same scenario as the Focus RS.

[Johnnytheboy]

GibsonLP said:

That's incredible, even with the RS kit I would never have thought of a Focus as being wider than an F.

I suppose it's the usual narrative of inflation to "small cars" these days. Following the likes of Clubmans around, I wouldn't be surprised if it's the same scenario as the Focus RS.

It had a much wider track than the standard car. It felt its width as well, one of its main drawbacks.



I'm getting very off topic here, but one reason I toyed with then rejected the idea of the GR Yaris is width - 1805mm wide!

[reddiesel]

Johnnytheboy said:

It had a much wider track than the standard car. It felt its width as well, one of its main drawbacks.



I'm getting very off topic here, but one reason I toyed with then rejected the idea of the GR Yaris is width - 1805mm wide!

Never mind Johnny you can always console yourself with the Investment Potential of the RS . It makes me cry to see the prices some of the Models I previously owned are now achieving .

[anonymous-user]

F Type SVR looks amazing and sounds even better IMHO.
I cant be alone in that as prices seem to have bottomed out and are now on the rise.
Presumably due to their rarity if there are sub 200 UK cars

[reddiesel]

£65,000 for the cheapest one on Autotrader . I wonder about going from a V8R into an SVR and how that would feel in the real world . Would it seem like you had bought a new car or just a hotter version of your old one . Another thing I think about is using that power , you cant on normal roads . Its gotten so heavily Policed with Cameras now that reaching 100 mph is an event in itself . You are left then with buying for Investment purposes and that means never using the car in order to keep the mileage low and maintain some value . I would be looking instead at an early Vanquish . The last of the Newport Pagnell built Astons , available for similar money and to my mind will attain greater values than any SVR . Sorry for the topic diversion but always interesting to hear others thoughts ?

[anonymous-user]

reddiesel said:

£65,000 for the cheapest one on Autotrader . I wonder about going from a V8R into an SVR and how that would feel in the real world . Would it seem like you had bought a new car or just a hotter version of your old one . Another thing I think about is using that power , you cant on normal roads . Its gotten so heavily Policed with Cameras now that reaching 100 mph is an event in itself . You are left then with buying for Investment purposes and that means never using the car in order to keep the mileage low and maintain some value . I would be looking instead at an early Vanquish . The last of the Newport Pagnell built Astons , available for similar money and to my mind will attain greater values than any SVR . Sorry for the topic diversion but always interesting to hear others thoughts ?

Yeah its probably difficult to justify the additional cost to upgrade within the model but I was looking as an outsider with a blank canvas and a £70k budget to spend on a 3rd toy.

Tried BMW M4 and 718 Cayman 4.0 GTS to name a few but strangely drawn back to the SVR all the time.
I find NA exhaust sound a massive part of the driving experience and fun and nothing sounds as good as a SVR and thats coming from a lambo man

[fatboy b]

Curledge said:

F Type SVR looks amazing and sounds even better IMHO.
I cant be alone in that as prices seem to have bottomed out and are now on the rise.
Presumably due to their rarity if there are sub 200 UK cars

I wouldn’t say the prices have bottomed out and on the rise. The used car market is artificially inflated currently, like the rest of the world. It’ll probably get back to normal later this year. I’ve been looking out for an SVR to replace the R. I like a bold colour, but others on here are of the old-fogey variety and find them obnoxious

But there’s not a lot of decent colours out there currently, well one in BRG with gold stripes. But it appears to have orange-peel paint.

[anonymous-user]

fatboy b said:

I wouldn’t say the prices have bottomed out and on the rise. The used car market is artificially inflated currently, like the rest of the world. It’ll probably get back to normal later this year. I’ve been looking out for an SVR to replace the R. I like a bold colour, but others on here are of the old-fogey variety and find them obnoxious

But there’s not a lot of decent colours out there currently, well one in BRG with gold stripes. But it appears to have orange-peel paint.

Ultra blue looks amazing especially with yellow calipers on the ceramic brakes.
That would get my vote and a pre MY18 so its noise isn't strangled by the GPFs

[Dave211]

Changed my 60’ plate XKR for a storm grey F-Type R absolutely love it.
Bought the XKR from a JLR dealer for 26k and flogged it to a JLR dealer for 30k after two and a half years. The only reason for selling was the XKR was a convertible and as it lived outside I was concerned about the roof deteriorating. Got the F-Type at just the right time before the prices went up.