Saying goodbye to Jaguar's beloved F-type
Prashirwin Naidu
The purr of the famous big cat of cars, the Jaguar, will be replaced by silent efficiency as the British car maker prepares to embrace the electric age.
After 75 years of producing luxury sports vehicles, Jaguar is joining the swathes of automotive brands turning electric. In 2024, Jaguar bids farewell to its internal combustions sports car lineage.
The future is electric. Bittersweet indeed. But they'll end the ICE journey on a high with the release of the limited-edition F-Type, which pays ode to the iconic 1960s racing E-type vehicles.
"As Jaguar embarks on the boldest transformation in its history, to become a modern luxury all-electric brand from 2025, this is an unrepeatable celebration of Jaguar's internal combustion sports car provenance," says Rawdon Glover, Managing Director of Jaguar.
It's said that 150 F-Type ZP Edition will be built, offering a supercharged petrol V8 motor which pushes out 423kw. These F-Types will be finely crafted to perfection with unique interior and exterior features with the help of personalisation experts at SV Bespoke. Although, two so far have been set for the South African market.
Colour pallets are inspired by the first race-winning Project ZP E-types, launched in 1961. One can have Oulton Blue Gloss Paint with Mars red and Ebony duotone leather interior, or another choice of Crystal Grey Gloss paint with Navy Blue and Ebony duotone leather interior. Some distinct styling elements also feature painted racing-styled roundels on the doors and Porcelain White Gloss surrounding them. One will stand out as these exterior paints have yet to be offered on the F-Type.
Interestingly, these colours match the two specifically formulated colours created for seven pairs of the E-type Project ZP Collection cars, which were announced by Jaguar Classic earlier this year.
In terms of interior layout, the seats will have unique horizontal seat fluting, and towards the outside, it features a Gloss Black accent; the brake calipers and the 20-ich forged alloy wheels, tread plates, and dashboard are licked in Gloss black, too. The fenders will flow tidily with the F-Type ZP Edition badging. Each car has a "One of 150' SV Bespoke commissioning plaque.
The F-TYPE ZP Edition is available in both Coupé and Convertible body styles, but only the Coupé is available for the South African market. With 423kW, 700Nm of torque and an all-wheel drive system with Intelligent Driveline Dynamics (IDD) technology, performance is exceptional on all surfaces and in all weathers: 0-100km/h takes as little as 3.7 seconds. The top speed is an electronically limited 300km/h.
Truly, Jaguar has evolved, and this bids a farewell to their popular V8 engine. One must embrace the electric era; all we can do is savour the last of the Jaguar F-Type, constantly engaging and blessed with sprinting abilities and V8 acoustics.
It will continue to deliver the sheer footed performance and driver-focused experience that many Jaguar fans will take a keen interest in.
But don't expect the loud purrs one has become accustomed to.
